Newbie Galactic Combat II - Story Thread

[Greybeard]

I'm enjoying reading the story and have even suggested some story lines to Ruatha. I'm not much of a fiction writer, although I am enjoying the diplomacy part of the game.

Keep up the great work...Greybeard

[CaptRR]

Here is my feeble attampt to add to the story line. Be warned, I'm not a very good writer, or a very good speller, so as long as you don't go in expecting much, you won't be disappointed.

The silence. In the years and decades to come that is what he would remember most. It had started out as any other day, the normal routine of life in the great floating city. Over half a million souls called the huge structure home, and twice that number visited it every cycle. But as Prince Dravel watched it crumble through the clouds into the deep oblivion below, all he could remember as he watched from high above was the silence, and in the silence he knew that everything had changed.

Chapter 1
Galactic Standard Year 2404.9

"You have done a most excellent job, Josha" President Dravel the VII of the Draven Republic said as his skimmer drifted high above Landing City, "A most excellent job indeed, this years founders celebration will be the grandest ever."

The slightly overweight man next to him smiled slightly and allowed himself to take in the view. It was remarkable indeed. Landing City, was not so much a city on the ground as it was a huge immobile star base. On its base where huge anti-grav generators that actually held the city in the upper atmosphere of Kornephoros X, one of the Galaxy's largest Gas Giants. The city measured nearly 35 kilometers in Diameter, with over 40 main levels, and that wasn't including the 15 or so 70+ story buildings that littered the cities landscape. Below on the city "streets" many hundreds of people labored to erect stages, and other decorative structures over the usually featureless buildings.

"You give me more credit than I deserve Mr. President."

Dravel snorted, then gave his companion a stern look, "Didn't you learn not to argue with your president, Mr. Chairman."

Chairman of Defense Relations Josha, leaned back in his seat, "I am a low dweller Mr. President, you know how we are with matters of Etiquette, we just don't have a highlanders sense to shut up and agree."

Dravel laughed, nodded his head and then turned his attention back to the scene below. Him and the Defense Relations Chairman had nibbled at each other's upbringing since they were children, and despite that upbringing they had both become good friends. "At least you have more sense that a Terran, the damn fools, rejected our Last territorial concession."

Jasha whipped his head around at that Last statement. "How bad?"

"Bad. They are now claiming the entire Lasat system, and they have been hinting at Acamar too."

"Acamar?" Josha was astonished by that. "I can understand Lasat, its only two jumps from their home worlds, but Acamar too? We have deep roots in that system, surely they know we'll never give it up without anything short of a full blown war.."

There was a silence, then the President spoke, "Politics my friend, have never been your strong suite. They know we'll never give up Acamar, but they figure they can use it as leverage against us. Force us to give them some territorial concessions in exchange to keep them completely out of Acamar."

Josha rubbed his hand against his temple, he hated politics, he could balance fleet figures all day, and deal with any Admiral, but he knew he was completely out of his league when dealing with politicians. If ever there was a bunch that deserved to be lined up and executed it was politicians, present company excluded of course. Dravels words brought him back to the present, "To make matters worse our scout ships have detected a huge fleet movement in the Ansuroer system."

Josha let out a sigh, "Yes Mr. President the report came across my desk this morning, I haven't been able to draw too many conclusions over the obvious of course, it seems like a stupid thing to do." The Ansuroer system was just one jump into Agamar, part of the Republics' settled territory. What didn't make sense was that Agamar was an almost totally worthless system. It's five planets were far from hospitable, and only a modest number of citizens had settled there, making most of their income from trade tariffs between the Jophur Republic and the Terrans. In any war plan that Josha had overseen he had almost always given up Agamar, it just wasn't worth defending, it had no modern shipyards, and worse little natural resources. "Our scouts estimated the number at 35 Destroyers, most of them are of that new Strike Carrier class, naval intelligence guesses that they are some kind of mini fighter carriers, no info on payload though."

"The Wyrlings disagree with your intelligence operatives", Said President Dravel, "They think they are a type of missile ships."

"Mr. President, as far as I can see it doesn't really matter, our response is still the same, we need to increase our expenditures for the fleet defender project. Besides, I have a hard time trusting the Weyrlings Intelligence operatives, ever since that maniac Rutha was killed they haven't quite been the same. They are still some of the best worriers I have ever seen, but before when Rutha was alive they seemed tempered, only wanting to go to war as a Last resort, despite what their leader said. Now, though, they seem to crave the fight, even hinting at a war with the Terrens as a means of reducing the Alliance's trade defecate."

