Wolf Totem (Tengri)

"As men tied to the stars, we will dream of returning home." - Eric Bodge

OVERVIEW

Sol United Command Territory, Edelweiss Galaxy, Sector 1, System Tengri'

Wolf Totem: The Frontier Colony

Wolf Totem, the now-homeworld of Bridge Expedition Group 17, primarily known as the Snowstorm Union, is a cold, lacustrine, subsurface-ocean planet located in Sector 1 of the Edelweiss Galaxy, not far from a nearby Bridge. The planet became the primary target for colonization efforts by the 17th Expedition Group, assigned to traverse the Bridge network due to the lack of suitable planets within a 30-lightyear radius. Among the limited options, Wolf Totem stood out as the most viable candidate—better than nothing, as they said. Nicknamed "Wolf Totem" by the expedition group, this resource-rich star system quickly became a point of interest for many, with the settlers positioning themselves as "guardians of the gateway to riches."

The planet's most distinctive features are its wealth of subsurface oceans and abundant silicon deposits. Orbiting as the seventh planet in the Tengri Star System, Wolf Totem has one natural satellite and lies in close proximity to two ringed gas giants. Each gas giant possesses rings of metallic and rocky compositions, making the system an ideal base for a colony centered around mining.

However, the planet's subsurface oceans do not favor the Snowstorm Union. Constant tectonic activity causes periodic quakes, forcing the settlers to choose a specific biome where the subsurface ocean emerges at the surface amidst a mountain range. This area, named Sakha, became the primary settlement site, with the settlers establishing a base near the water. With the colonial ship in orbit, the 17th Expedition Group had a safe haven to regroup and organize more efficient settlement efforts. However, the planet's unsuitable atmosphere posed challenges for creating self-sufficient farmlands, as the soil lacked bacterial activity and was rich in silicon and silicates. Scientists from the 17th Expedition Group theorized the potential for nitrogen-rich, silicon-based life forms or bacterial organisms on the planet, which could prove vital for future agricultural development.

Environment of Wolf Totem

The environment of Wolf Totem is primarily glacial, covered in ice, snow, and silicate gravel, with subsurface oceans emerging in specific biomes. The weather is harsh, with regular blizzards and storm systems sweeping across the landscape. Yet still, perhaps, better than London.

No significant tree-like vegetation has been observed, except for a singular type of pine-like flora adapted to the cold and the planet's unique atmospheric chemistry. The Frigore-Tengrian Pine Tree stands as a clear example of silicon-based flora on the planet. Regular blizzards prevent the proper development of other silicon-based plant life, with only sparse dead bushes appearing near surface water reservoirs.

History of Colonization

The journey to Wolf Totem began with the USCNM Sober Voyager 24F9:144F:FFFF, a Columbus-Class Traveller Megaship from the Saturnian Docks, assigned to the 17th Expedition Group by the Scientific Assembly. Their mission was to traverse a monitored Bridge address as part of a research program in the Edelweiss Galaxy and colonize planet BNS 17-4345FA:5, later known as Wolf Totem. The megaship carried approximately 1,300 crew members, along with three shuttles and one coriolis-habitat ring. Equipped to establish life on practically any planet, the 17th crew members were renowned for their indomitable spirit; nothing could scare them when united on a single mission.

The planet’s proximity to the Bridge meant that the Sober Voyager could regularly receive supplies from the Stellar Neighborhood via Megatron-Class Haulers to support the colonization effort—or so they thought. The Scientific Assembly's logistics branch, responsible for supply management, experienced months-long delays, which became a critical moment for the 17th Expedition Group. During this period, a faction of anarchist mercenaries learned of the Tengri system's resources, its proximity to the Bridge, and the potential for nearby star systems to conquer. Escaping persecution by the United Sol Command and the Federal States, the anarchists flocked through the Bridge, arriving just as the Scientific Assembly finally sent supplies to the Tengri system. At full throttle, the anarchist fleet bypassed the guarding warships, proving once more the inefficacy of the United Sol Command's poorly managed navy. Out of seven ships, only three managed to exit the Bridge tunnel into the Edelweiss Galaxy, with the remaining four caught in an asymptotic trap, exceeding the speed limit and lost to the void.

