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The '''Curse of Galedon''' was a name given to a bioengineered plague accidentally unleashed on [[Galedon V]], during fighting between the [[Federated Suns]] and [[Draconis Combine]] in [[3069]].  It would later spread to [[An Ting]] by way of refugees from Galedon V.  Both worlds were considered dead after its passing.<ref name="JHS:3070p48>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3070'', p. 48, "Victory, at Cost"</ref><ref name="TWoRp43">''The Wars of Reaving'', p. 43, "Scourging the Plague"</ref>
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The '''Curse of Galedon''' was a name given to a bio-engineered plague accidentally unleashed on [[Galedon V]], during fighting between the [[Federated Suns]] and [[Draconis Combine]] in [[3069]].  It would later spread to [[An Ting]] by way of refugees from Galedon V.  Both worlds were considered dead after its passing.<ref name="JHS:3070p48>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3070'', p. 48, "Victory, at Cost"</ref><ref name="TWoRp43">''The Wars of Reaving'', p. 43, "Scourging the Plague"</ref>
  
 
== Overview ==
 
== Overview ==
 
=== The "Double Cobra" ===
 
=== The "Double Cobra" ===
In [[2903]] news spread across the Draconis Combine of a massive plague sweeping through the [[Albiero Prefecture|Albiero]] and [[Bjarred Prefecture]]s. Though an existing vaccine was available to treat what was being called "[[Albiero Consumption]]", it required advanced medical facilities lacking in both prefectures, placing [[Coordinator]] [[Taragi Kurita]] in a difficult position with some advisers counseling that both prefectures be placed under brutally strict quarantine and to sacrifice their populations to stop its spread, while others appealed to Taragi to honor his oath as Coordinator to protect the lives of the people who aided his eventual victory over the Inner Sphere. Ultimately Taragi ordered as much assistance as possible into the two stricken prefectures, scientists and medical experts from systems near the affected prefectures joining together specifically to combat the plague. Using samples from the Albiero Prefecture gained through strict protocols, this special medical task force finally succeeded in developing an inexpensive and easily prepared vaccine in [[2904]], saving millions of lives and preventing a near-total collapse of the Combine economy.<ref name="HK:TDCp78">''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 78, "The Third Succession War - Regrets - The New Century - Operation Freedom"</ref><ref name="HB:HKp56+">''Handbook: House Kurita'', pp. 56-57, "History of the Nation - The Third Succession War - The New Century - The Deadly Double Cobra"</ref>
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In [[2903]] news spread across the Draconis Combine of a massive plague sweeping through the [[Albiero Prefecture|Albiero]] and [[Bjarred Prefecture]]s. Though an existing vaccine was available to treat what was being called "[[Albiero Consumption]]", it required advanced medical facilities lacking in both prefectures, placing [[Coordinator]] [[Taragi Kurita]] in a difficult position with some advisers counseling that both prefectures be placed under brutally strict quarantine and to sacrifice their populations to stop its spread, while others appealed to Taragi to honor his oath as Coordinator to protect the lives of the people who aided his eventual victory over the Inner Sphere. Ultimately Taragi ordered as much assistance as possible into the two stricken prefectures, scientists and medical experts from systems near the affected prefectures joining together specifically to combat the plague. Using samples from the Albiero Prefecture gained through strict protocols, this special medical task force finally succeeded in developing an inexpensive and easily prepared vaccine in [[2904]], saving millions of lives and preventing a near-total collapse of the Combine economy. <ref name="HK:TDCp78">''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 78, "The Third Succession War - Regrets - The New Century - Operation Freedom"</ref><ref name="HB:HKp56+">''Handbook: House Kurita'', pp. 56-57, "History of the Nation - The Third Succession War - The New Century - The Deadly Double Cobra"</ref>
  
