Dawn

[Captain Kwok]

First attach your picture to the post. Then edit the post and copy the attached picture's link into the UBB image code to display the picture.

[attack_condor]

I went to the FAQ, and apparently I need a website to link to - and that I don't have. Anyhow, thanks for the info.

Phil

[attack_condor]

2406.5

The incidents of last month were quickly moved past. Chairman Lomax sent a message to the Cue Cappa Regent expressing his sadness at the loss of their frigate in Dawn space to mercenaries, and wished that the memory of all who were lost could serve as a bridge to building a brighter future.

He received no response.

As with the funerals for those lost on Praxis II when the shipyard that was being decommissioned suddenly exploded. The official cause was faulty demolition charges –the report was quick to point out the placement of the charges was within the established parameters – and the grieving took place.

The reports were presented…

Construction/Homeland department report:

The building of medical labs in Praxis, Sirius, and Samora was complete. The citizens in those systems would begin to enjoy a higher standard of living. Additionally, climate control facilities will be built at those space yard planets with less than optimal conditions and high migration. Finally, Samora II begins upgrading to a space yard 2.

End of Report

Research department report:

The research department announces the following technology upgrades: Ship weapon mounts level 2, ship capture level 2, space yard level 2. They also announce the delivery of technology from the Cue Cappa in accordance with our treaty. We now have second-generation orbital bases that can be built.

End of report

Defense department report

CDS Mexico City and Empire returning to space yards and will be refit as Australia class repair ships. The build time for space yard ships is too high.
CDS Montreal and Toronto refit at Pantrissa I as Canada VI light cruisers.CDS Dover and Longbow join CDSYork at the Pantrissa/Sheliak warp point.

Each of the three possible entry points to the Dawn empire is guarded by two frigates and a PDS ship. As noted above, Dover and York are joined by the PDS destroyer Longbow at the Pantrissa - Sheliak warp point. Northampton and Leeds are joined by the PDS destroyer Sniper at the Ushphada – Tilikanthua warp point. The unknown warp point in Velocitas is guarded by Southampton and West End, along with the PDS destroyer Artemis. The light cruiser Montreal will join the defenders at Sheliak, while Toronto will join the defenders at the unknown warp point.

We will be penetrating the unknown warp point once Toronto arrives.

End of report

Avery Smith delivered the report on the tragedy at Praxis II. He failed to mention that two security violations led to the dissemination of Dawn information to other empires…

[attack_condor]

2406.6

Pantrissa II space yard
onboard CDS Toronto

Security officer Walter Sen was briefing the newly formed security sections that would serve on capital ships to deny boarding as well as attempt to board ships disabled by the ship’s weaponry. There were twenty well-trained specialists, and they were expected to be able to overcome ten times their number. Of course, it wouldn’t be a straight up fight. It was expected that the ship they try to board would have causalities and generally not in a position to offer up much of a defense. Still, they were professionals, and the short layover at the yard would give them a bit more training. Today, they were learning how to blast through an armor plated hull with shaped charges. Their target was the Mexico City, here for an almost complete refit into a different class of ship. The Mexico City would need to be stripped down anyway, so it was a perfect opportunity to get a little live fire experience.

When they were finished, the hull was breached in less than a minute, and the boarders had moved to the bridge within three.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t time to repeat the exercise, as the workers needed to get to the refit of the old vessel, and the Toronto’s visit to the yard would be disappointingly brief.

Nekkar III
Design department briefing room

The engineers were finishing their report to their director, who would have it delivered to the Chairman for inclusion in the monthly update. Somewhere amid the amount of resources available, the plans for the Navy, and the machinations of the intelligence bureau, the Chairman would learn that mines were now available to help close off the entry points into Dawn space. Mine layers and sweepers were also proposed. There had already been consultations with Defense, and the addition of the mines would allow exploration of the points outside Dawn space while adding a measure of security that their empire wouldn’t be penetrated.

[attack_condor]

2406.7

Nekkar III
Monthly empire status report

The presenter led off with very good news. Five more planets were colonized last month. Three more research colonies and two resource storage colonies. The number of planets left to colonize was shrinking. The space yards would stand down as soon as they could and upgrade. Climate control facilities were under construction at the planets where ship construction was taking place.