The anarchists intercepted the supply ship carrying essential goods for the Tengri system, taking it hostage. The tunnel between the Edelweiss Galaxy and the Milky Way was promptly shut down. Before the collapse, a message was broadcast through the Bridge to the Tengri system, warning of the uninvited guests. The 17th Expedition Group now found themselves face-to-face with the anarchists, with nowhere to run. The anarchists, using a modernized AdS drive on the captured Megatron-Class ship, headed straight for Tengri. Alerted to the threat, the 17th Group boarded their Sober Voyager and prepared for a confrontation. Around 50 crew members returned to the Sober Voyager, while the rest remained on the planet. The order to intercept was given by their leader, Aysen Archer, a seasoned combat veteran. With its bright red circular engine roaring, pushing the ship out of Wolf Totem's orbit, the Sober Voyager engaged the Megatron-Class Hauler, hoping to disable it and recover the supplies. For Aysen Archer, with a decade of combat experience, there was no fear in facing the anarchists head-on.

The ensuing battle left a debris field in Wolf Totem’s sphere of influence, with both ships lost. The settlers on the planet, unaware of the outcome, were left stranded, with only two passenger shuttles and one mining shuttle at their disposal. Without orbital support and abandoned by the Stellar Neighborhood, the Bridge fell silent, leaving Wolf Totem isolated—a frontier colony cut off from the rest of civilization, lost in the quiet darkness of the Edelweiss Galaxy.

Lost in a foreign galaxy, uncertain and isolated, the settlers on Wolf Totem faced a daunting future. Amid the rising fear and confusion, a prominent social influencer and activist, Azimi Kadame, took a stand. Climbing atop a crater, she amplified her voice through her helmet, deliberately avoiding the cluttered radio channels, to rally the scattered colony into action. In that moment, she began crafting a plan on the spot, forging a vision for a future that now seemed so uncertain.

Snowstorm Union, they called themselves, a name that spoke to their resilience. In the face of crisis, they needed a leader to reignite their spirit, and Azimi was there to deliver the words that would push them forward.

"And maybe the Bridge has gone silent on us, and the Stellar Neighborhood has proven itself incompetent to help us. We were born in wars, raised in hazards, and forged by the hostile environment of space and asteroid belts... This, Wolf Totem,"

she said, spreading her arms wide like a statue of Christ, her voice echoing over the snowy plains,

"This is our new home. So, let's make it a warm spot in this foreign galaxy."

As she jumped down, the snow crunched beneath her boots, the satisfying sound punctuating her speech. Through their titanium-steel space suits, the settlers began to clap, their cheers muffled yet clear. Azimi's words had sparked the combustion needed to fuel the engine of progress. From that moment, the Snowstorm Union began the arduous task of transforming Wolf Totem, and its solitary moon, into habitable distant worlds.

A New Beginning

The settlement in the Sakha Plains, named Sakhalin, gradually began to transform into a burgeoning town. The breakthrough came when leading scientists discovered a way to fertilize the barren, silicon-rich soil using the Frigore-Tengrian Pine Tree genus. By leveraging the tree's unique properties, they created a microbial foundation for fertilizer, offering hope for vast, sustainable farmlands that could support a growing population.

Meanwhile, the abundance of silicon in Wolf Totem's soil proved invaluable to the construction teams, who combined it with the low concentrations of oxygen harvested from the atmosphere to produce various types of glass. This nearly limitless supply of glass, along with titanium-steel infrastructure recycled from the wrecks of the Megatron-Class Hauler and Sober Voyager, fueled the construction boom. Metal hotspots discovered within the rings of the two nearby gas giants provided additional resources, allowing the agricultural sector in Sakhalin to blossom. Entirely new crops, adapted from the Tengrian Pine Tree genus, were cultivated in the silicon-enriched soil.

However, as the town developed and expanded, a new challenge emerged—one that was not as easily solved.

Struggles of Isolation

Despite the rapid development and promising agricultural advances, the psychological state of the settlers began to decline. The isolation from the only known human civilization in the Milky Way, coupled with the absence of varied food and a primarily vegetarian diet combined with harsh weather, led to a deep sense of homesickness. Emotional distress became increasingly common, and the excitement of pioneering a new world was overshadowed by the growing weight of separation. The settlers had come to build a new life, but many were struggling to find joy in it.

The leadership of the Snowstorm Union knew they had to act. Leaving the colony to sink into despair was not an option. In a bold move, they announced a plan to deploy one of their shuttles to the Bridge in an attempt to reactivate it and reestablish a connection with the Milky Way. For a community that had lost hope, this announcement ignited a new spark. Eyes once dull with uncertainty began to gleam with the possibility of rescue, reunion, and relief.