With the crisis brought under control by [[2907]],<ref name="HK:TDCp78"/> all the medical facilities were closed down, save two whose research shifted from vaccinations and public health into a related field - biowarfare. While such weapons had not being seen since the [[First Succession War]], the [[Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery]] High Command had long considered biowarfare in the event of an overwhelming assault by its neighbors. After several months of extensive testing, a weaponized version of the plague was created after merging it with '''XCON-73''', an [[Age of War]]-era viral experiment developed by the Draconis Combine in [[2413]], a slow-acting but extremely durable pathogen that spread quickly through the air and reacted mainly to enzymes in the bloodstream of its victims.<ref name="TWoRp42+"/> The resulting virus, called the '''"Double Cobra"''' for its two transmission vectors, was theoretically more lethal than any other chemical or biological weapon known to be developed even at the technological height of the [[Star League]], capable of infecting an entire planet within weeks (depending on exogenous environmental factors).<ref name="HB:HKp56+"/>
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With the crisis brought under control by [[2907]],<ref name="HK:TDCp78"/> all the medical facilities were closed down, save two whose research shifted from vaccinations and public health into a related field - biowarfare. While such weapons had not being seen since the [[First Succession War]], the [[Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery]] High Command had long considered biowarfare in the event of an overwhelming assault by its neighbors. After several months of extensive testing, a weaponized version of the plague was created after merging it with '''XCON-73''', an [[Age of War]]-era viral experiment developed by the Draconis Combine in [[2413]], a slow-acting but extremely durable pathogen that spread quickly through the air and reacted mainly to enzymes in the bloodstream of its victims.<ref name="TWoRp42+"/> The resulting virus, called the '''"Double Cobra"''' for its two transmission vectors, was theoretically more lethal than any other chemical or biological weapon known to be developed even at the technological height of the [[Star League]], capable of infecting an entire planet within weeks (depending on exogenous environmental factors). <ref name="HB:HKp56+"/>
  
When the full range of the virus and its effects were disclosed to new Coordinator [[Shinjiro Kurita]], he immediately ordered the samples sealed and locked down, only in the case of extreme emergency - such as the imminent downfall of the Draconis Combine - would such a weapon be unleashed. Convinced that of its two neighbors that the Federated Suns was the only enemy capable of pushing the Combine to the brink, the DCMS High Command placed the Double Cobra in a buried vault complex on Galedon V, chosen for its proximity to the Federated Suns border.
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When the full range of the virus and its effects were disclosed to new Coordinator [[Shinjiro Kurita]], he immediately ordered the samples sealed and locked down, only in the case of extreme emergency - such as the imminent downfall of the Draconis Combine - would such a weapon be unleashed. Convinced that of its two neighbors that the Federated Suns was the only enemy capable of pushing the Combine to the brink, the DCMS High Command placed the Double Cobra in a buried vault complex on Galedon V, chosen for its proximity to the Federated Suns border.  
  
 
== The Curse Unleashed ==
 
== The Curse Unleashed ==
The weapon would be unintentionally released in the midst of the [[Jihad]]. During a particularly brutal battle between [[Armed Forces of the Federated Suns]] units from the [[Draconis March]] and the DCMS defenders in an area called the Outermark Hills, the vault was breached by the violence taking place aboveground, releasing the extremely virulent bioweapon into the atmosphere of Galedon V.  As the battle with the last remaining Davions on planet ended, a new and much more deadly fight had begun.  DCMS troops soon came down ill, and within weeks the infection had spread over much of Galedon V.  Authorities attempted to treat the contaminated population, bringing in shipments of electrolytic base to the stricken system, though nothing stopped the progress of the virus.  The plague's source was not known to most, though the higher ranks within the Combine did know of the facility's existence and importance; outside intelligence agents speculated that the plague was possibly the work of [[Word of Blake]].<ref name="JHS:3070p48"/><ref name="J:FRp46+">''Jihad Final Reckoning'', pp. 46-47, "Jihad in Review"</ref>
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The weapon would be unintentionally released in the midst of the [[Jihad]]. During a particularly brutal battle between [[Armed Forces of the Federated Suns]] units from the [[Draconis March]] and the DCMS defenders in an area called the Outermark Hills, the vault was breached by the violence taking place above ground, releasing the extremely virulent bioweapon into the atmosphere of Galedon V.  As the battle with the last remaining Davions on planet ended, a new and much more deadly fight had begun.  DCMS troops soon came down ill, and within weeks the infection had spread over much of Galedon V.  Authorities attempted to treat the contaminated population, bringing in shipments of electrolytic base to the stricken system, though nothing stopped the progress of the virus.  The plague's source was not known to most, though the higher ranks within the Combine did know of the facility's existence and importance; outside intelligence agents speculated that the plague was possibly the work of [[Word of Blake]].<ref name="JHS:3070p48"/><ref name="J:FRp46+">''Jihad Final Reckoning'', pp. 46-47, "Jihad in Review"</ref>
  
