On the Saratoga

The year: 2063 - 2064

The place: Military Space Carrier Saratoga

The reason: War

Earth is at war again. Just not long after the AI (Artificial Intelligence) War. This time, the enemy is alien. From far out in space. In places no one ever thought existed...until now.

This is the premise of Space: Above and Beyond. It follows the lives and trials of five new young Marine pilots who all had their own reasons for joining the Marine Corps.

Shane Vansen: As a child she watched as her parents were murdered by the AIs. As an adult she joined the Marines to defend her country and to fulfil her dream of being one of the 127th squadron, the Angry Angels.

Nathan West: Forced to complete his colonial indenture with the Marine Corps after being dropped from the Tellus Colonization program and separated from his love, Kylen Celina.

Vanessa Damphousse: A young woman looking for direction in her life.

Paul Wang: A young man, and keen sportsman, who grew up in the ghetto.

Cooper Hawkes: A young In-Vitro who was sentenced to a term in Marine Corps for attacking a natural-born human who was trying to kill him.

Their Commanding Officer is Lt-Colonel TC McQueen. He, like Hawkes is an In Vitro. Artificially gestated humans, decanted when they are 18. A race frequently discriminated against, but needed for their strength and endurance.

Colonel McQueen, was the lone survivor of the 127th Squadron -- The Angry Angels, which were decimated by the Chigs. Under his supervision and tutelage, the Wild Cards have honed their skills to become one of the Marine Corps' finest squadrons.

When these 5 young people joined the Marines in 2063, they were innocent of the war that would soon befall Earth. Aerotech had just launched a colonization program, the first of which was the Vesta Colony. Unknown to them, the Vesta colony was attacked by the "Chigs", an alien race. The attack left no survivors. The Tellus colony soon suffered the same fate.

Now, the aliens are heading for Earth. Our planet is again threatened, not by man, but by a seemingly superior enemy.

Fresh out of Accelerated Flight Training, our protagonists were thrown head-long into the war. They managed to fight off the first Chig offensive on Earth, but the war continued, with ever rising casualties on each side.

As the 58th Marine Expeditionary Unit known as the "Wild Cards", they are assigned to the USS Saratoga, helmed by Commodore Glen Ross.

S:AAB is fascinating in the issues they address week after week. It caught on like wildfire in the USA when it was first aired there, and now that it's airing here in Malaysia, it's firing up the imaginations of Malaysians too.

It was the brainchild of Glen Morgan and James Wong, two brilliant writers who had been working on shows like 21 Jump Street and The X-Files before launching into Space: Above and Beyond. However, in the infinite wisdom of TV channel programming, it was cancelled by Fox Broadcasting after only one season. This was something fans could not take lying down. Something had to be done to try to bring the show back!!

And so, fan squadrons began to appear. First in the USA, and then, all over the world as S:AAB began showing in more countries. Most of the squadrons are under the umbrella of the 59th Ready Reserves who are fighting hard for the return of the show. In Malaysia, the 88th Firebirds was formed for this very purpose. To protest the injustice of the actions of The Powers That Be and to ensure that the memory of this wonderful series remains, even if it was not renewed.

Read on below to find out more about each of the characters that make up the main cast of S:AAB.

TRANSMISSION RESUMED

Mission Report

It was a hot sultry afternoon in Malaysia. Not a breath of wind. Nothing moved. Even the intrepid and usually chirppy Firebirds were flopping around -- lethargic. Air-conditioning was going full blast but we needed something to perk us up. Something more than cold iced cappucino. Something to take away the lethargy and boredom.

And then it came.

The letter that was intercepted by Peregrine. We read it through. Once...twice. Imaginations flew, then caught and held as something concrete began to form in our minds.

Our Mission: Interview the Wild Cards

Instead of waiting around for the Wild Cards' next on-planet leave period, we packed our gear and shipped out on the first APC carrier Saratoga-bound.

Tracking down the crew of the Saratoga wasn't easy. Appointments were made and broken. Promises were the same. Many a night was spent in the Tun Tavern, wallowing in our Chiggy von Rootbeers as one by one, people clammed up on us. It was a dark time in the Firebirds short lifetime.

And then, one day....

BREAKTHROUGH!!

Interviewees started talking. About their hopes, fears, their friends, comrades, the war, the enemy... and interviewers started having to play catch-up. But in the end, we had it!

Exclusive interviews of the Wild Cards and their CO... for starters.

The Firebirds have done it again.

Mission accomplished!!

Below, You will find the transcript of our interviews along with some other information about the relevant characters.

Legend

Picture on LEFT -- Interview
Picture on RIGHT -- Official biodata at Mission Status

It was our pleasure talking to them, and we hope that we have done them justice. News of the interview has spread and others are now waiting in line to be interviewed. We hope to bring you their accounts soon.

Semper Fi!

Reported by:

Sparhawk,
The 88th Firebirds

To The 88th Firebirds Nesting Site