The research department announced the discovery of high-energy weapons, phased weapons and scanner technology. The Cue Cappa had sent their research on supply as per the treaty they were still honoring. Education in the system was improving, and younger and younger students were accessing the research networks. During the day, these students were submitting ideas – no matter how unrealistic they may have seemed. Later, their computers were used by the research labs on the planets to run equations, models, and tests. It was a geometric progression of staggering proportions. The more people who had networked computers, the more processing power the labs had access to. And the more power they had, the faster they made discoveries. Which led to more networked computers. And more processing power. And so on. And so on. What it amounted to was that the Dawn empire had entire planet populations dedicated to the discovery of new technologies. And it was paying off.

The briefing continued. Avery Smith began his report about the capture of spies within the design bureau. Chairman Lomax interrupted him.

“I’m sorry, Avery; but I have a pressing matter that I need to deal with. Guard, would you ask Miss Edwards to come in?”

Avery looked annoyed and then bored when Rita Edwards was escorted into the briefing room. Strikingly beautiful, she sat down without saying a word.

“Mr. Chairman, I realize I wasn’t here last month, but Miss Edwards did submit the report for me. As my assistant,”

Lomax interrupted again.

“And your lover.”

Smith fumed at that.

“Mr. Chairman, you have..”

”Mr. Smith, you do understand the rules regarding fraternization, do you not?”

Smith could hardly believe this.

“Fraternization??!?? Are you serious??”

Lomax continued.

“I’m afraid so, Mr. Smith. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask for your resignation, and Miss Edwards’ as well.”

Rita Edwards handed an envelope to the guard. The other guard moved in behind Avery.

Smith was still incredulous.

“Mr. Chairman, I will not submit a letter of resignation. You do not...”

Lomax continued with an even voice.

“Avery, I know about Spider. We have the technician from Ushphada III. We have the directed beam transmission back and forth to your PCS from the satellite logs. I know the Cue Cappa frigate wasn’t destroyed by mercenaries, but by fighters. Dawn fighters. Citizens of Dawn killed, Avery, and were killed on your orders, Avery. There were no mercenaries.”

Avery wasn’t backing down.

“Chairman, if you don’t agree with the conclusion of my report, fine. Perhaps it was dissidents within the empire that...”

And just like that, it was over.

“Your report, Avery? Don’t you mean the department report? No matter, but you are right about dissidents.”

Lomax just stared at Smith, who didn’t move. The other board members were quiet as well, not knowing exactly what was happening, only that they were glad to be spectators, and not participants.

“You almost started a war, Avery – and for what? The Cue Cappa weren’t a threat, so the only threat to you would be me. But your own machinations led you astray again, Mr. Smith. I have nothing against you, so you objected to my policies. You didn’t want peace, did you? You wanted us to conquer, and for nothing more than your own lust for power.”

Again, Smith said nothing.

“No matter”, Lomax concluded. “As I said, we have your operative from the lab on Ushphada III. Or rather we had. I understand he participated in the high-energy weapon test. As for you, however, we have a new mineral storage planet that is in need of workers. Avery, I wish you well in your new endeavor. Miss Edwards?”

Rita Edwards stood and moved around the table, and sat in Avery’s old chair. This was too much for Smith.

“But she resigned as well!!”

Lomax cleared the point for Avery.

“Yes, Avery, she is no longer the ‘Assistant’ to the Director of Intelligence Operations.”

On their way down the stairs towards the door, the guard withdrew a weapon from his pocket, and Avery Smith was no more.

[attack_condor]

2406.8

Pantrissa II
Pantrissa space yard...

Toronto was finally out of the system, the Pinta had just launched today with another load of eager colonists, and yard personnel enjoyed a short-lived respite. Alice Springs, an Australia class repair ship, was still undergoing refit, and there were two more ships to be built before the yard would be decommissioned. The new yard at Pantrissa V was already in operation. The workers on Pantrissa II would move to the new planet, with its oxygen atmosphere and abundant space. There was even talk of a new climate control facility being built. All in all, it would be heaven.

Ed Jefferies was a welder who was coming off of a double shift. The yard was operating at emergency capacity, and the plan was to squeeze every drop out of the yard and her men before the shut down occurred.

