Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

Turn execution failed in the game... bummer.

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

Can happen sometimes, when the server is low on memory I guess. If this happens, anyone can try to undo his turn and upload it again, thereby kicking off turn computation again - it usually works on 2nd try.
I just did this, and the game processed without further problems.

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

Good, thanks R

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

I'm back from my vacation. For the moment Tesco seems to be in charge of the republic. He told me his system crashed while he was in control so really no one was in charge while I was gone. I have sent him a message asking to get my games back.

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

I'll reinstate you as player as soon as I can get in to the PBW site, RandallW.

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

Hi all,

Would somebody do me the favor of looking at the NGC4 game and seeing if my turn was received via email. I can't get onto the pbw.cc site, and had to email my turn. I've never used email submission before and just want to make sure I didn't screw anything up.

Thanks!

TaterBill

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Seems to be ok. Strange that you cannot connect to seiv.pbw.cc,though.

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

Presidential Offices
Earth, Sol System
Capitol of the Federated Worlds

"Admiral, so very nice to see you today."
"Mr. President, sir. I have here the briefs you asked us to prepare concerning the most recent First Contact event." Fleet Admiral Barov briskly strode across the length of the Presidential Office and deposited a thick folder on the President's desk. The admiral was always amused when his Commander in Chief asked him for hardcopies of reports, rather than reading them off a fiche reader as most folks did these days. "Hurts my head, looking at that screen," the President had once stated, ending all further dabate on the matter.
"Well Admiral, what've you got for us, eh? I hear these guys may be another one of our lost colonies?"
"Well, sir, we're still looking into things, but its starting to look that way. Certainly seems to be few other possibilities for where they came from."
"Hmmm, I see. Well, lets take a look here, shall we? Have a seat there Admiral - this is going to take me a few minutes." As Admiral Barov seated himself at one of the plush armchairs facing his desk, President Hippocrates reached for the folder.
As stated in the report, a Federation survey and scout vessel - FWS Nomad - had been engaged in a First Contact situation three days ago. This in itself was not what had caused the red flag which drew the President's personal attention so urgently - the Federation had encountered nearly a dozen new species within the Last three years alone. Rather, what was so surprising was that the ship encountered seemed to be carrying fellow human beings.
"Hmmm, you're sure these genetic tests are accurate?"
"Huh? Oh; yes, sir. The Namod's chief Med officer is quite experienced. A courier ship is rushing the origional sample back here for further verification, but we have no reason to doubt its accuracy. Also, there's no chance of the sample having been tampered with. When their diplomat came on board, Dr. Montagna drew the DNA sample himself. Their diplomat was caught a bit off gaurd by our request, but he submitted to it without any protest."
"Another set of Lost Colonists, then?"
"As I mentioned earlier, sir, that seems to be the most likely explanation."
The President's only response was a snort, "Humph." Nearly 250 years ago, the nations of Earth had managed to begin their first ventures into intersteller space. With barely the minumum amount of technology needed to make the voyages viable, explorers ventured forth and established a handful of fledgling colonies in neighboring systems. Shortly thereafter, a survey vessel had encountered the first alien species recorded in Human history - the Klackon Empire. Hopeful attempts were made to communicate; all were ignored. Attempts were made repeatedly to establish contact of some kind, but no attempt bore fruit.
Six months later, for reasons that shall forever remain uncertain, a Klackon vessel entered one of Humanity's newly settled colony systems and destroyed all signs of life on the surface of the settled planets. No threats were uttered, no communications were received, no ultimatums given. Simply death served up efficently and silently.
For the next thirty years, a great war ensued as the Klackons slowed rolled back HUmanity and destroyed colony after colony. During the darkest days of the war, as a Klackon fleet approached the Sol system and prepared to lay siege to the very cradle of Human civilization, a great exodus was begun. Fleets of colony vessels were dispatched in an attempt to save at least some portion of the Human species. Once the Klackon seige of Sol commenced, all contact was lost with these colony ships, and they were presumed lost to enemy action.
Although Earth eventually emerged victorious at the end of the war, her global economy was shattered. Maintenance of orbital facilities became impossible, and slowly any ability to travel insteller distances was lost. Those few, rare colonies outside Sol which had managed to survive the war lost contact with the Mother World and were left to fend for themselves. As years passed with no contact, even these had been saddly written off as lost.
Now, over two centuries later, the people of Earth had finally clawed their way back to the stars, only to discover that some of Earth's Lost Children had survived the intervening years. Prior to this latest encounter, contact had been established with three other former colonies. In all three cases, they had not only survived, but managed to establish their own societies along with colonies of their own. One of them - fearing Earth had been destroyed - had established a martial society based around their Navy and a near legendary figure they called the "Broad Shouldered One." The second had witnessed the self destruction of Earth's infrastructure and had vowed never to allow themselves to become that weak - expansion and the safe guarding of their borders was their gaol. The third, meanwhile, had reverted to a an ancient form of government ("A Monrachy! Of all things," thought the President), and had even bioengineered themselves to breath previously hostile atmospheres in order to survive the bombardment of their world during the war. Earth's very air was now poison to those humans.
And now.....now this fourth set.
"Any leads on them at all, Admiral? Anything?" asked the President, as he came near the end of reading the report he had been handed.
"Not yet, sir. Their diplomat insinuated that his people believed Earth destroyed during the Great War, and that their society was created by the survivors of a Naval Station which had been befallen by strange circumstances. He refused to elaborate further, but we hope to gain more information from them in the coming months."
"A Naval station? Could they have been from one of the Black Ops stations? The ones which were carrying out all kinds of secret research?"
"Once again, sir, we're not sure. Could be though; there were a bunch of those which were established during the war. If that was the case, DNA samples were kept from everyone who was drafted into the military at the time. We should be able to match their diplomat (thanks to the sample he provided) with someone from those old records. IF his story is true."
"Very well, Admiral. Pursue whichever avenues you feel necessay. Keep me posted." Just because the Children of Earth were human, not all were friendly. Some felt Earth had had her chance and missed the boat - it should be they who should now inherit the stars. Only time would tell what stance this new batch would take..........

