A War for the Stars

[Erax]

Admiral Wiers' private log, SGY 2402.5:

The Hutt agreed to our trade alliance. Ambassador Reima also received a message from the Yakrin, proposing a trade treaty with us. According to him, this proposal does not make sense in light of our prior dealings with them; before this offer, they were arrogant and prone to making threats. There must be an important reason for this sudden improvement in our relations. I'll have the Diplomatic Corps look into it.

Seeker I entered Galvoni, another barren system with random asteroid clouds drifting around a stellar remnant. Captain Veren will cross the system and investigate the next system over. Comet III launched this tenth to colonize Berlin III.

Our security forces are doing wonders for planetary morale. Our investment in them was enormous but it is already paying off.

[Erax]

Admiral Wiers' private log, SGY 2402.6:

The Andarr cancelled their treaty with us. Ambassador Reima is at a loss to explain how this could have happened but his Corps is already busy trying to contain the situation. I had to warn him that we cannot afford incidents such as this.

Our colonists landed on Berlin III at about the same time that the Syned starports became operational. Our position improves steadily.

[Hunkpapa]

Great read, thank you for the entertainment.

"Evil will always win because Good is stupid."

[Erax]

Admiral Wiers' private log, SGY 2402.7:

We finally have fighter-sized ion engines. This would allow us to produce our first starfighters this tenth, but I chose to delay production to include the latest model laser cannon in the designs.

We have begun building Seeker II. Like Seeker I, she will explore the systems around us, seeking out other starfaring civilizations.

Now that a spaceyard is under construction in Gesaril, we will need to relocate some of Virgillia V's population to that system before it can launch its own colony ships. We need some kind of population transport; I will instruct our spaceyard staff to draw up plans in case we need to build larger hulls.

Seeker I crossed another hyperconduit into the Nalros system and found it already inhabited. After decoding and translating incoming signals, we were able to contact this new race, called... humans. This is not the first time the Empire encounters an isolated human world or group of worlds, but to them we were quite a surprise. Captain Veren assured them that the Seeker was on a peaceful voyage of exploration and obtained passage through the system. We believe the next system over should connect to Berlin, where the ship will go to be resupplied.

Ambassador Reima has dispatched a diplomatic mission to this group of humans who call themselves the Interstellar Alliance. They seem friendly enough and are very curious about us; Reima must make sure that they do not learn too much.

[Erax]

Admiral Wiers' private log, SGY 2402.8:

Our sector forces will soon have a starfighter arm. Plans for the TIE Fighter A (T/ln A) are complete and they are already being produced.

Lacking proper Imperial TIE pilots, we had to recruit them from the local population. This has already been taken care of and right now we have a large contingent of trained pilots on every world.

Commodore Telar will be the overall commander of our starfighter forces. We will produce two wings of TIE/ln A's initially, one full wing of 72 craft to defend Virgillia and a reduced wing with 48 craft to defend Gesaril. These defense wings are meant to harass and delay invading fleets; extensive facilities are available to mass produce more fighters which will then deal with the enemy ships.

As a side effect of our engine research, we now have marginally cheaper implosion drives. The Comet design has already been updated to use them.

Starfighters will go a long way towards ensuring our safety, but we need bombers, then carriers. The road ahead is long indeed.

[Erax]

Admiral Wiers' private log, SGY 2402.9:

We can now build slightly larger Modified Corvettes. Our research teams are concentrating on more efficient cargo bays for the population transports.

Seeker I entered the Gandle Ott system, another uninhabited system with one fully and one partially colonizable planet. Captain Veren will head towards Berlin III to resupply.

Seeker II has been launched, under Captain Stran. I know many here do not agree with my choice, but I believe he will be a competent explorer once he enters the unknown beyond Arkonne.

Our relations with the Alliance improve daily; they have informed us that they are at war with the Yakrin. That explains much; the Yakrin must have offered us a treaty to keep us out of the conflict. That is what we will do, for now, but there are many here who insist we help our fellow humans right away. I will not risk my sector by rushing into an ill-considered war; I feel we have more to gain at the moment by expanding while our neighbors wear themselves down against each other. But if the time comes when we must choose a side, I hope it will be that of the Alliance.

[ May 01, 2003, 16:47: Message edited by: Erax ]

[Erax]

CODED TRANSMISSION
From: Chief Ambassador Reima, Sector Diplomatic Corps
To: Admiral Wiers

Berlin III, 2403.0

Admiral,

We are making rapid progress in our dealings with our fellow humans in the Interstellar Alliance. We have offered them a trade treaty, as per your orders. I have every reason to believe that they will accept.

The Yakrin have learned of our dealings with their enemies and are understandably disturbed. We have done our best to reassure them but I am afraid that we cannot have the best of both worlds. The friendlier we become with the Alliance the more the Yakrin will dislike us.

Current information suggests that the Yakrin-Alliance war is a stalemate; neither power can defeat the other's armada. If that is the case, perhaps we can act as the external power that breaks the deadlock and wins the war. There is much to gain from such a situation.

CODED TRANSMISSION
From: Chief Ambassador Reima, Sector Diplomatic Corps
To: Admiral Wiers

Berlin III, 2403.1

Admiral,

Everything is proceeding as we have foreseen. We established a trade agreement with the Alliance, only to have the Yakrin learn of it and demand that it be canceled. I await your decision in this matter but it is the advice of this Corps that you refuse their demands.

On another front, the Hutt are becoming restless. They must have realized by now that we lack the force to annex them and are reverting to their usual arrogant nature. We have sent them some goods to improve relations, but I must point out that the Hutt are not fools. They know we would be sending stormtroopers instead of goods, if we had them.