The President turned back to his friend, and rubbed his chin like so often did in situations like this. "I don't know, I've met their new Matriarch, even if it was just over a com link, she seems as reasonable as any Weyrling I have ever met. Certainly not as crazy as that madman Rutha."

There was a few seconds silence, "None the less, it doesn't really matter, I don't think the new Matriarch will try to do anything in contrary to what the Central Powers HQ says. So far as I have seen she seems content to follow their advise."

That brought another subject to the surface, "Do you think we will hold majority in the Central Powers Alliance Representatives next year?"

The President looked worried, "I don't know Josha, before Rutha kept his empire in such chaos that he never had a chance to mobilize any support in representative elections, now though, this new Matriarch seems to be contacting the Thermolian's and even a few worlds in our own republic to vote for Weyrling representatives. I fear we may lose our single seat majority, and with that our ability to control the Alliance.

There was several more seconds of silence, then the President smiled, "Why are we talking of such gloom subjects on this day? The Founder celebration is tomorrow, we should be raising a drink to our ancestors."

Josh sighed, "I'm afraid I can't join you Mr. President, I have to head to Central Powers Headquarters tonight and update them on our treaty talks with the Terrens."

Dravel frowned, "That's a shame Josha, we could have painted the city, like the old days."

Josha almost laughed at that memory from his childhood. "Oh well," said the President his mood now starting to lighten back up, "I trust you are not going to make my son's ship escort you there?"

"No sir, him and the King Dravel the first will be doing an atmospheric pass over Landing City as part of the Celebration. He's been looking forward to this for a while, I'm afraid he would retire if I tried to pull him away."

The president smiled at the thought of his son. Despite being the prince, and next in line in the Presidency, his son had insisted on joining the Peoples Navy, and with no help from his father, not from the lack of offers mind you, he had moved up the Ranks, and distinguished himself as one of the Republics best officers. Prince Dravel had made his father very proud the day he had taken command of the 'King Dravel the first', it was at that moment, the President had known his son would make a fine successor when the time came, even if the kid was still a little too headstrong for his own good sometimes.

"You know despite you not being here to witness the celebration that you helped set up, I think this will be one of the best Founders Celebrations ever, and certainly the most memorable."

The Presidents skimmer continued to drift high above Landing city, but down below a group of people labored to move huge unmarked box through the city streets. Normally a box of this size would have been stopped and examined by the local Police, but in all the commotion of the city this day, the box was moved undetected.

Chapter 2

"... and that about sums it up Prime Minister." Prime Minister Yalare was jogged out of his internal thoughts, he cursed himself, he had let his mind drift again, sign of the times, trying to solve the trade defecate that the President had dropped in his lap had been taking more and more of his time, and sleep was becoming more of a luxury with the increased time constraints.

The Prime Minister cleared his throat, "I'm sorry Golman, I was distracted what was that you were saying about the time table."

Goleman inhaled and began again, he was obviously annoyed that he had to repeat himself, "As I was saying Sir, if current military buildup continues as the Defense committee recommends then the trade defecate will reach critical in about 10 years. That is of course assuming that domestic stays at its current rate of growth."

Yalare tilted his chair back, purposely he looked away from his young aid, he didn't want the young chap to see his anger, anger at Dravel and his crazy military build up against a threat that didn't exist. The treasury was running bare trying to support the maintenance costs of all those ships, and that wasn't even including the current ones under production. If something wasn't done in the next 15 years those ships would have to be abandoned, the Republic wouldn't be able to keep them manned, and that most certainly would bring them to the notice of their neighbors. Seeing a financially strapped Republic is all but an invitation to invade. No, Yalare would not allow it, he had been elected to make sure that didn't happen. But what to do? The President controlled the Defense Committee, Yalare had been fooled into giving it to him for control of the Budget committee. At first it had seemed like a great idea, he could simply control the military by controlling their budget. The plan had failed though, Dravel had gotten public support behind an unprecedented military buildup, a "Build-up For Peace" he called it. With the public behind him, Yalare had no choice but to approve the military's budget.

That left him with a major problem, to get elected he had premised to increase social spending, if he failed to deliver he certainly would no longer be Prime Minister come next election cycle. So Yalare had done the only thing he could, went into deficit spending, using the trade income to supplement it. The public loved it, more gravy programs flowed, and they also had a first class military, the envy of the Galaxy, but Yalare knew the truth. They could not keep going like this forever. Something had to be done, and quick.

"Sir." It was Goleman, Yalare had almost forgotten about him.