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

The ?Captain?s Quarters,? as the great hall was traditionally known was silent, except for the sound of the Captain?s heavy breathing. The reports from the Fleet over the past few years had been singularly interesting. Of course, there were the initial reports of strange worlds, and colony status reports, and new scans, but none had been more enthralling than when contact had been made with two ?alien? Groups almost simultaneously, about two years ago or so. Both were, to all appearances and tests, very close to human. Admittedly, the lung structure of the Manticore people was troubling. Even given the vast expanse of history that separated the Captain and his people from Ancient Earth, it was hard to account for an entire race of people that now breathed methane. Evolution alone could not explain it. The mystery remained unsolved. The other aliens, however, were practically identical to pure strain human standards. And there were other similarities - the society and people of the so-called republic bore striking similarities to those of the Aether. Doubtless, when they fled Old Earth to evade the Klackon menace, they too had adopted strict measures of control and decision-making in their society in order to survive in the harshness of space for all these millennia.

But, nothing could prepare the Captain for the reports he was now reading. By all accounts it appeared that the long quest, the hope that had fueled the exiles on for these thousands of years, had perhaps come to an end. These new aliens, contacted at the edge of Aether space, claimed to be from none other than Earth itself.

The Captain rose, and turned to the Commander?s around the table.

?Don?t let this report get out. Classify it Ultra/SCI. Only we in this room, the crew who encountered the ?terrans? and the head of the inner security office can know about it. We need to gather further information. If this got out to the general public before we can verify it?s authenticity, it would cause a general panic. And, more importantly, there are some obvious inconsistencies that need to be addressed.

First among these is: how can we explain that our histories and records tell us that Earth was conquered by the Klackons? How could they have survived? Did they fight back after such a defeat? That would truly be good news?but it seems hard to swallow. There are two possibilities: either they did survive the Klackons ? in which case, it is difficult to explain how this happened. Or two, they did not survive the Klackons, and are not actually from Earth. In which case, who are they? Do they believe they are from Earth falsely, or are they attempting to trick us into revealing our technologies??