Right now, Jefferies was squeezing the last drop out of his drink at a local bar and “entertainment” establishment. After a suitable amount of libation and a fist full of overtime-augmented cash, he was pouring out his soul to a “friend” who held the promise of a night of pleasure. For her part, the woman had seemed genuine enough – and she was – and listened intently while Jefferies continued on with his alcohol-induced soliloquy. When he eventually passed out she helped himself to the remainder of his cash and headed downstairs to share the gains with the bartender, as she had done before.

But tonight, it wasn’t to be.

“That’s right, miss. Keep coming. Right down here.”

The bartender was surrounded by two intelligence agents. The new director – a female, she remembered hearing on the news – was moving quickly. A third agent approached her, and she froze in place.

“Okay, miss – hand it over.”

She didn’t make a move.

“The wallet, lady. We’re getting a bit tired of citizens who so blatantly prey on the efforts of others.”

The lady started to protest – she knew she had to protest – and the agent grabbed her arm, reached into her dress and pulled the stolen wallet out. He released her and she turned to run, but not without cursing them before ducking out the door and heading home.

She walked fast and glanced over her shoulder, but the agents were more interested in the bartender. She made her way home and shut the door. Then she began to tremble, realizing how close it was. In a moment, she gathered herself and opened a jewelry box. She withdrew a talisman and laid it respectfully on top of the table. She knelt and began to pray. Her words were exact, her passion in her words considerable, and - after a short while - the talisman began to glow.

With a hushed voice, she spoke into the talisman. To any observer it looked like prayers, but she was repeating the destinations of the ships that had left the yard, the current assigned work of the yard, and the plans for closing it.

Praxis IX

The planetary governor was hoping this would work. As a matter of fact, he was counting on it working. It would be his job if it didn’t. Nobody had actually threatened him, but what good is a governor who cannot take care of his people?

So he cut the ceremonial ribbon, made the perfunctory speeches, and officially opened the first climate control facility of the Empire.

Velocitas system
Velocitas warp point
...onboard CDS Southampton...

The orders were received and on the same computer. Captain Harrison read them, and was about to open a channel to West End when Captain O’Rourke hailed Southampton and the two commanders met on a secure channel. They worked out a new plan for penetrating the warp point. At the last minute, the Navy agreed that Toronto and Artemis would remain outside of the warp point, while the two frigates would enter and explore the unknown space ahead of them.

Nekkar III
Monthly status report

Education is now at level 6, and level 3 research is being studied. We should have it in two months.

Three more colonies established. One each in Nekkar, Pantrissa, and Ushphada.

Current conditions on Praxis IX are “unpleasant”, with a birth rate of 12% and a migration of 6%. There was an increase of 2 million inhabitants on the planet last month. We’ll keep monitoring it.



(author’s note: I’ve decided to change the format, and still work storylines into the game, but the reports would be made to the reader, to give you some sense of the game play itself. Back to work tomorrow, look for the next installment on Tuesday.)

[attack_condor]

2406.9

Velocitas system
...onboard CDS Southampton...

The captains of the four vessels at the warp point that led to points unknown were ready to go through it. There was a very real fear of mines on the other side of the point, but the decision was made. Southampton and West End would lead, and Toronto and Artemis would follow. Captain Harrison was happy to have Toronto’s firepower to count on, especially since her weapons didn’t require ammunition and couldn’t run out. Supplies were a concern, of course, but they always were. The Empire had to expand. Fewer and fewer colonizable planets were left. It was time to move out into unexplored space.

Zezzis system
...onboard CDS Southampton...

The warp was uneventful, and they didn’t materialize in the middle of a minefield – which was always a good thing. Immediately after completing the warp, the ships’ powerful sensor arrays went to work and painted a picture of planets, asteroids, a star, and at least two other empire colonies.

Harrison immediately went to an alert status, as did Captain O’Rourke on West End. What they saw was a Phong colony on a tiny rock world, and a pair of Sergetti colonies on ice worlds. The Phong colony didn’t have any ships in orbit, but the Sergetti had fighters orbiting their worlds. There was a small asteroid field, as well as an empty gas giant planet with methane atmosphere. As Toronto and Artemis warped into the system, Harrison ordered the sensor data linked to them. Harrison knew the Sergetti empire had, at best, a reason to distrust them, and – at worst – a score to settle. His thoughts were interrupted by his sensor officer.