"Yes, Goleman, upload the report to my terminal before you leave, I'll look some more into it tonight." Goleman nodded and after a courtesy bow left the room, shutting the old fashioned door behind him.

Once again Yalare was alone with his thoughts. The President had too much power, that was the problem. The prime minister could seize power, for a short time, but he needed 75% of both the Upper and Lower People's Committees to vote no confidence in the President. With 35% of the Representatives being in favor of the Presidents initiatives, getting the votes he needed was going to be impossible.

Yalare hated the way he had too play along with the President. Yalare was the rightfully elected representative of the Republic, not some idiot born with a silver spoon in mouth, that had simply inherited the job! Hate burned inside of him. Hate for the founders, who had stuck him with this idiotic Government. Hate for the military that was shooting black holes into his budget. But, most of all he Hated President Dravel.

Yalare took deep breaths; he had let his anger get the best of him for a moment there. He rubbed his hands over his yellow rough temples. Like all Draven's, he had much in common with Humans, but long ago the Founders had genetically modified themselves to live in the harsh Gas worlds. The result had been thicker skin, and the ability to breath a much thicker atmosphere. Still though Dravens had to live in the floating cities that had been built inside of the gas giants, like Delta Citythat he was in now. Dravens still respected their human heritage, and even celebrated many of the known human holidays.

"You worry too much," Yalare froze. As usual the words seemed to come out of thin air.

Yalare took a few moments to regain his composure before he responded. "I have done as you ask," he said, paying no particular heed to any of his surroundings, "why do you continue to visit me."

The voice didn't even take a heartbeat to respond. "I am part of you."

Yalare snorted, "Don't give me that, I know exactly what you are." That was only partially true, he knew that he had been infected by one of the same organisms that had caused so much trouble in the Weyrling Empire, but this one was different from the one's that had infiltrated them. When his doctor had discovered it, he had noted that it seemed to be of Draven origin. Sure it shared the same qualities, especially in the brain interface, but this one had no physic transmitting abilities, at the time the Doctor wrote it off as an attempt to infect the Dravens like the Weyrlings had been infected, but it had to be modified sense Draven's were immune to what was being called in intelegence circles as the Weyrling brain drain. The doctor took note but assure Yalare that the device was inert.

Years past, and Yalare never paid much attention to the device in his head. That had changed one day though after he had taken his seat as Prime Minister. He began to hear voices when no one was there. At first it was a word here, or a sentence there, nothing that Yalare couldn't write off as hearing things. Then one day, he had been sitting in his office, and he heard the voice, it sounded dark, mysterious. What made it worse was that he was able to talk to the voice and the voice answered back. The voice never gave much detail as to what it was, or what its ultimate objective, but it had promised certain benefits to its host, for just a favor every now and then. If he agreed he would gain untold mental abilities, if he did not accept he would die of a heart attack in moments. The "voice" could not control him per say, but it could effect certain involuntary functions.

Yalare agreed reluctantly, and the voice had been merciful in its requests, it had just insisted on giving low interest loans to a small corporation in Landing City that dealt with the Disposal of Radioactive material from inert missiles. In return Yalare had gained the ability to recall information, any information he had ever seen at will. He could read, at unheard of rates, all in all it wasn't a bad deal. He still didn't like the idea of a parasite crawling around inside his brain though.

"Part of me huh? Why did you want those loans?" The voice said nothing, as usual whenever he asked a question the voice was unable to answer, or as Yalare thought, unwilling, it simply didn't say anything, he guessed it was limited programming, but he couldn't be sure.

He took a breath, and began going over the reports for the day, he knew he wouldn't get any information out of the voice, he never did. As he read over the reports an blinding speed, he never realized his right hand shaking slowly.

Chapter 3

Manning, watched the gauges in front of him, and frowned. "That's not good, we'll have to take down the center antigravity generator." Deep in Landing city, was the Antigravity control room that controlled the great generators that actually kept the city from falling into the depths of Kornephoros X. Normally 9 generators kept the city aloft, the city could float with as few as 3, as long as they were space around the cities' perimeter, and not in one area. Now though the central generator 1 was acting up, it was located in the center of the city, probably the best place for a generator to go bad, but still manning hated taking any of the generators off line, even for a short time.

His assistant was already making the call to shut the Center generator down, at the time manning had no way of knowing he had just doomed 500,000 people do their deaths.