One of the Commanders, at the far end of the table, raised his hand. ?Permission to speak, Captain??
?Granted.?
The Commander was from the N8 Directorate ? in charge of the scientific and technological aspects of running the Fleet.
?Sir, I feel that I must remind everyone that if we examine our own history and our early technological exploits, there may yet be a third possibility. When the Base escaped Old Earth by slipping into, and become adrift in, the time-space continuum, it is possible that when we emerged after what seemed hundreds of years, we might have emerged into?an alternate universe. Perhaps a universe wherein Old Earth survived the Klackons??
The Captain spoke: ?While we welcome debate here Commander, this line of reasoning about alternate universes has long been discredited - our scientist showed long ago that is simply not possible.?
?Yes, sir, but remember our technological advances into understanding the time-space continuum were long ago stabilized at an early level in order to divert resources to survival in the depths of space?it is conceivable that with further research, they could bear fruit along these lines??

The room was silent?until the Captain spoke again. ?Fine, check into it, put a few scientists on the problem, see if what you suppose is possible, but don?t tell them why you?re asking?do it discreetly. ?

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

Councillor Dokeo’s friend, Paramethios, was visiting. Taking some time off from his duties managing one of the systems other worlds, for even the most dedicated is less effective when tired, he had come for dinner. They had both enjoyed a meal which to other peoples might appear somewhat lacking, but which in the Republic was adequate to keep them sustained, the most important thing. Having finished they retired to the balcony while servants cleared up.
Seating themselves they sat for a while listening to the night. In time Dokeo queried his friend.
“Would you say we live in interesting times?” he asked.
“How so?” replied Paramethios.
“We have spread to the stars, established our presence and prospered” explained Dokeo.
“What you say is true”.
“Yet I feel we must be prepared for the future”.
“of course”.
“We have met many other races, have we not?”.
“yes”.
“But are some of them really other races?”.
‘Please elaborate”.
“Our friends the Aether lords, what are they?”.
“Human” Paramethios replied after some thought.
“And the Manticore”
“Again Human”
“What of the Federated worlds”
“Human of course”
“It would appear that a great many races, all human, are to be found in this part of space. There is even another human race, recently found, who we have yet to interact with”
“go on”
“On the other hand we have met races that are not human”
“such as?”
“The Narn, the Spelunkers, the Vexan, even the machines, and lets not forget the Primeval”
“of course”
“It seems that the humans we find are friendly, while the aliens we find are not, with one exception”
“certainly”
“I forsee the community of Humans needing to steel itself before the advance of the Alien”
“If you say so”
“I hope I am wrong” concluded Dokeo.
The two colleagues considered things for awhile.
“What do you know of our history” questioned Dokeo
“Everything”
“But what of before our history”
“Please explain”
“Before the institution of our great society under The Philosopher”
“Nothing is known”
“Where did we come from then”
“It is widely assumed we evolved on this planet”
“What of the other human races?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did they also evolve on this planet?”
“apparently not”
“Did you know two of the other human races claim to both come from a planet with the same name?”
“No, I didn’t know that”
“I feel more research is necessary to discover the link”
“If you think so”
Again the two friends paused.
“Where you aware the Federated worlds consider us martial” said Dokeo.
“No, I wasn’t aware of that”
“Why do you think that is?”
“I couldn’t say”
“Certainly the Military have their part in our society. But it is an equal part. Were one part of our society to place its role over the others I am afraid of what would happen to us”
“A dread prospect indeed”
The two of them listened to the night. They could hear industry around them, yet at the same time nature was not drowned out. The world, like all things in the Republic, was balanced.

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

The Captain's address was beamed to all the worlds of the Aether Empire...

"Men and Women of Aether, the evidence is incontrovertible. We have finally found Earth, our anicent home, lost these many generations. WE are even now sending extensive teams to their capital to meet and discuss our next steps in our relationship...but this much is clear: we will not forsake Earth again. Destiny has given us a second chance, and we will forever after defend Earth from any threat, be it Klackon or otherwise. Long live Earth!"

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

This is really a pain to read, I still have the original which may be less strenious:


Game description
================
Game will be 1.84 unless new patch comes out before we start, then new patch!!!

This game is open for all players, newbies and experts alike.

