Whoops completely missed that, sorry. Anyway here's the next bit, hope everyone likes it and it's mistake free
“The whole art of war consists of guessing at what is on the other side of the hill.” – Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington
2400.2
The launch of the ORS
Pioneer was always going to struggle to match the huge celebration that accompanied the launch of her sister ship, but everyone involved gave it their best shot. So as the ship slipped out of the dockyard to start her shakedown cruise the bands played and the crowds cheered and onboard Captain Julia Locke and the crew sat back briefly to enjoy the experience. “Helm lets put the ship through her paces, the faster we get this finished the sooner we can start the real mission.”
For the navy the launch was joy tempered with apprehension, the
Pioneer was still an unarmed ship. There’d been no sign of any alien life in Cignus or on any of the long range radio telescopes, but that didn’t calm all the nerves. With both ships on route to their warp points to continue the exploration there was little to be done at the Admiralty, bar approving the plans for Ocelot’s first colony ship being built in the hope that a planet with an oxygen atmosphere would be found, if not then a domed colony it would have to be.
“Doctor that is excellent news, when can we expect any tangible results though?” Asked Presidente Marks.
“It could be many months and much of the work will be theoretical but with so many minds at so many institutions all across Ocelot breakthroughs are inevitable.”
“Thank you Doctor, please keep me informed of any further breakthroughs.”
As the Presidente leaned back he reflected on the last few days, the shipyards had expected that the recent material sciences development could be adapted for larger ship hulls within a month and the vice chancellors association had agreed to co-ordinate university research with the Ministry of Research. Despite all that he could barely wait for the next warp points to be explored, ahh the excitement of discovery, even by proxy, was intoxicating.
2400.3
As
Pioneer entered the Styris system the scans revealed what everyone was hoping for, two rock worlds with oxygen atmospheres. Captain Locke smiled to herself, her crew had found one of the things that El Presidente had sent the navy out to find, other worlds to colonise. The supply situation was better than expected, the MkII Ion Engines were more efficient than the old MkIs, so after scanning the system and sending a message back to Ocelot the
Pioneer set course for the next warp point.
As the
Pioneer was travelling across the Styris system the
Pegasus completed its jump into the Balosnee system.
“Captain sensors coming back momentarily… we’re reading unknown contacts and an inhabited planet!”
Delap’s first reaction was it must be a sensor error. “Confirm that isn’t just a sensor error”
“Confirmed sir, all diagnostics check out 100%. Additional information coming in the planet’s population has to be in the billions and is heavily industrialised. There’s also some kind of orbiting space station.” Lieutenant Commander Vickers reported
“No ships?”
“No captain.”
“That simplifies thing, if a first contact can be simple. Well people you know the drill lets go through it, nice and slow with no mistakes. Comms get a message back to the Admiralty they will want to know about this you can be sure.”
It took several days, but eventually the language problems were overcome and communications became possible. Captain Delap discovered that the planet was inhabited by a race called the Jraenar Imperium who bore an alarming resemblance to short dinosaurs. He just hoped they weren’t as aggressive, but he knew that he was just projecting his stereotypes on to them, hopefully…
After much discussion and every department that could have a say chipping in, as well as many ministers with nothing useful to say but a desperate need to contribute, it was decided. The
Pegasus would try and arrange a non-aggression treaty with the Jraenar and that the
Pegasus should stay at least a couple of sectors away from the planet, partly to avoid angering them but mainly so she had a head start if she had to run.
The council meeting was particularly stormy as the matter of the next ship design had to be decided; with the Corvette sized hull perfected there was an additional 30kT of space to fill. The doves, lead by Taunolin wanted supplies or indeed anything non-military so supported the proposed
Starchaser design, while the rest of the council wanted to at least be prepared for the worst and backed the
Javelin design with its twin rotary launched nuclear missile launchers and reinforced bulkheads to increase survivability. The matter was decided when the Presidente backed the
Javelin and the first in class would be the next ship to be built after the colony ship was completed.
2400.4
"We do not entirely trust you. Your treaty can wait for now" - Transmission from the Jraenar Imperium planet
It was not a good way to start the month all agreed. On the other hand it wasn’t the worst news, at least they weren’t at war. The
Pegasus was reporting that the Jraenar had launched a colony ship and a 150kT vessel, designated the Azul class. With a communication relay buoy deployed the Admiralty decided to pull the
Pegasus back for refit and re-supply. Captain Delap wasn’t sad to be going, sitting that close to an unknown alien race who had just refused a non-agression treaty, in an unarmed ship was not good for the nerves.
Back on Ocelot the first coloniser vessel was launched and set course for the Styris system to colonise one of the breathable worlds there. Filled to the gills with brave souls looking to start a new life on a new world she expected to make planet fall within six weeks, her progress would be watched by the whole planet, there was racial soft spot and respectul attitude for pioneers and you didn’t get more pioneering than starting life on a new planet
The month ended with the
Pioneer entering the Cerebus system, however it was nothing but a massive asteroid belt. Of great interest to scientist and astrophysicist, but not exactly what Captain Locke had been hoping for, still she reasoned, if you always succeed and found what you were looking for you wouldn’t appreciate it. With that though she order the
Pioneer to carry on to the next warp point