Blake's Proclamation

People of the former Star League. I am Jerome Blake, Prime Administrator of ComStar. As of now, 0900 hours Terran Standard Time, military forces under my direct command have seized control of the Sol star system. ComStar is now officially in control of Terra and all former Star League facilities remaining in the system. From this time forward I proclaim Terra and the entire Sol system as neutral under the protection of ComStar, under the terms and condi- tions of the Communications Protocol of 2787. As the previous broadcast has made clear, ComStar has sufficient military force to defend the homeworld of mankind from any aggressor.

Our goals are peaceful. We seek the unity and prospority of mankind. This action was taken to save lives in the devastating war that is unfolding. ComStar will continue to offer its communications services to all member states, as long as the Sol system and our neutrality are honored.

-- Transcript of ComStar Transmission T-2788-06-28-0903:02:01, Alpha Plus Priority, June 28, 2788.

A Jewel Destroyed

The most visible wound Terra suffered during the war was the devastation of Unity City and the Court of the Star League. During the initial stages of the Amaris coup, Stefan Amaris had deployed a small nuclear device outside the Court in an attempt to destroy the Royal Black Watch Regiment. More than a third of Unity City went up in flames by the end of the day as a result of the blast. The Star League Court was charred black on the north and west sides, but had been designed to survive such an airburst. Adding to the misery was the effect the firestorms had on the once-lush hillsides overlooking the magnifi- cent city. With the ground cover reduced to ashes, the hills became virtually unprotected raw soil. Two days after the coup a torrential rain turned these same hills into a massive series of mud slides puring down on the inhabitants of the ruined city. More than half of Unity City was entombed by the mud flows, which buried anything less than two stories tall. A standing swamp formed in the west of the city, a cesspool that remains to this day. In recent years ComStar has worked to unearth some of the ruined city, uncovering some impor- tant artifacts of life in the Star League capital.

-- From "The Aftermath: Terra After the War", by Randy J DeCock, Rule Press, 2803.

Origin of the ComStar Logo

The design for the famous symbol of ComStar, a circle star with two down- ward-pointing beams, was commissioned by Primus Conrad Toyama in 2823. Knowing the value of a visual symbol to unify any organization, he announced a compe- tition to choose an emblem for ComStar. More than 800 entries were submitted, and the Primus judged them personally.

The winning entry was submitted by Adept Stanfield K'wani. In his own words, the dark outer circle represents the dark times prophesied by Jerome Blake. The original drawing showed a star within the dark circle but the Primus modified it, removing all but two star points, leaving the rest as spokes circled in black. According to Toyama the star represents the light of mankind -- technology and the enlightenment of Blake's words. Once the prophesies of Blake had been fulfilled the image would reclaim its star points.

The most striking aspect of the ComStar logo are the two star points. On the original design these were as they are now, elongated and pointing down- ward. According to the designer Adept K'wani, "the point on the right of the image represents communications and the other represents technology, the two bases of ComStar's true source of power in the Inner Sphere."

-- Adept Sheila Sooter, ComStar Archives File 7760356-OGDN, April 2825.

ComStar Compounds

One of the most impressive achivements of Jerome Blake was his concept of integrating hyperpulse generators into a compound. During the Star League era, HPGs were installed in semifortified structures that usually formed part of a normal community. In contrast, ComStar's new HPG compounds would be microfortresses, difficult to capture and capable of sustaining the occupants without outside contact for prolonged periods.

Even today most of ComStar's compounds follow some (if not all) of Blake's earlier specifications. Each compound relies on its own fusion reactor for local power. There is also housing for staff and enough supplies to last up to a year and a half. The entire complex can be sealed for security and environ- mental defenses.

The outer grounds are usually protected by a ferrocrete wall with high-tech Star League-era surveillance scanners and equipment. Some compounds even deploy small, carefully concealed minefields on the grounds.

Under each HPG is a network of tunnels for storing supplies, spare parts, and so on. Some even support on-site medical facilities, complete with surgery. Escape tunnels into the nearby community and/or countryside also exist, totally concealed from view or detection. Some of these tunnels were designed to house BattleMech-size equipment. Almost every compound also has a storage facility, including some so large that thay can server to repair and house BattleMechs.

Despite the obvious sturdiness and military layout of these compounds, their exterior architecture is designed to be both pleasing to the eye and to conceal some of their fortifications and complexity.

-- Morgan Levaux, ComStar Compounds and Layout, Engineering Times, Toman Press, New Avalon, 2899.