This is the rules below in a condensed view:
Only partnership with one other player at a time and have fun!.
================================================== ==============

If you have any questions regarding the game, the play or whatever, dont hesitate to mail the host, the mailbox is always open.

----------------------------------------------
For more info on the map see the NGC4 thread on shrapnel forum.

Anyone feeling to write a role play intro to the game, PLEASE DO SO!!

-------------
SETTINGS:
-------------

1. Huge galaxy, 200 systems created with standard Fyrons Quadrant Mod by Tesco Samoa who has put alot of effort into it, the mod is NOT needed by the players.

2. 20 players at start.

3. No tech trading, No tech gifts. Only trading of materials (i e ships, resources etc). (This way we don't get high tech immediatly.) If you wish to trade tech you'll have to trade ships and scrap them to gain the knowledge. Any trading you can do is allowed!

4. Player uses standard un-modded Gold patch 3 (stock 1.84), unless a new patch arrives in which case the game will be converted. So if you aren't
ready to upgrade your Version of SE4 you shouldn't start in this game.

5. Low tech start.

6. High tech cost.

7. No surrendering.

8. Only own score is shown. (Use intel if you need more info on your neighbours)

9. 2000 Starting race points.

10. Win condition : When all agree upon a winner (Or team of two as winners)

11. Intel allowed. (with max 1 partner we won't get ridicilus high intel points)

12. Max 100 mines/sector.

13. Max units 20000

14. Max Ships 8000

15. 1 Starting planets.

16. 48 Hours timed fully automatic turns. (If all players upload before then the game turn will be executed) Eventually it might be moved to 72 hours if empires get large and turns takes more time. If you need 72 hours for a turn, ask for it, otherwise it will run at 48 hours.

17. ANCIENT RACE TRAIT IS NOT ALLOWED.

18. Starting Resources 100000

19. Home planet Value: Good

20. Event Frequency: None

21. Auto-nag when 8 hours remind of turn time, auto-nag Last two player to upload. (I do not send mails manually telling you to "Hop to it"!! so don't complain to the host about being nagged!)

---------------
Pre-Game Rules:
---------------

1. Always have a valid e-mail adress where the host can reach you.

2. Max/min of racial traits is allowed (if you want to do it you'll have to pay the prize by lowering something else) (RECOMMENDATION: Increase defence, offense and maintnance reduction)

3. Roleplaying is encouraged aswell as in-game stories. But not required!

4. The aim of this game is to have FUN. If you see a fellow player making an obvious fatal mistake, alert them instead of taking advantage of it. This is no rule just a recommendation.

5. When uploading your empire mark wich shipset you are using. No duplicate shipsets allowed. If you are using a stock shipset select "STOCK SHIPSET-XXXXXX" Where XXXXX is the shipset you are using, it must be the same as when you created your empire file.

6. I will need an e-mail from each player before you are allowed to join, when you apply to the game I'll mail you about that.

7. It might not be me who hosts the game, if I start as player I might choose someone else to host, but I'll make sure there is always someone
hosting.

8. There might be more than one host at any given time, hosts should not participate in the game unless there is no other host availible.

-----------
GAME RULES
-----------

1. Max partnership two players. Military alliances with how many you want, research and trade alliances with how many you like. (This way we won't get superalliances, making it impossible to be a lone wolf. Now you still have a chance on your own).

2. Alliance victories are allowed. If you win the game and have a partner that partner is viewed as an equal winner. Max partnership alliances are two
players, so there can as a max be two winners.

3. Don't share comm channels or system maps.(More focus on individual exploration), not a rule but a recommendation!!

4. Retroseries are allowed. (If you want to pay for it use it)

5. Absolutely no e-mail diplomacy prior to in-game contact. You may mail eachother on all other issues but not concerning in-game events and
strategies prior to in-game contact.

6. Alliances are to be based upon in-game events and considerations only, no external friendship or such may come into play when deciding alliances.
Ofcourse you can be friends with your co-players, but try to see beyond that friendship in this game! It is possible to be friends and still fight in a game!

7. Total turtelling is forbidden! (You may shut down worm-holes and build system gravitational shields but there must always be atleast one way to enter a system. If it doesn't have any worm-holes it can't have a system gravitational shield. This goes for individual systems aswell as your entire empire. You may shutdown all wormholes into your empire, then you may build system
gravitational shields in all systems but one!)

