Prometheus-III

Prometheus-III, Prometheus III Listening Station, or Listening Station Zulu, is a space station created by the United States Space Administration in coordination with the United States Army, Poseidon Energy, and ArcJet Systems. Constructed with the purpose of long-range communications and reconnaissance for the U.S Army during the fighting at Anchorage, it is now a lone space station orbiting Earth, now stagnant and quietly drifting in Earth's orbit, in space.

Background

In order to gain more intelligience against the Communist Chinese during the Sino-American War, in 2057, the U.S Army had coordinated with the United States Space Administration to build and create Project Artemis, the secret codename of Prometheus-III during it's construction. Intended by the U.S Army to be a reconnaissance station, it was also designated as a long-range communications relay station, relaying information all the way to the Moon. Aimed to be finished before 2064, the USSA needed as much help at it can get if it wanted to reach this deadline - thus employing the help of the bright minds at Poseidon Energy and ArcJet Systems, as well as involvement from West Tek. Poseidon Energy worked on the electrical aspect of things, whilst ArcJet Systems developed small-scale lightweight booster engines, to relocate the station if needed. Project Artemis was finished a month earlier, thanks to the help of the companies. Slowly but surely, the U.S.S.A began to launch the space station modules, as if they rushed this stage, failures and defects would be more prone to happen, which would cost them another 7 years if a said failure happened.

Mission Brief - PROMETHEUS-III Reconnaissance Mission

The Prometheus-III Reconnaissance Mission's main goal was the reconnaissance and espionage operations as well as long-range communication operations, with a maximum operating range that extends to the Moon. Miscellaneous operations include supporting research for main researches discovered on Earth, as well as astronomical research relating to the existence of Aliens.

Unbeknowst to the participants and the crew, this was a long-term mission extending for over 20 years, with the purpose of observing the effects of prolonged stay in space. In case of a injury due to this experiment, the autonomous robots would assume control of Prometheus-III, with remote supervision from their commanders in the U.S Army Headquarters.

Due to the heavily prolonged stay of the human astronauts, a special station module known as the 'Feeder Module' was developed by the U.S Space Administration in coordination with West Tek and Vault-Tec's Future-Tec division -- utilizing a more heavy-duty grade Base Replicator Unit taken from the Garden of Eden Creation Kit. Due to the rushed aspect of this Unit, it is quite faulty and requires maintenance with every 2 uses.

Even if the human crew maintains the Base Replicator Unit with high quality parts, the Industrial-grade Base Replicator Unit can only last to a maximum of 20 years with a few caviats, that is. It would be able to last up to 30 years if the crew does strict rationing to prevent stressing out the B.R.U, as well as proper maintenance and the usage of very high quality parts. If said unit did break, the remainder of the crew would have to rely on freeze dried rations that would last them only 1 year, with strict rationing.

Prometheus III - Propaganda Machine

Prometheus-III, unlike other U.S Army projects, was kept under tight wraps during the initial construction phase. However, the U.S Army would slowly hype up the launch of Prometheus-III. This would prove effective, as this would also give the American government large amounts of support at the launch of the station. With high hopes and a high success rate at hand - would be successfully completed in mid-2068.

First Weeks of Operation

During the first weeks of operation, the designated crew were gradually sent up to the space station of Prometheus-III. 15 fully-autonomous robots along with 3 supervising army astronauts were sent up in 2 separate Delta VIII rockets, the predecessor of the Delta IX rockets.

At arrival, Lieutenant Colonel John Arthur Callahan, Sergeant Major Marcus Constantine Browning and Mission Robotics Designation MNT-185 arrived onto the Docking Module, where they awaited the other Delta VIII crew to dock in. Shortly after 16 hours, the secondth Delta VIII rocket of which composed of the rest of the 14 robots with First Lieutenant Christopher Rodriguez. With the arrival of the crew all on television, with it appearing as a success, the Army's propaganda campaign to boost support would be a success. Testing the satellite relay and other ship modules and features, all would be operational, and Prometheus-III's crew mission was about to go into high gear.

Operation 'LIBERATING THUNDER'

Operation Liberating Thunder was the first large operation the crew of Prometheus-III had faced, with the task of large-scale espionage operations in coordination with other Listening Posts and Station down on Earth and some outer Space. Not much is known about the operation as it was highly classified to prevent Chinese intelligience and espionage units from launching counter-espionage programs to thwart American operations.

This program however, was highly successful, and it's success was hyped up immediately by propaganda. The crew, renowned by the American people and their commanders - received new equipment for their main missions, as well as the transfer of more personnel to observe and boost operations.

Arrival of the Predictive Analytic Machine

The U.S Army would make another copy of the Predictive Analytic Machine with the DIA's approval, that is. Soon enough, on a small-sized shuttle remotely controlled by operators down on Earth, a copy of P.A.M would arrive on the station. The crew would wire P.A.M to a repaired Protectron with a Mr. Handy thruster scrapped from a faulty Mr. Handy robot, with the crew calling P.A.M "Handylegs".

This new copy would also have a reason to be there, not just as new equipment for the crew - but for backup. This P.A.M unit would be used to confirm the information predicted by P.A.M in the Switchboard, to see if they have identical results, as well as if the P.A.M unit in the Switchboard would be taken by Chinese operatives.

The Great War

On the day before the Great War, P.A.M would be on the fritz working at the maximum as data transmitted by a remote data relay inside Switchboard P.A.M and Prometheus III P.A.M would indicate signs of imminent Nuclear War. On the day of the Great War, P.A.M's hypotheses and theories would prove correct as the now 5-man crew from the Satellite would watch as Earth would fall into chaos - watching detonations on the surface. Commander of the craft, Lieutenant Colonel John Arthur Callahan would transmit and relay emergency signals down to Earth - of which a panicked Army member would reply to Lt. Col. Callahan, "COLONEL! Those commie bastards finally did it! They launched the A-fucking-bombs! We're evacuating! Save yoursel-(static)"

Callahan would fall, shocked, as he and his crew would watch multiple more detonations ravaging America, their homeland, sitting there, unable to do nothing about the situation.