History

The wars were great though they were small, that brought us to this point.
Jacob Orian (commander of Second Fleet)

The planet now known throughout the galaxy as Burham was found by a stray merchant ship chased off course by pirates in 2391. They made a crash landing for repair on the planet when they noticed its dense atmosphere and the thick shiny surface. The merchants patched their ship and headed for their destination, Terra's seventh sister system Phoenix. When the merchants finished their unloading process they unwound at the local pub.

They told their story to the other attendees and eventually caught the attention of a local miner who knew of how rich somebody could get if they claimed the planet for themselves. Others heard the merchants' story and also realized the potential of a planet such as the one described. They each reported to their bosses what they had heard along with the coordinates of the planet. Each company sent a surveyor ship to see if the or was correct. They came back in a couple of weeks indicating that not only was the planet just as metal rich as the or had foretold, but it also contained a strange mineral within its soil that too seemed metallic.

The resulting chaos surrounding the planets new sources became known as the first Burham Factions War (BFW I). The different trade factions flocked to the planet trying to claim it for their uses. The larger factions had the advantage and quickly destroyed many small, but relied upon companies. Up till this point Terra's government had decided to stay away from the spawning war, but when ship production decreased and many key builders were destroyed they were forced to intervene. The resulting was seven month long siege of the planet, until the factions would agree to settle the matter peaceably.

Eventually Terra established the planet as Burham, the name coming from the captain of the pirate vessel that first forced the merchant vessel to land on the planet. They also established the government of Burham to keep peace between the factions. Now Terra wanted Burham's main industry making ships for them, so they had the government create the Burham Unified Corporations (BUC) in 2395. The companies that signed were: Force Metal (headed by Stach Brign), Fenwhick Metals (headed by Gregory Fenwash), Global Industries (headed by Ben Wood), G-Force Armored Battalions (headed by Coream Shalan), Solar Metal (headed by Jason Creage), and Forever Metals (headed by Alexandra Fenwhick). Thus ended the first BFW and began a new battle, a different kind of battle.

The new builders underwent many projects for Terra, though all the while creating warships for their own amassing fleets. Terra realized that the time had come to build a ship that far outsized any others in the galaxy. So they had the BUC's different factions build different parts of this behemoth. When the building project was completed though about three of the larger firms refused to give their parts unless paid better. Terra took action against these companies, but when the companies pulled forth their armadas they almost outnumbered the Terran fleet, but they were also much smaller vessels. Other companies fearing attack as well pulled forth their own fleets. All Terra saw was thousands of small vessels waiting for an attack. They decided to not attack, but instead solve it peacefully.

Now all of the factions had their warships out, except for Global Industries. With all of the different fleets waiting they quickly started to quarrel amongst themselves. These quarrels led into outbursts from one fleet to another. Eventually the second BFW overtook these factions and they started to destroy each other.

While the factions fought over Burham, its empire called to Terra consistently asking for help. The Terran government decided against intervening, this was their biggest mistake. The factions had no head against civilian lives and decimated the cities in their greed for power. The second BFW finished in 2401 leaving Burham in ashes which account for the darkness in its atmosphere.

Since Global Industries had stayed out of the fighting all this time they now swept in and destroyed the final remnants of the previous vast factions. Global Industries put the government back together on the term that GI stays the only faction, besides Burham's own factories, that produces on Burham and for Burham. This was agreed to and Global Industries helped put together the last remaining parts of the original building project that tore apart the BUC. With this done the vessel was named the Cold Steel. When Terra requested the Cold Steel to be delivered to them Burham refused saying that it was their personal protection to use as a militia. Terra attacked in February of 2402 for treason, thus started the Burham Independence Wars (BIW).

Terra could not afford to send all of their navy and risk being attacked at home, so they sent 42% of their navy to bring back the colony. Armed with the Cold Steel, all of the GI navy, and with left over units from the other corporations; Burham armed itself and prepared for a vicious battle.

March 2402:
This is the first time Terran armed forces had clashed with Burham since the first BFW. The Cold Steel was slightly damaged, but was quickly fixed and extra defenses were added.

May:
More battles have been underway and the Terran forces are advancing. Many GI vessels took refuge in the Cold Steel's hanger while they were repaired.

June:
GI and Cold Steel keep losing ground. Arma Kaans head of the Global Industries was killed in combat and Benjamin Wood takes his place and leads the GI with a new fire.

August:
Terran forces are at a stand still, both sides taking a beating. Coream Shalan is promoted to General and is put in charge of the land defense.

November:
Terran forces falling back and retreating to Terra. Burham has one the war and is now independent. They elect Coream Shalan as ruler over the remnant. They select Caleb Wood, the younger brother of Benjamin Wood, to be their naval commander. This ends the first part of the BIW.

Burham built its forces till they were large enough to almost defeat 70% of the Terran navy. In 2407 Terra attacked again trying to reclaim the planet as their own. This continued the BIW, but this time Burham was ready and Terra was not expecting the large navy that Burham had amassed over the years along with larger ships and better technology.

September 2407:
Burham hides much of its forces and lets Terra push them back. Just when Terra thought they would win the war after the first battle they are ambushed and 1/4 of their whole fleet that the brought was destroyed. Burham not only surprised Terra, but so much so that many of their smaller vessels defected or disserted.

December:
Terra still on the run, but receiving reinforcements from the main fleet. Many more small clashes have drawn more in the wall separating Burham from Terra.

January 2408:
More fierce battles fought around Burham. Burham losing ground to the Terran forces as a continual stream of reinforcements arrive.

February:
Burham still steadily losing ground as they approach their home front. Global Industries find a deep well of the mineral Burham along with much more pure metal, they start mass producing small and medium vessels.

March:
Burham receiving increased support while Terran forces lose it to other planets taking advantage of the moment and rebelling.

June:
Terra finally on the run and Burham is for the first time viewed as an individual government, free of Terran rule.

Now is when national artifacts come into the scope, the flags were created by a weapons specialist. The first part symbolizes the government and army, two thirds of the outer protective rim and one third of the inner core. The second part of the flag represents the civilians, one third of the outer protective rim and two thirds of the inner core. These are the people who sacrificed so that Burham could hold its head high when its name is called in the galactic listings. When put together it brings together the full picture of Burham symbolizing unity between government, armed forces, and the civilians who empower both.