[dumbluck]

Where to begin? Research into the two archaeological artifacts has led to some amazing discoveries. The strange lotion we discovered on Erosion turned out to be some sort of (very) alien sunscreen. It's energy dispersal methods proved to be both quite extraordinary and quite thorough, and our scientists were able to harness those methods to create a large energy shield array. Unfortunately, power requirements limit it to planet-based facilities, but this could be a big boost to planetary defenses. Then there is the strange fabric found on Emminence. The fabric has light-dispersion properties that are truly amazing; by incorporating them into a hull coating, we are able to make ships that are very hard for our targeting sensors to lock on to. Hopefully, our enemies will have similar difficulties...

In the east there has still been no sign of Viking activity. The Velarta (having earned it's name at the Yukra Encounter), pressed past Ellemm, and discovered the Cewandi system. Cewandi ALSO has two Oxygen atmosphere planets, ready for colonization. Now the Velarta is returning to Yukra for resupply, and colonization efforts are underway for all explored systems east of Yukra. Our military border defense is also being pressed further east. However, a military presence shall remain in Yukra due to the fact that the northern Warppoint out of the Turrin nebula (just east of Yukra) remains unexplored. That string of the Network shall be the next destination for the Velarta.

In the North, we explored all the way up to Rizzil before the Network turned east. Then, just east of Rizzil in Velocitas, we made contact with a vessel representing the Caspian Empire. It attempted to intercept our Ro Meli class scout there, but our vessel continued east out of Velocitas and took shelter in the Gul nebula. Our newly formed colony on Velocitas V watched as the Caspian vessel gave chase through the Warppoint. Now the Ro Meli, having eluded the Caspians in the Gul nebula, is proceeding to the northern Velocitas Warppoint to discover where the Caspian vessel came from.

Ellemm III has been colonized. It was christened Helios for its Helium vents. Unlike on Emminence, Helios's vents cause minimal atmospheric temperature fluctuations, so the environment is much more pleasant. Helios is building a fighter wing for defense against potential Viking attacks. In response to the first contact with the Caspians, Rizzil IX in the north was colonized and christened Forward. Construction efforts there are also focusing on a fighter wing for defense. And as previously mentioned, Velocitas V (east of Rizzil) was colonized. It was christened New Cornucopia, and again, construction efforts are focused on a fighter wing for defense. Unlike Forward, which has a toxic Carbon Dioxide atmosphere and is intended mainly as a military outpost, New Cornucopia features a pleasant Oxygen environment and a plethora of mineral and energy resources. It has the potential to be a Crown Jewel in the Ascendancy's industrial complex. If we can hold it from the Caspians. It is too soon to tell whether they are as hostile as the Vikings, but their response at first contact was not promising.

Yukra has built the Ascendancy's first out-system spaceport and resource production facility. Our fledgling Ascendancy is now officially an interstellar commercial power. Meanwhile, New Haven's shipyards have been set to continuously build colonizers, which will aggravate the inability to fully staff the shipyards there due to population attrition to the colonization efforts. Before, we had problems finding enough volunteers to fill the colonizers; now we'll have to scale back capacity and send them out with a partial compliment. This, of coarse, leaves the significantly slower Erosion shipyards as the only place our military is constructing vessels. Doesn't Command realize that any perceived weakness shall be pounced upon by the Traitors? We can ill-afford to have a small navy!

Now that the Caspians, too, have discovered us, it is IMPERATIVE that we locate the Vikings! We cannot afford to have them surprise us at an inopportune time. And while it is also important that we reconnoiter against the Caspians, they are at least 5 jumps away from New Haven. The threat they pose is not as severe; however we also need to establish a military presence at both Velocitas and Rizzil at the northern end of the explored Network. This would deny the Caspians access to our colony systems, however, we don't have the Shipyard capacity to accomplish this anytime soon.