Commander Dravel, prince of the Draven republic sat in his command chair, and watch the hallo of the festivities below. He wished he could be there in person, but he was going to be doing a low high altitude pass over Landing city soon, he knew his place was here, on the flag deck of his Ship. Around him was the sound of a ship of war. Its people doing a thousand vital duties in order to keep the great bulk of King Dravel the First operating at peak efficiency. He smiled as he his father took the stage.

His father the president was a great speaker, probably the best the Commander had ever seen, and he loved to have a crowd. Certainly there was one there today, more than Dravel had ever seen on Kornephoros X second largest city. His father cleared his throat and began to speak.

"My fellow Draven's welcome to the opening day of the Founders Celebration," a burst a cheers flooded out the sound of the Halo's speaker, and distorted it for a moment, but just as quickly as it had started, the cheers subsided, the President continued, "500 years ago the founders began construction on this very city, spawning the creation of the greatest civilization ever seen." More cheers, this time even more intense, Commander Dravel smiled, his father truly was a great speaker.

Most of the traffic was still pouring into the docking ports of Landing City, the traffic was more than any of the controllers had ever seen, so much that they discounted the small skimmer that left an unregistered docking port at over 5 times the speed that was allowed by Landing City regulation. The traffic controllers simply moved traffic away from the renegade skimmer, after all they had his transponder code, and could always ticket him later. Besides they had had to clear the traffic lanes so the King Dravel could make its flyover.

Chapter 4

Prince Draven and the King Dravel had been descending for over 30 minutes to get into the upper atmosphere of Kornephoros X. If timing was right, he would pass 50 kilometers over Landing city at 10 seconds after 17:00 hours, just after his father finished his speech. The large vessel buffeted slightly as its drive field hit the atmosphere of the planet, Dravel smiled, yes this will be a sight to remember.

President Dravel, was loving the attention, this was the largest crowd he had ever spoken too outside the Capital, and he would enjoy every moment of it, "and with that my Fellow Dravens' I want to wish every one of you a very great Founders Day..." He never finished his sentence for at that moment less than 400 yards from where he was speaking a 1 kiloton Nuclear bomb exploded.

Landing City was designed to take a nuclear bLast from an orbital bombardment. In such a case it would simply bring up its shield generators, and attempt to ride the bombardment out, but this was different. The bomb was placed on the eastern half of the city, well inside of shield generators, there was nothing to stop the explosion as it ripped into landing city like a shotgun tearing though paper.

The bombs bLast wave destroyed everything within 800 feet in an instant. The president, and most of the crowd never knew what happen, they were simply there one second and not there the next. The massive wave of heat that expanded outward from the explosion annihilated the several of the cities tall buildings, another 65,000 died with the collapse of those massive structures. Radiation rippled through the city mortally poisoning those that would survive the initial bLast. Still the worst of the bomb was neither of these. The Electromagnetic Pulse, that proceeded the radiation and the bLast ripped into the cities critical electronic systems, among them were 6 of the Cities antigravity Generators. The pulse left 3 generators on one side intact. Suddenly the entire load of the City shifted to one side. The generators were never meant to hold the load of the entire city on one side. The computer systems that were left tried to compensate for the missing generators, they had the thrust, but it was concentrated in too small of a area. Slowly the city began to tilt.

The King Dravel was only 25 seconds from its flyover, when a great light flashed in front. Alarms all over the ship went off. Commander Dravel's response was instant "Break off run," The pilot was already responding, pulling back as far as the computer would allow.

"Sir," it was Saha, the communications officer, "we just lost Landing City Control."

Dravel was about to question him further, but his wepons officer broke in, "Sir, sensor systems are picking up an Electro Magnetic Pulse.

Behind him the navigator, gasped, "Great Creator!"

By the time Dravel turned to see what she was looking at. At the front of the command deck on the forward monitor, was displayed Landing City. Black smoked bellowed out of a great hold on its eastern side of the city. But most concerning of all was the 35 degree tilt, the entire city was on, and it was increasing every second. It was also slipping deeper into the planets atmosphere. Small skimmers darted from everywhere on the city, trying to escape the doomed city. And on the bridge of the King Dravel, they could do nothing, but stare in silence..

[Ruatha]

Great story. It's good to have a third writer now!.

[Ruatha]

Originally posted by Greybeard:
I'm enjoying reading the story and have even suggested some story lines to Ruatha. I'm not much of a fiction writer, although I am enjoying the diplomacy part of the game.

Keep up the great work...Greybeard

Well. This is my first fiction I've written. The good part is that I have plenty of room for improvements.
But it's fun nevertheless so I still recommend it.

