The Outcasts of Terra
Die Ausgestossenen von Terra
Plot Summary
In the ruins of Old Berlin, a Gray Guard is attacked by Noman warriors and Drivers led by Summacum Mühlherr. The Drivers use their mental powers to create illusions, and the Gray Guard is captured. Nobody, a Noman leader, is skeptical of Mühlherr's plans for an uprising against the Council of Corporations, led by Max von Valdec. Mühlherr argues that the time is right, as Valdec is away on a punitive expedition. Hanstein, an old Noman, has prepared a pirate transmitter to send a signal to Nomans worldwide.
The signal is sent, and GeneralManag Claasen of PRODUKT ENERGIE, who is sympathetic to the Nomans, listens to the broadcast. The Nomans' message reveals that the Oxyd catastrophe was caused by experiments with Kaiser Force and that Cantos, an alien, saved humanity. Queen Paola, in charge of security on Earth, orders the Gray Guards to locate and destroy the transmitters. One transmitter is located in New Sydney, Australia, and a combat unit is dispatched. The Gray Guards destroy the transmitter, but the Nomans detonate it, killing the entire attack group.
The Nomans launch a third broadcast with images, prompting Mühlherr's Driver lodge to attack the Kaiser Corporation's transmitter in Berlin. They create illusions to confuse the Gray Guards, and a combat glider lands on the roof. The Nomans seize the transmitter, and Nobody programs the defense computer. A Gray Guard captain confronts Nobody, but Nobody kills him. Queen Paola reinforces the Gray Guard units and orders them to destroy everything. She informs the fleet command of the situation.
Claasen, as a member of the Council of Corporations, calls for an extraordinary session. The Council decides to leave the matter in Queen Paola's hands. Nobody receives information from Claasen about the Council's decisions and Queen Paola's plans. Mühlherr's Drivers defend against the Gray Guards, and Nobody switches off the protective shield, allowing the Drivers to escape. The captured gliders fly to the ruined city.
Mühlherr and a group of Nomans travel to the Kaiser transmitter. Hanstein questions the chances of success. The gliders are attacked, and some are shot down. The survivors reach the transmitter. Bohrl and his group, who had been trapped in a secret installation, emerge with alien weapons. The computer in the installation, before deactivating itself, had given them advanced weaponry. They use these weapons to disable the protective shield of the Kaiser transmitter.
Queen Paola prepares her speech and orders the evacuation of New Berlin. She relocates her command center to a spacecraft in orbit. The Nomans broadcast a distorted image of Queen Paola. Nobody initiates phase three, with Nomans attacking Gray Guards worldwide. The Nomans attack Ödrödir (Holy Valley), but the Gray Guards quickly regain control. Bohrl and his group use their alien weapons to disable the protective shield, but the Gray Guards retake the valley.
GeneralManag Claasen informs Nobody that Valdec is returning to Earth. Valdec contacts Nobody and then holds an address to the citizens of Earth. Valdec's fleet arrives, and Cosmoral Fay Gray leads the attack on the Kaiser transmitter. The Gray Guards use the alien weapons to disable the protective shield, and the transmitter is destroyed. Nobody, Hanstein, and Mühlherr are killed. Valdec announces a new program to allow people to reclassify into the Relax caste. The Noman uprising has failed.
Key Events
- 01 A Gray Guard is captured by Nomans and Drivers in Old Berlin.
- 02 Hanstein prepares a pirate transmitter to signal Nomans worldwide.
- 03 The Nomans broadcast a message revealing the truth about the Oxyd catastrophe and Cantos.
- 04 Queen Paola orders the Gray Guards to locate and destroy the transmitters.
- 05 A Gray Guard unit destroys a transmitter in New Sydney, but the Nomans detonate it, killing the attack group.
- 06 Mühlherr's Driver lodge attacks the Kaiser Corporation's transmitter in Berlin.
