Jack of Harts

The New England Federation recalled their entire exploration fleet for refitting after New Washington. They systematically recalled every ship in their boneyards to rebuild them and send them back out as well. They devoted every measure of their vast manufacturing capabilities to the goal of driving the Shang back. If the Shang would not respect the position of the Great Families, the Great Families would not accept their presence on our side of the galaxy. Admiral Aneerin said “The galaxy is not vast enough for their combined egos to coexist.” He was right. The Federation mass-produced cutting edge warship designs from starfighters to battleships to fleet carriers, and helped develop new designs to throw them at our alien foes as well. The Federation devoted decades of effort to that singular goal. To drive the Shang out of our space, no matter the cost.

The Great Families of New England had long considered themselves the princes of the universe. They commanded the fortunes of man, used war and peace to expand their wealth, and looted the fortunes of nations on their time table. They were actually fundamental partners in negotiating the Lunar Treaties that restricted warfare inside the orbit of Luna. And the numerous similar agreements made over other major colony worlds. It did no good to destroy what you fought for control of after all. They saw the Shang as just another opponent in the great game all great powers played. Then the Shang destroyed New Washington and killed far too many members of the Great Families for them to forget. It forced them to reassess how they saw the Shang, and how the Shang saw them. And that reassessment drove the Great Families to change the very nature of their involvement in The War.

New Washington changed everything for the Great Families of the New England Federation. They organized the initial colonization effort, they invested more than any other American State into the colony, and it became the single largest concentration of Great Family assets outside the Solar System. They built and maintained the planetary defense grid, and two entire Federation battle squadrons defended the world the day the Shang attacked. There were no survivors in orbit, and the Shang dropped enough laser and missile fire on the colony to create the first Winter Protocol of The War. Dozens of worlds joined New Washington in their own global Ice Ages over the following decade, but it was New Washington that changed everything. The Shang bombardment breached the Great Family underground bunkers and killed hundreds of their best and brightest. The Great Families did not react well.