The Veridian Silence
On a remote farming colony, a fragile peace is shattered by a suspicious death. A retired soldier must uncover a conspiracy that links their quiet home to the galactic war against the Insectoid Swarm, forcing them to confront the very conflict they tried to escape. Is it murder, or something far worse?
0
Plays
4
Characters
7
Events
📖 Story Backstory
The introduction and setting of the world, including its history.
For over a century, humanity has been locked in a desperate war of survival against the Chittering Swarm, a hive-mind insectoid species that consumes entire worlds. The United Terran Mandate (UTM) directs the war effort with a massive, conscription-based military. Veridian is a small, terraformed Agri-World in a supposedly safe sector of space, founded by war veterans and conscientious objectors seeking a life of peace and self-sufficiency. This small, isolated community is proud of its independence and deeply distrustful of the central UTM government and its endless war.
👥 Characters (4)
Characters in this story. You will choose who to play as when you start.
Kaelen Vance
Protagonist
A retired Sergeant from the UTM Marine Corps, Kaelen survived the infamous 'Glassfire Campaigns' against the Swarm. Disillusioned with the endless war and the UTM's methods, Kaelen used their veteran's stipend to settle on Veridian, seeking a quiet life. Their past experience makes them the colony's reluctant but respected security chief.
Dr. Aris Thorne
Veridian's chief xenobotanist and medic. Aris was once a leading researcher for the UTM's advanced science division but resigned in protest over their weaponization of his research. He believes Veridian's unique ecosystem holds the key to non-violent solutions against the Swarm, a view considered heretical by the military. He is fiercely protective of his work and Veridian's independence.
Commander Eva Rostova
A rising star in the UTM Navy, Commander Rostova is the captain of the patrol vessel 'Vigilance', which was making a routine supply stop at Veridian. The deceased officer was her subordinate. She is ambitious, intelligent, and utterly devoted to the UTM and the war effort. She sees the colonists as naive, privileged civilians who don't grasp the sacrifices required for their safety.
Joric Ben-Amos
Neutral
As the elected Colony Administrator and one of the original founders, Joric is the heart of Veridian's independent spirit. He is a staunch pacifist who helped establish the colony as a haven from the UTM's forever war. He believes in consensus, community, and de-escalation above all else.
⚡ Key Events (7)
A Quiet Morning, Interrupted
The story begins with the protagonist tending to their hydroponics farm, a peaceful routine that helps keep the memories of war at bay. The calm is shattered by an urgent message from the colony administrator: there's been an 'accident' at the central grain silo involving a visiting UTM officer. Upon arrival, the protagonist finds Lieutenant Valerius dead, half-buried in grain. Commander Rostova is already on site and has declared it a tragic accident, but the circumstances feel wrong.
The Botanist's Report
Dr. Aris Thorne summons the protagonist to his lab after a preliminary examination of the body. He speaks in hushed, anxious tones, revealing anomalies inconsistent with suffocation. He found traces of an unidentified biological agent and signs of a fast-acting neurotoxin. Aris is convinced it's murder but is terrified of sharing this with Commander Rostova, fearing she will impound his research and place the colony under martial law.
The Ghost in the Machine
Following a lead, the protagonist gains access to the deceased Lieutenant Valerius's personal datapad. Within, they find encrypted logs. Before the full message can be decrypted, key phrases flash on the screen: 'unauthorized observation,' 'symbiotic breakthrough,' and 'protocol failure.' Suddenly, a military-grade counter-intrusion program activates, wiping the datapad completely. Moments later, Commander Rostova arrives with armed guards, accusing the protagonist of tampering with evidence and demanding to know what they found.
The Old Farmer's Tale
An elderly farmer named Elara, one of Veridian's first settlers, cautiously approaches Kaelen. She recounts seeing strange, pulsing lights out in the 'fallow fields' near the grain silo on the night of the officer's death. She also mentions hearing an odd, chittering sound on the wind, something she hasn't heard in years. She's afraid to tell the UTM, trusting only a fellow colonist.
Rostova's Quarantine
Commander Rostova, citing 'potential bio-security risks' based on the ongoing investigation, declares a formal quarantine around a key location, such as Dr. Thorne's lab or the grain silo. UTM marines are posted, denying all access. She informs Kaelen that the investigation is now under full military jurisdiction, effectively sidelining them.
A Secret in the Soil
Following the old farmer's lead to the fallow fields, Kaelen discovers a patch of ground where the native soil is discolored and cracked. Growing from it is a bizarre, pulsating plant with a sickly luminescence, unlike any native or terraformed flora. It emits a faint, high-frequency hum. As Kaelen approaches, the plant twitches, and the feeling of being watched becomes overwhelming.
The Compromised Administrator
Confronted with evidence of the Swarm-corrupted plant, Administrator Joric's calm demeanor finally cracks. He confesses that he knew the deceased UTM officer, Valerius, was conducting unauthorized, off-the-books research on Veridian. Valerius believed he could find a way to 'pacify' Swarm spores. Joric allowed it, hoping it would give Veridian leverage against the UTM, but something went horribly wrong. He begs Kaelen to help him contain the secret, fearing a full UTM occupation if the truth of the failed experiment comes out.