- 07 The Nomans seize the transmitter, and Nobody programs the defense computer.
- 08 Nobody kills a Gray Guard captain.
- 09 Queen Paola reinforces the Gray Guard units and orders them to destroy everything.
- 10 Bohrl and his group emerge from a secret installation with alien weapons.
- 11 Bohrl's group disables the protective shield of the Kaiser transmitter.
- 12 Valdec's fleet arrives, and Cosmoral Fay Gray leads the attack on the Kaiser transmitter.
- 13 The Gray Guards use the alien weapons to disable the protective shield.
- 14 The Kaiser transmitter is destroyed, killing Nobody, Hanstein, and Mühlherr.
- 15 Valdec announces a new program to allow people to reclassify into the Relax caste.
- 16 The Noman uprising fails.
Characters
Nobody — A Noman leader, skeptical of the uprising but ultimately committed to the cause. He operates the defense computer at the Kaiser transmitter and is killed in the final attack.
Summacum Mühlherr — A Summacum and Lodge Master who leads the Drivers in the uprising. He is killed in the final attack on the Kaiser transmitter.
Queen Paola — In charge of security on Earth, she coordinates the Gray Guard response to the Noman uprising. She is ultimately outmaneuvered by Valdec and Fay Gray.
Max von Valdec — The Chairman of the Council of Corporations, he returns to Earth to crush the Noman uprising.
Hanstein — An old Noman who prepares the pirate transmitter and provides cynical commentary on the events. He is killed in the final attack on the Kaiser transmitter.
Bohrl — A Noman leader who discovers alien weapons in a secret installation and uses them to disable the protective shield of the Kaiser transmitter.
Claasen — A GeneralManag of PRODUKT ENERGIE who is sympathetic to the Nomans and provides them with information.
Fay Gray — A Cosmoral and close ally of Valdec who leads the final attack on the Kaiser transmitter.
Cantos — An alien from the planet Genessos, falsely accused of preparing an invasion. He is revealed to be the savior of humanity.
Brak Shakram — A deceased Noman leader whose visio-address inspired the uprising.
Locations
Old Berlin — Ruined city where the story begins, serving as a hideout for the Nomans.
New Berlin — The modern city where the Kaiser Corporation headquarters and transmitter are located.
Australia (New Sydney) — Location of one of the pirate transmitters destroyed by the Gray Guards.
Ginger System — Where Valdec was on a punitive expedition before returning to Earth.
Ödrödir (Holy Valley) — A strategic location in Greenland, captured and lost by the Nomans.
Space — Where Queen Paola relocates her command center and where Valdec's fleet is stationed.
Ships & Vehicles
Combat Gliders — Used by both the Gray Guards and the Nomans for transportation and attack.
Spaceships — Used by the Gray Guards for space travel and bombardment.
Technology & Concepts
Kaiser Force — A technology that caused the Oxyd catastrophe and is used to power spaceships.
Gray Guards — Elite soldiers conditioned to obey orders without question.
Drivers — Individuals with parapsychic abilities, used by both the Nomans and the Gray Guards.
Summacums — Individuals with high intelligence quotients, formerly a distinct caste.
Relax — A caste of idlers who are provided for by the corporations.
Nomans — Outcasts who have lost their rights and live on the margins of society.
Protective Shield — An energy field used to protect buildings and installations.
Paralysis Rays — Weapons that paralyze the nervous system of humans.
Priority Circuit — A feature of the Kaiser transmitter that allows it to override all other broadcasts.
Themes & Notes
This booklet explores themes of oppression, revolution, and the struggle for freedom. The tone is dark and cynical, with a focus on the brutal realities of war and the manipulation of information. The narrative style is fast-paced and action-oriented, with frequent shifts in perspective.
Connections
Leads into: The aftermath of the failed uprising and the continued conflict between the Council and its enemies.
Related booklets: Booklets focusing on the Terranauts, Cantos, and the situation in the colonies.