Prompt (Supplied by TanteLiz): Choose a prompt that has not been used from the Writing Prompts thread and write to it. You must also find a way to work the originator of the prompt's Penname somewhere in the story.

Chosen prompt (Also supplied by TanteLiz): Write an essay on the significance of a made-up historical event

History and Significance of the "Mars War", 2307

Darius Greaves, PhD

(Note-Why the hell did the academy ask me for this? Just because I was there doesn't make me an expert!)

There is little doubt that the conflict coloquially known as the Mars War, and its direct consequences, has been one of the most influential events in the history of the Terra Sphere Union. In this essay I will attempt to summarise the events leading up to the war and its wider effects throughout the Union.

(Note-Need to ask Liz about research sources on the parts I wasn't there for.)

I should begin with a brief history of the Union's conception and early extraterrestrial colonisation program. During the early decades of the 23rd century the end of the second feudal age brought about the unification of the Royal Eurasian Provinces. This occurring concurrently with the founding of the Western Imperialist State split the majority of Earth's landmass between the two superpowers.

The following years saw a great deal of military skirmishes and privateer activity around the South China Sea, particularly across Indonesia and the Philippines. These hostilities were eventually brought to a close by the peace talks at the Cape Town Summit, overseen by the government of the United African Nations. The three superpowers agreed to a combined global government, and so the TSU was formed.

(Note-Does anyone even care about the historical background? Is this at all relevant?)

It didn't take long for the the Union to turn its attention to other planets. With construction on Earth's space elevator array nearing completion it was soon possible move large numbers of people and materials from surface to orbit with speed and efficiency. The next step was, naturally, to expand beyond our home and find other worlds; fertile, mineral rich and able to support Human life.

Foreign systems were seeded and cities built on alien soil. With the Union expanding its borders out beyond Sol its leaders realised that they needed representatives out in the colonies who could enforce their will. Thus the colonial parliaments were created, a political council to govern each colony world separately. However, their official capacity was little more than to act as the eyes and mouths of the Union's leadership, ultimately leaving the colonies with very little independence. Furthermore, parliament members were elected by the Union for the Union, always ensuring that those in positions of false power were the most loyal, the easiest to control.

Of course those early colonies were a far cry from the "new generation". What modern terraforming technology can accomplish in just a few short months was merely theoretical during the Union's early days. To find a prime example of this one need look no further than Mars, the very first planet to be colonised by Humanity.

(Note-Need to tell Fairburn to keep his damn kid out of the lab.)

The crude atmosdome cities scattered across the surface of Mars are a testament to our past. Those once mighty titans of mining and manufacturing are now abandoned by time, left to decay into rust and pollution in the wake of technological progress. Was it then any wonder that there were those among the colonies that felt oppressed? That yearned for independence from the TSU? Nowhere were these thoughts more prominent than on Mars and, as a Martian, I personally know what it was to feel rejected by the very same government that would claim authority over my homeworld.

(Note-Review this thoroughly before final edit. I don't want to give any of those shitbags an excuse to slander me as some kind of hardline anti-Terran.)

The first reported appearances of the Martian Independence Movement occurred in 2306. At that time they were merely a loose collective of Martian citizens who believed that they were entitled to more than they had. Their main standpoint was that Mars, as the Union's oldest colony world deserved to be Earth's equal; independently governed and with rights to establish its own colonies. Towards the end of the year they became more organised and on the 7th December the MIM held its first official protest in Olympus City.

It goes without saying that the TSU wanted this dissent quashed, and Mars' puppet government quickly set to work suppressing the MIM and all its activities. From there the problem escalated. Starting on the 30th January 2307 numerous Terran citizens, businesses and ships were hit with death threats, abductions, shootings and bombings. The attacks lasted for a month before a group came forward to claim responsibility: Redsand; a faction of disillusioned Martian soldiers from within the TSU garrison in Olympus and led by the prominent Colonel Bradley Gerrick.

Redsand fought a guerilla war against the TSU until the 15th April, at midnight, when Gerrick and his men stormed the parliament building during a government assembly and executed the political council. At 0800 hours Gerrick proclaimed himself President of the Martian Separatist Alliance in a planet-wide broadcast. This is considered to be when the Mars War truly started.

(Note-Semi-fluid polymer substrate to stabilise nano circuitry?)

What followed was a month of skirmishes between Terran and Martian forces, both within the cities and throughout the deserts. The Union had the upper hand in numbers and equipment but the Alliance had superior knowledge of the atmosdomes and the planet's harsh terrain, and knew how to turn both to their advantage. This led to a stalemate, the Union unable to gain any ground and the Alliance attempting to wear down their enemy while their own supplies dwindled.

The fighting was eventually brought to a close when a Union task force infiltrated Olympus' atmospheric control center and disabled the city's life support systems. Gerrick and a large number of his troops were left sealed within the atmosdome which was rapidly running out of air, filling with toxins and flooding. Gerrick was forced to surrender to the Union shortly after and was brought to Earth to be tried for his crimes against the TSU.

(Note-Not much of a war in retrospect.)

What effect did this six month span have on the Union? It would surely have been a simple matter for the world leaders to pass the Mars War off as an isolated case and continue to lead as they had been. Instead they considered the possibility of other uprisings, perhaps on colony worlds far from Earth where the situation would be uncontrollable. Instead they came to a compromise; as summarised in the Charter of the Terra Sphere Union:

"all colonial parliaments will be granted full, autonomous self government so long as each parliamentary council retains representatives on Earth and allegiance to the Union"

The Charter ensured that the chances of further revolts would be diminished and prevent the Union from fracturing. Ultimately, the MSA failed in their ambitions, however it could be said that Gerrick's war and eventual sacrifice laid the foundations for a fairer, stronger TSU.

(Note-To hell with all this! I have more pressing matters to attend to right now and finishing this up can wait at least until my job is threatened.)