The promise of a shuttle mission to reactivate the Bridge was a lifeline, a beacon for the isolated settlers. Even if success was uncertain, the sheer act of trying brought them together, giving them something to believe in.

Pulse of Awakening

The air on Wolf Totem crackled with a mix of resentment and ambition, fueled by a deepening belief that their old home—Sol—had abandoned them. In the settlement’s lounge, the local chatter reflected this growing sentiment, punctuated by bitter remarks.

"They left us, Valor. Left... Solar System won't come back for us,"

Azayel muttered in conversation with Valor, both members of Expedition-17. Valor, always one to think things through, frowned.

"The Bridge collapsed in such an unnatural way, almost like an emergency. You’re sure nothing happened on the other end?"

Azayel scoffed.

"What are they digging around for, two months? I don't believe the Scientific Assembly would need two fucking months to get the bridge operational again. It’s not like the universe suddenly ran out of energy."

Despite the dim hope sparked by the announcement of the shuttle mission to reconnect with Sol, the residents’ trust in their former home was quickly eroding. As the weeks passed, Azimi, acting as both influencer and leader, took to interviewing the locals and found a common, disturbing thread: a brewing fury towards Sol, mixed with a rising desire for independence.

One local resident expressed it bluntly during an interview with Azimi, frustration lacing his words.

"Haa'ra Madam, it’s been two months. I’m sorry for my attitude, but two months? Left us on this rock-hard ice planet, alone. We lost the Sober Voyager for what? For Sol to swoop in and save us? No, ma lidya votura, I don’t want the Stellar Neighborhood here anymore."

In response, SnowStorm Union’s leadership, observing the settlement’s shifting mindset, saw this ideological change as an opportunity. With the inhabitants’ renewed desire for autonomy, the vision of creating a minor superpower in Edelweiss galaxy gained momentum. Communications were established with the shuttle’s crew at the Bridge, outlining a bold, new plan: rather than merely reconnecting with Sol, they would lure new supporters under the guise of a rescue mission. They would bring willing allies from Sol’s colonies, but not to return to their former lives—they would instead join SnowStorm Union in forging a new empire.

At the Bridge, the shuttle’s crew began recalibrating the tunnel equation, setting coordinates for Sambiel Void’s outpost, a remote station inhabited by nearly two thousand people who had long endured isolation in the void between galaxies. Left adrift amid the bleak darkness, this offer from SnowStorm Union felt like salvation to the station’s workers, a chance to leave behind the oppressive solitude for a new life and purpose in Edelweiss. Traffic through the bridge boomed as they filed through, one by one, seeking new hope.

As the former station crew members arrived in the Tengri star system, the SnowStorm Union immediately set plans in motion to reassemble the station within the Albus Stellar Lagrangian Cloud, envisioning it as an industrial and logistical hub. Yet, with resources growing and an architector fleet already at work, there remained one crucial need: a defensive force to protect this budding domain.

An opportunity soon presented itself. Expedition-326, a militant fleet back in the Milky Way, had become increasingly frustrated with United Sol Command’s reluctance to support the Scientific Assembly. When the invitation from SnowStorm Union reached them, it piqued their interest, particularly for the captain of the *Sober Voyager*, Aysen Archer, an old friend of the Expedition-326 fleet’s leadership. During their next shift change, the fleet entered the queue to cross through the Bridge.

Upon their arrival in Tengri, Jeroi DeBroile, the Union’s representative, personally welcomed Captain of the 326th fleet. Their conversation captured the essence of the movement spreading across Edelweiss.

"So, all this time, Sol could’ve just opened the Bridge back to us?"

Jeroi asked, his tone half questioning, half accusatory. Captain nodded, though a shadow crossed his face.

"The crime syndicates across the colonies have been sapping resources, and it’s drawn the United Sol Command’s focus away from support. The logistics branch of the Assembly tried to keep up, but in the end… only through bribery were we able to get through without their direct approval."

He sighed, his voice resigned yet hopeful.

"But maybe, with your vision in this galaxy, we can build a better place than they ever could."

With each new arrival, Wolf Totem transformed. The former outpost was now an ambitious empire in the making, a beacon of human resilience and defiance, where forgotten colonies and restless pioneers forged a new path in the Edelweiss galaxy, far from the shadows of Milky Way.