Game Premise and Plot

[universalmods]

Where Will Destiny Take You?



Since 1994, the American military has protected and utilized the existence of the Stargate - powerful alien technology left on Earth thousands of years ago. Discovered during an archaeological dig in the 1920s, it wasn't until sixty years later that the Stargate's true origin and purpose were discovered. A struggling archaeologist, laughed out of the scientific community for his honest belief in alien life shaping human development, turned out to be the only one who could decipher the purpose of the relic. From then, the US government has been able to access and travel to distant planets, all linked by a network of Stargates left by ancient races of aliens long ago. Intergalactic alliances and conflicts have arisen, new technology and medicines have been discovered, and Stargate Command diligently continues to use Earth's Stargate to explore the cosmos and better human life.

But not all secrets of the Stargate were discovered quickly or easily. For years, all addresses entered into the Stargate followed the same pattern - seven chevrons, indicating the planet of origin and the planet of destination. Then came along a mystery and unknown address that would baffle SGC until a twenty five year old MIT dropout solved an astrophysical puzzle embedded into a computer game - SGC, after months of attempts, could make no progress. In desperation, the problem was coded into a video game in the hopes of some unknown genius might get their hands on it and solve it. That unknown genius was Eli Wallace. With his mental abilities, along with the research already done on the mysterious ninth chevron and unknown address, one of the greatest secrets of the universe was about to be uncovered.

Unfortunately, due to a mix of disaster, pride, and stubborn egotism, the answer came with a steep price. The base on which the research was being done - and so far unsuccessfully tested - came under attack. The head scientist of the project, Dr. Nicholas Rush, was unwilling to abandon the work he had thrown his entire life into. Instead of evacuating to a safe planet via the Stargate, he used the unstable rising energy in the planet's core to finally successfully dial the ninth chevron address and evacuate what civilians and military personal managed to reach the gate room.

Destiny lay behind the ninth chevron. An ancient exploration ship, built and abandoned by one of the oldest races in existence, billions of light years from Earth. Long left without maintenance, the ship was like nothing that had ever been seen before. Over the course of two years, the ragtag team of scientists, civilians and soldiers - about 80 in all - survived as best they could, despite power struggles and withheld information. Linked to Earth through devices known as Communication Stones, Destiny isn't entirely isolated, but the ship lacks the power to connect the Stargate to other galaxies. With no other planets offering the energy needed after the destruction of Icarus, the crew is mostly on their own. Trials and tribulations were met and overcome, friends were lost, civilizations and new races were found, but still the mission continues.

But what is Destiny? Why was it built? According to information uncovered in the ship's databases, the ship's course - locked in long ago - is headed to the very place the universe began. Patterns in the background radiation from the birth of existence as we know it indicate that there was something there before the beginning. Destiny's mission, and the mission of her cobbled together crew, is to uncover the truth of the universe's creation.

And now it's yours.

Just over a week ago, drastic measures had to be taken. Pursued relentlessly by the technical horrors of a dead race, lacking power to safely travel through the empty space to the next galaxy, there was no hope for the ship or crew but to go into a risky stasis and drift, avoiding the need for supplies or general life support. Most of the crew was safely placed into stasis after a long deliberation. A broken stasis pod threw a wrench into an otherwise relatively sound plan. But Eli had an idea. Choosing to remain awake, and utilizing the power of the ship's shuttle, he was determined to try come up with a solution.

But the Stargate has started acting strangely. Dialing randomly, without prompt. This is how you'll end up aboard, trapped on Destiny with her original crew. There is no way to return home. There's no knowing what's ahead in an unexplored galaxy. The dangers are numerous and unpredictable, and crisis occurs with alarming regularity.

But the reward may just be worth it.