A War for the Stars

[Erax]

You're welcome. But I won't be writing quite as fast now. The game situation is becoming more complex and I have to make some story-related decisions which I have been putting off for some time.

[Raging Deadstar]

It's good, i can't wait until combat happens, i'm looking forward to the battles. I don't think the Hutts have a chance against imperial tie fighters!

[Erax]

New avatar, more in keeping with this story.

[Erax]

Seeker I, Captain's log, SGY 2404.0:

We entered the wormhole at Gesaril two days ago, half expecting to meet a Yakrin fleet on the other side. Instead we found another barren system, with nothing but an asteroid belt around an unstable dim blue star. The astrographers back at Virgillia named this system Rela. We are currently holding station just outside the Gesaril wormhole.

Fleet Command tells us that Black Sword I is all loaded up and coming our way. Fyrine I is still taking on Army troopers at Gesaril IX. We'll get our next orders only when the Fyrine joins us, but I already know what they will be. We will form a task group and go looking for the Yakrin.

CODED TRANSMISSION
From: Commodore Telar, Sector Starfighter Force
To: Admiral Wiers

Gesaril II, 2404.0

Admiral,

Black Sword I has launched on schedule, carrying two squadrons equipped with TIE/ln A starfighters. The next two squadrons of the First Carrier Wing will be ready before Black Sword II leaves her dock on Gesaril V.

Our defense wings on Gesaril and Virgillia are fully operational. The Syned and Gandle Ott defense wings are in the production schedule, but it will be many tenths before those starfighters are launched, particularly in Gandle Ott.

Admiral, I urge you to reconsider construction priorities for the new colonies. I understand that the sector needs more mineral miner facilities and research centers, but as the situation stands there is nothing to protect those very same facilities if the Hutt or the Yakrin become hostile. Please consider this issue carefully, it could be vital for all of our systems.

[Erax]

Time for an updated map :



This is the quadrant map as of 2404.0.

Virgillia: Imperial homeworld.
Gathus: Andarr homeworld.
Keedad: Hutt homeworld.
Gesaril: First Imperial colony system.
Syned: Second Imperial colony system.
Berlin: Third Imperial colony system.
Gandle Ott: Fourth Imperial colony system.
Prazhi: Uninhabited colonizable system.
Tachung: Uninhabited colonizable system.
Klozar: Uninhabited colonizable system.
HolLastin: Uninhabited colonizable system.
Arkonne: Barren asteroid system.
Rela: Barren asteroid system.
Galvoni: Barren 'bLasted' system.
Nalros: Interstellar Alliance colony system.

[Erax]

Admiral Wiers' private log, SGY 2404.1:

The First Planetary Assault Regiment is still being loaded aboard Fyrine I. Black Sword II has been launched and is on her way to Gesaril II; she will pick up the two TIE fighter squadrons that are waiting for her there, then meet Seeker I and Black Sword I in the Rela system. Nova VIII has been launched from Virgillia; she will travel to Syned I, refuel there, then she will cross the Arkonne system and colonize Klozar VII. That was the planet from which Captain Stran aboard Seeker II picked up some strange readings six tenths ago. Perhaps we can find more ruins there which will confirm what the Alliance has told us about the alien race they call the Ancients.

Acting on Commodore Telar's Advice, I have increased the priority for starfighter production in the Gandle Ott system. It is quite likely that the unexplored system beyond Rela, which we believe is occupied by the Yakrin, also connects to Gandle Ott.

[Erax]

Admiral Wiers' private log, SGY 2404.2:

The Yakrin chose to declare war on us. We made no overt moves against them and we have never entered their systems; but still they decided that our treaties with the Alliance were enough of a threat to them to justify this decision. Fortunately, we were prepared for this development.

Our contacts in the Alliance tell us that the Yakrin are a ruthless and bloodthirsty race that must be stopped at all costs. Some of this may be propaganda designed to bring us into the conflict sooner, but our plans are already drawn and cannot be altered now.

Our attempts to manufacture proton torpedoes have met with failure. We need to improve our fusion technology first; as usual, it will take time.

Our first Stormtrooper forces are being raised on Gesaril IX. We will build an oversized brigade, with five battalions, and distribute it between two Fyrine-class ships.

Seeker I and Black Sword I and II have been grouped into the First Invasion Fleet; the Seeker will act as flagship, with Captain Veren in charge of all operations. He will wait for Fyrine I, which has left Gesaril IX and is on her way to Rela. After the transport joins the Fleet they will cross the hyperconduit that leads to Yakrin space.

What happens after that will depend on what Captain Veren finds at the other end of that hyperconduit.

[Erax]

The next update will be in +/- 5 hours. Was too tired yesterday to move the game along so I could post the reports today.

[Erax]

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

Syned I, 2404.3

Admiral,

The Andarr have expressed a lack of interest in renewing their trade treaties with us. We arrived at this situation despite the best efforts of this Corps to maintain good relations with them. Acting on your orders, we had been sending them several shiploads of valuable goods every tenth, but our efforts were insufficient.

It is possible that some third party has been interfering in our relations with the Andarr, and perhaps with the Hutt as well. We will investigate this matter and present a full report in due course.

Seeker I, Captain's log, SGY 2404.3:

Fyrine I has joined the Fleet and we are now just outside the unexplored wormhole. Fleet Command informs us that Fyrine II has been launched and is currently on course for Gesaril IX, where she will pick up half of the First Stormtrooper Brigade. She will then attempt to join us beyond Rela.

The Seeker's crew is used to exploring unknown wormholes. In fact, we've probably been through more wormholes than all other existing Imperial ships combined, but this one here will be different.

Scanning the other end of the wormhole is impossible from this end. We could be arriving behind the backs of the Yakrin or into the jaws of their trap.

We have our orders. The Fleet will go in.

[Erax]

Seeker I, Captain's log, SGY 2404.4:

The Fleet has just emerged into a system called Aram on our star charts. Fortunately, there were no Yakrin defenses set up at this end of the wormhole. We have finished our scans of the system, which contains several planets around a twin star grouping. Two of the planets, Aram I and IV, are inhabited by the Yakrin. The volume of transmissions coming from Aram I, even at this range, suggest that this is their homeworld.

We have located seven Yakrin frigates in the system, each of them 50% larger than our Black Swords. There are defensive satellites in orbit around both inhabited worlds and outside one of the wormholes, which according to our charts leads to Gandle Ott. The Yakrin must have been expecting us to take the direct route. I can only imagine the look of surprise on their corpselike faces.

There is also an Alliance vessel in the system, a Cronus class light carrier. It is a huge vessel, four times as large as a Yakrin frigate. It is currently approaching several enemy ships, but we are too far away to assist.

We must use Yakrin surprise to our best advantage. While the Alliance carrier keeps them busy, we will strike Aram IV.