Mini Terrans
aka – New World Commonwealth – aka NWC – aka the Minis Official Name : Homo Minimus TL: 8.5 (8+) AL:10 Union Member Species – Native to Harsh World , Race Affiliation: Homo Minimus Expansion: 22 Star systems and the entire region known as the Ballard Matter Nebula (Ballard Expanse) Coreward Sector.
One of the Colonist Arks (the Shenandoah) and among the first to leave Earth, still equipped with the Pre -Isah , Saran Tech Level Three Jump Engines had a collision ( Union scientists postulated the Shenandoah was involved in a rare Quantum Causality Tachyon Flux accident ) and instead of ending up on Cigny Alpha III as intended they came into real space inside a thick matter nebula, that further damaged our ship and they had to land at the only place they could find that was even remotely suitable. They found a stark world with bad atmosphere and way too close to a radiation spewing sun. So they went deep underground and carved out a living underground and under terrible conditions. None of them knew how far we were from Earth. An idea was hatched by a brilliant Genetic Engineer who was part of the original crew. In Order to make the supplies last longer he proposed to change the genetic code so they would become smaller. The changes were made and every generation became a little smaller. The Genetic Knowledge was lost with the scientist who made the changes and they kept on shrinking until they reached their current size of about 10-12 cm, about 2000 years ago. The small size allowed them to find room in the caves and grow enough food for everyone. When life improved and they once again had the resources for science we basically had to start from scratch. Much of the knowledge was still in the libraries and they developed their own technology and build a thriving society. Our civilization was based on our new size and we never felt we needed to reverse the Genetic alteration. Since our system was inside a dense matter nebula with intensive energetic storms we had no contact to other civilizations and felt quite safe, but we expanded to other worlds and our newest colony is on the very fringes of that nebula.
The NWC developed a Tech Level 8+ Society with TL 9 Elements such as their own Translocator Cannon System they developed on their own. (Not nearly as developed as the Union System but still genuine TLC and some of the approaches are currently adopted into Union TLC Weapon Systems.)
Especially Micro and Mini TL systems, now incorporated in Micro Robots. Their ships have the strongest shields easily able to fly inside the Matter Nebula under full thrust. Union Shield Technology received a major boost from that and the new shield systems incorporate NWC elements. NWC Cybernetic Systems are on the fore front as well. The NWC are Terrans by all aspects except size and their Religion is Earth. Over the ages of their isolated exile they developed the Earth Religion where the Mother planet became a mystical god like entity. Mini Terrans make many Pilgrimages to Earth and many Mini Terrans carry a few grams of Earth Sand or Earth Dirt in a little locker around their necks. Many Mini Terrans have their ashes scattered in Earth Orbit.
Potato and Coffee are Holy Foods and consumed only on special occasions.
The USS Enigma under Captain Jane Smith made first Contact in the spring of 5021. The NWC has applied for Union Membership the same year and was accepted as well in 5021. Today Mini Terrans can be found everywhere in the Union, with many seeking Careers in the Fleet. The Ballard Expanse is officially their designated area of origin and the 22 Star Systems inside are Union Systems with predominately Mini Terran Populations. Due to the Goliath Problem most of the NWC worlds have designated Full Size Union areas or are closed to Full Sized Union Beings. A Gigamon Station has been placed at the edge of the Ballard Nebula called NWC-Gateway. The Station features Space Train connections to the rest of the Union, Mini Terran Size Shuttles and two TransMatter Tunnels (Mini Sized) to Harsh World. Most Commerce from and to the NWC worlds is done via NWC Gate. It is where the Main Xchange for NWC products can be found.
Except for their small size they are humanoid and genetically closely related to Terran Humans (no longer naturally compatible)