Stellar Shield Background

Humanoid, hmm, hold on there. Let me go through my file. Earth, huh? You're from a Fringe World. I've only seen one patient from there. Hmm. It seems that I don't have your name here. Well, you don't even have an appointment. The MediScan shows no acute life threatening problems, so this is clearly not an emergency. So why by Na-ihtn's Crop are you here, then? Oh, the history of the Stellar Shield Team? I'm sorry. Let's start over again.

Hello, I am Aofinearhopwme Alr, Chief of Xenomedicine of Quadrant Gamma. Most folks just call me Doctor Alr, although some just say 'Hey, you over there with the lab coat'. I have been managing the health and repairing the trauma to the bodies and minds of the Stellar Shield Quadrant Gamma Team for... thirty-six years now. And they sure have had some bad boo-boos through that time. Of course I've gotten to know the history of the team well - they can't keep their mouths shut about it. Well, let's start at the beginning and work our way to the end, shall we?

Two of the key defenders of the Alliance of Three Worlds were a Riiktiik named Tav Kiiki and the Bs-Varg, Pb-Selg Vlak. A curious scientist/engineer, Tav was credited with making immense improvements in the efficiency of solar energy collectors and the development of nearly intelligent maintainance drones that took away the need for Riiktiik to risk their lives. When the Karg approached, not only did he create altered drones capable of attacking the invaders' starships, but he also modified a technical maintenance suit and mining equipment and donned it himself to personally direct the drones in battle. Pb-Selg Vlak was an unusually gifted Bs-Varg, able to change her body into photons at will and to direct photons into coherent laser light.

After the Karg were turned back, Tav and Pb-Selg decided that two outstanding beings can handle certain perils more effectively than a fleet of starships or a team of Galactic Guard. As the Galactic Guard found new worlds of sentients and the Caucus incorporated peaceful worlds into the new Union of Civilized Worlds, so too did Tav and Pb-Selg, now going under the aliases of Doctor Defender and Photon, seek out other outstanding beings and formed the Stellar Shield.

Over the past millennium, the Stellar Shield has fended off aggressive invaders, captured interstellar criminals, disarmed galactic pirates, and solved mysteries that threatened the UCW, the galaxy, and even the universe. At the new millenium, thirty six heroes continue this legacy as the Stellar Shield. They are organized as four teams of four heroes, each team responsible for a quadrant of UCW space and the nearby Fringe. The remaining twenty heroes serve as an active reserve and are scattered as pairs throughout the UCW in areas that are chronically problematic.

Kr'Suv, the Krdun, joined the team about three years ago, but when Facet and Starhawk were nearly killed he became the team leader and the most senior member. The other three have just joined the team. Nebula is a being of swirling gas and energy in a containment suit - looks like I've got to brush up on my xenobiophysics a bit. Octlana is another new member to the team - what a sweet big hulking gal she is. That's not to say that these two are neophytes to doing that type of work. As reserve members and private citizens they had been protecting citizens from disasters and stopping villains for some time before they were called up. The Technomancer? Well, you've all heard that tale as children no doubt. He's back although this one's from your very backwater planet, Earth.

Well, that's about it in a nutshell. See the brochure if you've got other questions. I've got a patient coming in for an appointment soon, so you've got to go. Just take two salycins and call me in the morning if you've still got problems.

Areas of Operation: While the Stellar Shield is a law-enforcement agency of the Union of Civilized Worlds, their missions span the universe. The majority of adventures will take place on the fringes of UCW space. Occasionally, adventures may take place on an obscure planet known as Earth as well as other dimensions and, occasionally, even other times.

Goals: The primary goal of the Stellar Shield is to safeguard the predominantly peaceful UCW. Occasional internal threats arise, but most of the danger comes externally.

Reputation: The Stellar Shield is respected by the populace of the UCW worlds. To beings of quarantined worlds or those outside of the UCW borders, they are regarded in a variety of ways from meddlers to saviors. Except for S.A.G.E. and a handful of others, the Stellar Shield is largely unknown to the people of Earth.

– Doctor Alr, UY 1001.6 (June 2006, Earth dating) Holovid projected into two dimensions and transcribed for use with Level 12 networks.