“Captain, I have the report on the gas giant. Methane atmosphere, conditions look good…not sure about this, however.”

The officer sounded puzzled, and Harrison went to the station.

“There, captain. Those returns…metallic? They almost look like…”

Harrison looked on for a bit more, and contacted the other ship in the expeditionary force.

The metallic returns were almost identical to those found in the Chazzwazzer system almost two years ago. Those returns ended up to be the remains of an advanced civilization, and yielded an advance in shield technology so powerful that the Empire ships were still using it today. The captains agreed that it was worth the risk to penetrate further and orbit this planet. West End, however would not go with them, but would return to Velocitas and guard the warp point.

Velocitas system
...onboard CDS West End...

Captain O’Rourke returned to Velocitas and immediately began broadcasting the news to Navy headquarters on Nekkar III. Her two requests were agreed to, and the light cruiser Montreal was released from the Pantrissa-Sheliak warp point and was en route to Velocitas. Her second request would definitely change the lives of some, and possibly the entire empire.

Pantrissa system
...onboard Pinta 034...

The captain was about to engage the automatic sequencers and prepare to assume a back-up role while the colony ship orbited and established a colony on Zanthris III when the message was received overriding the colonizer’s flight plan and ordering it to the Velocitas system. The captain knew Velocitas was designated a quarrantined system by the Navy. He did know was there was a blocakde at a warp point out there, but somehow he doubted the blockade’s success was hinging on a fat and slow colony ship getting there "with all possible speed."

Now warped into Pantrissa his communication link came alive.

“Pinta034, this is CDS Montreal. Continue on new flight plan and prepare to assume formation upon arrival.”

The captain knew light cruisers didn’t escort transports for lack of something better to do...

Zezzis system
...in orbit around Zezzis V...

Southampton, Toronto, and Artemis were now in orbit around their prize. They didn’t fear too much from the fighters guarding the colonies, but they were still on guard. Of more immediate concern was the Sergetti fleet four sectors away. Comprised of a light carrier and five frigates, they could pose a real threat. Whether they would fight over the possession of a planet they couldn’t colonize was the question.

Of course, they may just want the Empire kicked out of Zezzis to remove competition. Either way, the next move was theirs

Report to the board...

Finding a planet suitable for a colony was a surprise, and one with ruins was a bonus. It is unfortunate that the colony ship is 3 months away, but it makes for a good storyline. I forgot to post last time the reason I was monitoring Praxis IX was they had their climate control facility completed. Another gain of 2 million inhabitants this month, and still a +5% bonus on construction there.
Level 3 research facilities should be available next month. Upgrades should start then as well.

[attack_condor]

2407.4

Zezzis system
...onboard CDS West End...

Captain O’Rourke was ready for this moment. She, along with the light cruiser Montreal and the repair ship Alice Springs were guarding the warp point back to Velocitas. She had trained long hours. She had served as an operations officer on Southampton. She had participated in battles, but was not in command of any. She was always carrying out someone else’s orders. She longed for the chance to prove to herself – not for the ability to impress others with her accomplishments. She wanted to know herself that she could handle the responsibility of leading her crew into harm’s way and safely back out again.

Oh yes, she was ready.

The Sithrak were giving her the opportunity. What was presumed to be an expeditionary force of one frigate and one supply freighter was trying to make it to the warp point. O’Rourke had followed standard procedures – hailing, warning, interspersing; but the Sithrak didn’t respond. Finally, on their third attempt to get to the point, the freighter turned away to run and the frigate closed on the Dawn ships.

O’Rourke was in command of the blocking force. She sent Montreal ahead of her, and followed behind. Alice Springs needed no encouragement to clear the field. Scans of the frigate showed it was woefully outgunned. It didn’t stop, however. When the frigate got inside West End's missile envelope, it didn’t stop. When it was hit by one of those missiles, it finally slowed down.

Montreal was closing onto the Sithrak, and opened fire with its three anti-proton beams. Montreal took hits from the Sithrak DUC, but the shield regenerator had the shield at almost full strength before the Sithrak could fire another shot.