------------
Hosting
------------

1. Breaking the rules may result in a warning, or being kicked from the game. Depending on the nature and severity of the transgression. Decided by the host.

2. When an empire becomes without player the host might go in and check that empire from time to time until a replacement is found, he will then see to it that the empire builds defences. He will not start or continue offensive actions.
In the case of a conflict between the hosts empire and the playerless empire the host must accept peace with that empire until a replacement has been found. (If the host is a player in the game).

3. Missing four consecutive turns without notifying the host will get you kicked.(Mail the host if you're going to be away a longer time)

4. We will try to run automated turns, so try to avoid asking for "Last player upload turns". So before asking for the game to be taken off automatic timed turns consider it thouroghly!

5. The host has absolute power in hosting issues, questions might be put to a vote or decided upon by the host.

----------------------------------------
It's considered good maner to introduce yourself at the game forum at the PBW site.

Please state which players you know who has already entered the game and where you live.
It's ok to be friends with other players and to live near them. But be open with it so it won't raise questions later. And write whatever else that others can find interesting about you! We might be in this game together for a loong time.

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

Unformatted rules copied from e-mail:
If anyone has the original mail and can post a better copy here or edit this post please feel free to do so, for better reading.
I'll do it myself eventually otherwise....

Game description
================
Game will be 1.84 unless new patch comes out before we start, then new
> patch!!!
>
> This game is open for all players, newbies and experts alike.
>
> This is the rules below in a condensed view:
> Only partnership with one other player at a time and have fun!.
> ================================================== ==============
>
> If you have any questions regarding the game, the play or whatever,
dont
> hesitate to mail the host, the mailbox is always open.
>
> ----------------------------------------------
> For more info on the map see the NGC4 thread on shrapnel forum.
>
> Anyone feeling to write a role play intro to the game, PLEASE DO SO!!
>
> -------------
> SETTINGS:
> -------------
>
> 1. Huge galaxy, 200 systems created with standard Fyrons Quadrant Mod
by
> Tesco Samoa who has put alot of effort into it, the mod is NOT needed
by
> the
> players.
>
> 2. 20 players at start.
>
> 3. No tech trading, No tech gifts. Only trading of materials (i e
ships,
> resources etc). (This way we don't get high tech immediatly.) If you
> wish to trade tech you'll have to trade ships and scrap them to gain
> the knowledge.
> Any trading you can do is allowed!
>
> 4. Player uses standard un-modded Gold patch 3 (stock 1.84), unless a
new
> patch arrives in which case the game will be converted. So if you
aren't
> ready to upgrade your Version of SE4 you shouldn't start in this game.
>
> 5. Low tech start.
>
> 6. High tech cost.
>
> 7. No surrendering.
>
> 8. Only own score is shown. (Use intel if you need more info on your
> neighbours)
>
> 9. 2000 Starting race points.
>
> 10. Win condition : When all agree upon a winner (Or team of two as
> winners)
>
>
> 11. Intel allowed. (with max 1 partner we won't get ridicilus high
intel
> points)
>
> 12. Max 100 mines/sector.
>
> 13. Max units 20000
>
> 14. Max Ships 8000
>
> 15. 1 Starting planets.
>
> 16. 48 Hours timed fully automatic turns. (If all players upload
before
> then
> the game turn will be executed)
> Eventually it might be moved to 72 hours if empires get large and
turns
> takes more time.
> If you need 72 hours for a turn, ask for it, otherwise it will run at
48
> hours.
>
> 17. ANCIENT RACE TRAIT IS NOT ALLOWED.
>
> 18. Starting Resources 100000
>
> 19. Home planet Value: Good
>
> 20. Event Frequency: None
>
> 21. Auto-nag when 8 hours remind of turn time, auto-nag Last two
player to
> upload. (I do not send mails manually telling you to "Hop to it"!! so
> don't complain to the host about being nagged!)
>
> ------------------
> Pre-Game Rules:
> ---------------
>
> 1. Always have a valid e-mail adress where the host can reach you.
>
> 2. Max/min of racial traits is allowed (if you want to do it you'll
have
> to
> pay the prize by lowering something else) (RECOMMENDATION: Increase
> defence, offense and maintnance reduction)
>
> 3. Roleplaying is encouraged aswell as in-game stories. But not