 
As the situation worsened on the planet, [[Clan Snow Raven]]'s [[Storm_Crow_Naval_Pursuit_Star_(Clan_Snow_Raven)|Storm Crow Naval Pursuit Star]] arrived in-system, commanded by [[Star Admiral]] [[Lydia Sukhanov]], [[Galaxy Commander]] [[Arianne D'Amone]] and [[Loremaster]] [[Klaus Harper]], seeking revenge for the perceived Combine attack on their [[Swift Wing Naval Assault Star (Clan Snow Raven)|Swift Wing Naval Assault Star]] at [[Ramora]].  Upon entering the system, military installations on the planet were subject to a short Orbital Bombardment, destroying them.  Granting the civilians one week to depart the system, the few [[DropShip]]s on the planet did so in haste, though they were far too few to save very many people.  All of the vessels were claimed as ''[[isorla]]'' by the Snow Ravens, and taken onto the ''CSR Mountbatten'', and the ''CSR Nestling''.  Initial reports were unclear as to which ships came into contact with the plague.  Regardless of this, after the week was up, the fleet began a sustained Orbital Bombardment of every major city on the planet, leaving the world in flames.<ref name="TWoRp43"/><ref name="J:FRp46+"/><ref name=JHS:3070p50+>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3070'', pp. 50-51 "Flight of the Raven"</ref><ref name="BAp210+">''Blake Ascending'', pp. 210-211, "The Raven's Flight"</ref><ref name="TWoRp42+">''The Wars of Reaving'' pp. 42-43, "Retribution"</ref>
 
As the situation worsened on the planet, [[Clan Snow Raven]]'s [[Storm_Crow_Naval_Pursuit_Star_(Clan_Snow_Raven)|Storm Crow Naval Pursuit Star]] arrived in-system, commanded by [[Star Admiral]] [[Lydia Sukhanov]], [[Galaxy Commander]] [[Arianne D'Amone]] and [[Loremaster]] [[Klaus Harper]], seeking revenge for the perceived Combine attack on their [[Swift Wing Naval Assault Star (Clan Snow Raven)|Swift Wing Naval Assault Star]] at [[Ramora]].  Upon entering the system, military installations on the planet were subject to a short Orbital Bombardment, destroying them.  Granting the civilians one week to depart the system, the few [[DropShip]]s on the planet did so in haste, though they were far too few to save very many people.  All of the vessels were claimed as ''[[isorla]]'' by the Snow Ravens, and taken onto the ''CSR Mountbatten'', and the ''CSR Nestling''.  Initial reports were unclear as to which ships came into contact with the plague.  Regardless of this, after the week was up, the fleet began a sustained Orbital Bombardment of every major city on the planet, leaving the world in flames.<ref name="TWoRp43"/><ref name="J:FRp46+"/><ref name=JHS:3070p50+>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3070'', pp. 50-51 "Flight of the Raven"</ref><ref name="BAp210+">''Blake Ascending'', pp. 210-211, "The Raven's Flight"</ref><ref name="TWoRp42+">''The Wars of Reaving'' pp. 42-43, "Retribution"</ref>

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