West End launched a second volley of missiles, and then shut its targeting computer down. O’Rourke was operating on a limited supply amount, and Montreal should have no problem finishing off the frigate. She didn’t, and the resulting explosion was something of an epiphany for Katherine O’Rourke. She realized she was the reason that 100 lives – alien or not – were no longer part of the galaxy.

She ordered the force to stand down, and the freighter exited the system. They wouldn’t have caught her before she escaped, and O’Rourke finally had her trial by fire. She knew she had won, but she also felt she lost.

She now knew why Captain Harrison and her instructors didn’t really say much about their combat experiences. She wondered if they felt this much shame as well.

She ordered Montreal to hold the point, and she moved West End two sectors into the system to join up with the Pinta that just entered the system. Together, they would colonize one of the gas giants in the system. O’Rourke hoped she would feel better when they would be building a colony instead of destroying lives.

Chazzwazzer Star System…
...onboard CDS Harvester 004 in asteroid field #3...

James Cabrera was fast becoming a wealthy man. One of the first captains of the Harvester class mining ships, his radiation resources were flowing like gas out of a nebula. His crew was also very handsomely rewarded. He was able to arrange for some “unofficial” shuttle flights planetside for his crew, and had taken advantage of the opportunity to enjoy some of the activities that were just this side of legal that some traders offered.

Today, though, all hands were onboard, as the supply shuttle was due in. Cabrera was always nervous when another ship came into the field with his freighter. He knew most of the shuttle pilots, and they were all good enough men and women; but flying in and amongst rocks that weighed on the order so several kilotonnes required a skill all its own.

The shuttle docked, and supplies were being transferred. One passenger on the shuttle got off, and was flanked by two people wearing intelligence directorate uniforms. Before they made it out of the hangar, the workers had already passed the word that some very inhospitable types were on their way into the ship probably to see the captain. Cabrerra knew they were coming, but where would he go?

Cabrerra was contemplating how much a fine was for illegal activities on a planet when the door opened. The woman in the middle of the uniformed officers spoke.

“Mr. Cabrerra?”

Not ‘Captain’, but ‘Mister’, thought Cabrerra. Oh well, might as well see what they want.

“Yes, I am. And who might you be?”

The woman smiled.

“I have a special consignment you need to view and sign for.”

Cabrerra didn’t understand.

“I haven’t ordered anything like that. And I haven’t received any requests to assist the Navy.”

Technically, the Navy couldn’t order a civilian ship to participate in a purely military matter, but saying no to them wasn’t really a good idea. The woman looked a bit sheepish.

“Well, there’s the rub, Mister Cabrerra. We’re not exactly Navy, or Empire, for that matter.”

Cabrerra now caught on. Smugglers. He had been approached before about using his ship as a “drop”, but the price was always too low.

Cabrerra smiled back at them.

“Well, let’s go see what you have, shall we?”

Together, the group made their way back to the hangar. The supplies were finished off-loading, and the group approached a container near the shuttle.

Cabrerra approached it, but was stopped in his tracks when the two security guards leveled their weapons at him. Cabrerra backed up and raised his hands.

“Whoa, fellas – just wanted to take a look. I’ll sit right here if you want me to.”

The woman spoke again, but there was a distinct difference in her mannerism.

“Captain Cabrerra, I am Lieutenant Isly of the Intelligence Directorate. You are under arrest for illegal activities while operating with an Empire contract. You will accompany us. Your second-in-command is now in command. Please step into the shuttle, Captain.”

Cabrerra rubbed his chin while he considered his options. The hangar crew stopped what they were doing and were starting to approach the group, but their – and Cabrerra’s – options dwindled to zero when six more armed men emerged from the shuttle. Cabrerra made up his mind quickly.

“Okay, Lieutenant, I’ll go with you. Let’s get this cleared up, shall we?” He turned to his second-in command. “I should only be a few days – and a whole lot poorer,” he winked. Then he turned and boarded the shuttle.

Chazzwazzer-Nekkar warp point...

The shuttle docked with a freighter, that much Cabrerra had surmised. But no one got out of the shuttle. Through the docking port, the shuttle’s occupants had access to the freighter’s computers and displays. Cabrerra was watching the main view as the freighter approached the warp point. He seemed confused.

“Lieutenant, just where exactly are we going?”