required!
>
> 4. The aim of this game is to have FUN.
> If you see a fellow player making an obvious fatal mistake, alert them
> instead of taking advantage of it. This is no rule just a
recommendation.
>
> 5. When uploading your empire mark wich shipset you are using. No
> duplicate shipsets allowed. If you are using a stock shipset select
> "STOCK
SHIPSET
> -XXXXXX" Where XXXXX is the shipset you are using, it must be the same
as
> when you created your empire file.
>
> 6. I will need an e-mail from each player before you are allowed to
join,
> when you apply to the game I'll mail you about that.
>
> 7. It might not be me who hosts the game, if I start as player I might
> choose someone else to host, but I'll make sure there is always
someone
> hosting.
>
> 8. There might be more than one host at any given time, hosts should
not
> participate in the game unless there is no other host availible.
>
> -----------
> GAME RULES
> ------------
>
> 1. Max partnership two players. Military alliances with how many you
want,
> research and trade alliances with how many you like. (This way we
won't
> get
> superalliances, making it impossible to be a lone wolf. Now you still
have
> a
> chance on your own).
>
> 2. Alliance victories are allowed. If you win the game and have a
partner
> that partner is viewed as an equal winner. Max partnership alliances
are
> two
> players, so there can as a max be two winners.
>
> 3. Don't share comm channels or system maps.(More focus on individual
> exploration), not a rule but a recommendation!!
>
> 4. Retroseries are allowed. (If you want to pay for it use it)
>
> 5. Absolutely no e-mail diplomacy prior to in-game contact. You may
mail
> eachother on all other issues but not concerning in-game events and
> strategies prior to in-game contact.
>
> 6. Alliances are to be based upon in-game events and considerations
only,
> no
> external friendship or such may come into play when deciding
alliances.
> Ofcourse you can be friends with your co-players, but try to see
beyond
> that
> friendship in this game! It is possible to be friends and still fight
in a
> game!
>
> 7. Total turtelling is forbidden!
> (You may shut down worm-holes and build system gravitational shields
but
> there must always be atleast one way to enter a system. If it doesn't
have
> any worm-holes it can't have a system gravitational shield. This goes
> for individual systems aswell as your entire empire. You may shutdown
> all wormholes into your empire, then you may build
system
> gravitational shields in all systems but one!)
>
> ------------
> Hosting
> ------------
>
> 1. Breaking the rules may result in a warning, or being kicked from
the
> game. Depending on the nature and severity of the transgression.
Decided
> by
> the host.
>
> 2. When an empire becomes without player the host might go in and
check
> that
> empire from time to time until a replacement is found, he will then
see to
> it that the empire builds defences. He will not start or continue
> offensive actions.
> In the case of a conflict between the hosts empire and the playerless
> empire
> the host must accept peace with that empire until a replacement has
been
> found. (If the host is a player in the game).
>
> 3. Missing four consecutive turns without notifying the host will get
you
> kicked.
> (Mail the host if you're going to be away a longer time)
>
> 4. We will try to run automated turns, so try to avoid asking for
"Last
> player upload turns". So before asking for the game to be taken off
> automatic timed turns consider it thouroghly!
>
> 5. The host has absolute power in hosting issues, questions might be
put
> to
> a vote or decided upon by the host.
>
> ----------------------------------------
> It's considered good maner to introduce yourself at the game forum at
the
> PBW site.
>
> Please state which players you know who has already entered the game
and
> where you live.
> It's ok to be friends with other players and to live near them. But be
> open with it so it won't raise questions later.
> And write whatever else that others can find interesting about you! We
> might
> be in this game together for a loong time.
>

[ June 07, 2004, 12:25: Message edited by: Ruatha ]

Re: (N)GC4 - Game Story Thread
 

Now that I have some time again, I feel like doing something else than micromange the doom of my fellow players http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif I chose to revive this thread, although there are other threads where similar things have been posted more recently, but I think it is best fitting here, and maybe we get more. Usual disclaimer, please excuse my bad english, I'm not a native speaker.