The lieutenant was staring at Cabrerra as if sizing him up. Then, after an interminable pause, she answered him.

“Pantrissa.”

[attack_condor]

2407.5

Pantrissa system
Pantrissa V

Ed Jefferies was back in his favorite off-duty hangout, and his favorite companion was with him. What the woman thought might be the end of a potential gold mine of information turned out to be a boon. Jefferies came back complaining about having lost his wallet the day after the Intelligence Directorate raid, but the bartender told him his “companion” had turned it in to the bartender when he “went to sleep” because she didn’t want anyone to steal it from him. A grateful Jefferies returned to the establishment later that night and found his wallet – with his money still inside. The fact that the bartender was “doing a good deed for a fellow Empire citizen” helped improve his business, and the bartender had to admit doing things the way those stuffed shirt agents twisted his arm into doing wasn’t all bad. The girl also benefited. And so did her employers.

They had been talking about a more permanent relationship. They did enjoy each other’s company, but today, Jefferies was agitated and almost despondent.

“It’s my fault,” he confessed. “The engine coupling weld gave way and the entire compartment was breached!!”

She bade him to slow down, and he explained the story about how the CDS York – one of the last of the older frigates – was being refit, but his mistake caused the entire engine compartment to vent, filling it with radioactive gas. The gas couldn’t be contained, and the ship had to be abandoned. Shuttles were even now taking salvage crews to the York to save what they could before taking her to the edge of the system to become a target for a live fire missile exercise.

Just then, the video displays in the establishment cut in with a news story, about what had happened to the York, and reassuring the good citizens that the disaster was contained to the ship in space. The story then cut to the reporter asking the right questions and the expert giving the right answers…

The woman pointed out to Jefferies that no one had been killed, and this ship called “York” was old and outdated anyway, so it really wasn’t that bad of a tragedy. Besides, he was able learn from the failed weld and not make that mistake again.

She smiled as she delivered her analysis for him, and he did feel better. She was right – it was a mistake, but he cold learn from it. He really felt good about sharing with her, and he told her so.

She said she did as well, and that she would pray for him…

Meanwhile, James Cabrerra was thoroughly confused by this time. Both he and his “escorts” had been aboard the shuttle for over a month. Both they and their “mothership” – the freighter they were docked with – had made two more jumps to arrive in Pantrissa. Now free of the need for the freighter, the shuttle made remarkable time to the giant space yard at Pantrissa V. Of course, just when Cabrerra thought he had an idea of where he was going, the plan changed again.

“We’re not going to the yard?” he asked.

The men and women escorting him did not reply, but Cabrerra’s question was more rhetorical than anything else. He could see for himself they weren’t going to the yard, but to a ship that was just outside the yard.

“Mister Cabrerra. Please put this on. Now.”

The agent pointed to a space suit, and again, Cabrerra examined his options. Option one, put the space suit on. Option two was pointed right at his head, and held by an agent who was probably recruited for his distinct inability to show any facial expression.

He got into the suit.

When they docked with York, Cabrerra heard a voice as he stepped into the airlock. He turned and looked back, to see the agent with no expression now pointing a camera at him, with a bright light over his shoulder.

“Probably recording this for posterity, the bastards. And all of this for smuggling a little Sithrak ale.”

He stepped through the airlock.

Back at the bar, Jefferies was watching the story, when the reporter cut in again with a live news feed from one of the salvage shuttles.

On the shuttle, the female agent spoke her monologue perfectly, and the empire got a chance to see a real live salvage expert go into a real live radioactive ship and help save the planet from any further damage. When she was finished, the shuttle undocked and left the ship.

The other door of the airlock opened, and a man in a black uniform met him. His face was also devoid of emotion. He had one more thing in common with the man he just left. He also had option number two. He escorted Cabrerra to a small cabin, where he finally spoke.

“Remove your suit. Sit down. Wait here.”

The man left and the door locked behind him. Cabrerra was about to get up and test the door, when the display terminal on a table suddenly energized. It resolved into a strikingly beautiful female face. She smiled.

“Good day, Mr. Cabrerra. My name is Rita Edwards. Welcome aboard your new ship.”

After an hour, Cabrerra was finally a bit more informed of his situation. He was to captain a frigate that wasn’t an official ship, to head into space that wasn’t officially belonging to the empire, and to scan for ships without officially being near any ships.

He did know one thing for an immutable fact, however. He was – officially – now a member of the Intelligence Directorate.

[attack_condor]

2407.6

Zezzis system
...onboard CDS West End...

Katherine O’Rourke was happy to have the colony on Zezzis IV established. She was less happy about it being 3 sectors away from Zezzis XI, a Sergetti planet. In point of fact, Zezzis IV, and Zezzis VIII were both new colonies for the empire. The situation was tenuous. The Sergetti claimed this system as theirs, with five colonies established. The Sergetti backed up their claim with a fleet orbiting Zezzis XI. The Phong also had two colonies in the system, and there was still one Sithrak frigate in the system. The Norak frigate was either out of the system or our of sensor range.

Captain O’Rourke had requested the Artemis to support her at Zezzis IV. Captain Harrison, the overall system commander, was on Southampton guarding Zezzis V and his defense was just augmented by 48 mines delivered by Aztec. Backed up by the minefield - and Montreal still guarding the warp point, he approved and detached Artemis. O’Rourke had good reason to ask for the PDS ship. The Sergetti fleet at Zezzis XI included five frigates and a freighter. But the concern to O’Rourke was the light carrier. She had found the home base of the fleet they had seen when they first entered the system. There were also 80 fighters in orbit around the planet. She wasn’t sure how the Sergetti would respond to the new neighbors, but they had been sending messages that were less than welcoming. Zezzis VIII was also colonized, and was being guarded by Toronto. O’Rourke knew she and Artemis could survive if the Sergetti moved against the new colonies, but her job was to provide security while the colonies got established. The colonists were doing their part – the new Hercules III weapon platform was available. With two anti-proton beams on large mounts, a new short range ripper beam, also on a large mount, two flak cannons, one beam PDS cannon, and a level five shield; it would be able to give as good as it got. Two of them were scheduled to be built on each of the three colonies. Fortunately, Zezzis V had completed the supply depot, and the ships were fully restocked. The question now was would they have the time to get the job done.

Pantrissa system
...onboard CDS Beagle...

Captain Cabrerra now had the full story. He was in command of a ghost ship. The Beagle was an intelligence-gathering platform. His ability to operate in the tight quarters of asteroid fields was his prime ability for this job. With this ship, he would be navigating through a different field of asteroids – the kind that fired back.

To accomplish his mission, however, he was getting the best the scientists of the empire had to offer. The “salvage team” was a team of intelligence technicians installing the most advanced sensor arrays the empire had available. There were also a team of the agents he had been introduced to on the trip to Pantrissa. Rita Edwards, the Intelligence Director, explained to Cabrerra through her pre-recorded message that they were there to guard the sensitive equipment and protect the highly trained and intelligent men and women, like himself, she added; from falling into enemy hands should their ship be discovered and captured. Cabrerra wasn’t that naïve, and he wondered if the “highly trained and intelligent” operators on board knew what that really meant.

He also was briefed on the new cloaking technology, the long-range scanners, the jamming equipment, and the ECM capabilities. There was also a minesweeping assembly. Extra supply storage was also included. Cabrerra took note of this – someone expected them to be away from home for a long time. He wasn’t briefed on weapons, shields, or armor for a very simple reason.

There wasn’t any.

His life, and the life of the ship’s crew would depend on their ability to be as invisible as possible.

In a final irony, Cabrerra found, in his quarters, a crate marked “Commander, CDS Beagle.”

Opening the crate he found a bottle of Sithrak ale.

[i]Report to the board:

Hi everyone. Sorry for the long introduction to cloaking in the story, but it does fit in with the game. I'm losing quite a lot to enemy intelligence - just force concentration stuff and planet scans. The girl at the bar isn't Norakian, but a sympathizer. Of course, Jefferies isn't just a welder, either. I think writing the intelligence side of the game gives a few more possible storylines.

As I mentioned in the story, the Sergetti aren't amused with my intrusion into Zezzis. Neither are the Phong, but the Sergetti fleet in system can actually do something about it. We'll see how they respond.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Feel free to comment if you like, or just enjoy the story. Next chapter will be tomorrow.

Phil