----

First Speaker Roanon was studying the monthly resource reports. As usual, the production was increasing in steps that other empires only could dream of. Still, the expenses were growing likewise. He sighed. Maintenance was too high, as usual. But a huge empire needed a huge fleet to protect it, thas was an unchangeable fact. Stored surplus from better times still could cover the difference, but for how long?
His thoughts were interrupted by Administrator Delcon entering. "The Lastest reports, First Speaker" he removed a memory stick from a sealed container.
"Give me an overview, I don't have time to study all the details right now."
"Our home planet has been glassed as expected. About a third of the population could be evacuated, the rest...." his voice trailed off into silence. First Speaker Roanon nodded sorrowful. Another price to pay. How many more lives will be lost in these terrible wars? Too many had already died, up to now only few of his own race. But Roanon also mourned the losses of lives of those just having the bad luck of living under less wise rulers. Warships had to be destroyed, the rulers only met justice, but he preferred common people to be integrated into the wisdom of the Collective and shown the errors of their former ways. He sighed again. "The Intruders?"
"They tried to destroy our ringworld constructors, but the ringworld in Yepho was completed a few days before they arrived. Only the remaining constructors which were of little use after their emergency building period have been destroyed. Shortly after this, this fleet and all other intruders in Yepho have been defeated. Likewise, the Foumban system has been cleared."
"Good." The First Speaker was satisfied. "Reposition the hunter fleets as planned."
"First Speaker, the Aether Lord colony ship that was acting as a spy for the Amon'krie intruders has formed a colony on Yepho XII. As we still are not at war officially..." Again his voice trailed off, showing his disliking of that decision.
Roanon laughed. "They probably still think we cannot see through their submissive attitude while they are agitating behind our back. But we pity them. Only if they attack officially, you will be allowed to execute your invasion plans." "Yes, this time to the end, regardless of any whining." Roanon added before Delcon could interrupt him. "Send them a message requesting Yepho XII, of course".
"And if they do not accept...?"
Roanon sighed. "If they are really that foolish, do what you like, but don't bother me with it. You have full authority to do what will be needed. Anything else?"
"Unpleasant news, First Speaker. The Idaho Spuds have decided to attack finally."
"Not unexpected, although I would have preferred 2 more months of preparation. Did the fleets already in position execute their prepared orders?"
"Everything according to plan, as far as it could be executed with the few ships already in position. Admiral Rhyll is on the way with 2 fleets of 100 baseships each to contain and smash their bridgehead in the Kinsella system. First combat will be expected next month. Smaller fleets have been given consent to operate on their own."
"And the reserves?"
"There are still about 200 enemy ships missing. We do not want to commit our rearguard fleets yet, First Speaker. There still might be an attempt to strike elsewhere while we rush towards Kinsella."
"A spoiling attack with more than half of their fleet? Unlikely. Still, we do not need the reserves yet. Are the reinforcements for next month under training?"
"100 baseships, as usual. We are a bit short on repair capacity for the retrofits, though..." The habit to let his voice trail off was getting on Roanon's nerves, as usual after some time of talking. But Delcon was one of the most brilliant planners of his empire, his wisdom could not be replaced. "I have to leave to attend The Unification. Prepare to colonize our ringworlds. Give Admiral Rhyll all the support he will need. And try to solve this Aether Lord problem peacefully, despite their treachery - and allow them to go on believing that we do not know what they are scheming behind our back."
Administrator Delcon nodded respectfully. He would have liked other orders, but he knew that he could not continue to argue when Roanon wanted to end the audience.
First Speaker Roanon left his rooms to gain inspiration and wisdom by the traditional way of his ancestors. All important thinkers had been brought to this remote planet, where his temporary palace and administration center had also been constructed. A good precaution in these times, as the Last incidents clearly showed. He looked at the stars obove. Where was his home system? His eyes looked in vain. Too distant was that tiny star. Yepho XII would be recolonized soon, surely. But could it be rebuilt so that had again its former spirit and glory? Only a few years of peace should do, but when would peace be restored finally? When would The Wisdom finally rule over this galaxy instead of madness and irrationality?