[Ruatha]

2405.5 Weyrlings:
=================

Good Evening.
These are the news from the Last month 2405.5 presented by the Weyrling Imperial Broadcasting Cooperation.

Reports from survivors from the disaster that struck Landing City half a year ago are starting to trickle through to our empire. Rumours of sabotage are coming from the Draven Confederation. Hovewer there has been an effective news blockade from the authorities in the region stopping us from bringing you any real facts even after all this time. That has been a source of several rumours aswell, why all this cloak and dagger stuff? Dravens, present us with facts, the population in the universe is shouting.

In the same region of the universe the Terran Galactic Imperium are flexing their muscles. They have cancelled all treaties with our empire, the implications of this is not all clear today.
Matriarch Elyssandra hovewer, being cautious as always has dispatched the Light Cruiser "Reconsider" to the area to teach the Terrans to show their neighbours respect! Ouch, I can already hear their painful shouts after our glorius military has spanked their behinds! Political commentators speculate that it won't be long before they come crawling back, begging for forgivness!

In the south the menacing Ghouls Clan are increasing their provocation against the empire by launcing a massive colonization effort around our borders. They have aswell sent a large warship, the "BCR 3 0011" to threaten our population in the region.
Matriarch Elyssandra tells the news that we should keep calm;
"There is no signs that they are intending anything agressive at this point, and if they do the people in the south can sleep comfortable with the knowledge that there are enough forces in the region to protect them. This is also to be seen as a warning to the Ghouls clan to avoid an arnament race in the region!", Matriarch Elyssandra stated yesterday from the Destroyer "Responder".

In the Northwest the state of emergency has been lifted and the forces are standing down from their hightened alertness. The new leader of the Earth Alliance has stated that he wants to normalize relations with us. So far the Earth Alliance has proven these words by withdrawing their warships from the Irith system.

Our great scientists has been able to create a planet! Yes, you heard right, not a molecule or a pineapple, an entire planet!
The colonization agency states that this is the beginning of a new era, now we can continue our expansion without military means. No need to upset our neighbours, we can colonize new planets at home.
They urge those who has been reluctant to leave their relatives for the colonization program to rethink; Now you can colonize a frontier world at home, with only a short voyage back to your folks!

The military are also trying to recruit more personal, the Ship yards has produce lots of new ships, hovewer, alot of them has been forced to be decomissioned as there aren't any crews to man them. So sign up today and do your duty for the empire. Remember, Matriarch Elyssandra started as a junior officer and today she rules the Weyrling Empire, can you repeat that??

The grumpy Sons of Thunder has been given a outstanding trade deal by the Matriarch. The entire Ahab system with nine inhabited planets, two of wich are oxygenated. In exchange for the disputed planets the Sons of Thunder are currently occupying inside Weyrling territory. Albeit most of the population in the Ahab system are deported criminals, but nevertheless, what a deal!
Rumours has it that a similar deal is being drawn up for the Earth Alliance.
Wether the Sons of Thunder will agree to this trade or not is not clear at this time. The Sons of Thunder embassy refuses to answer any questions, as if that should be any news!

Scientists are also stating that there are no real need to be concerned about the "mind-control devices". Currently it is belived that the devices can't really control their victims. So if you belive you have an alien artifact implanted in your central nervous system you can now relax, it isn't that bad afterall!

The Ymer Scout ship in the south has reported large Romulan force movements. These ships are hovewer not heading towards Weyrling space and as the Foreign affairs minister so wisely put it when he heard the news; "Good, any figh in wich we aren't involved is a good fight!"

In the east the Argon Confederacy has sent yet another frigate into territory populated by the Weyrling Empire. But as we haven't claimed the system as ours and the Argons seems to be a really nice people no official protest has been made, that we know of.

From the Delari system reports has it that the Dravens are strip-mining the asteroid fields. Without concern for the future generations thay are wasting all resources today. This the Resource ministerium says with a strong voice, is not something we as Weyrlings would ever do, we do belive that the universe should be protected, and it's up to us Weyrlings to protect it.

This is all from the News this month.
Good evening.

[CaptRR]

Rutha sort of painted me into a corner with his news broadcast, so now I have to attempt to roll with it . Anyways heres chapters 5 & 6, alot shorter this time though.

Chapter 5

Commander Dravel stared at the purple orb of Kornephoros X. From 700 kilometers up it looked so calm, so peaceful, a kind of subdued beauty that only ones home world can have. Its endless clouds did not show any of the chaos that had happened nearly 15 hours ago. Dravel trembled at the thought of those endless hours, he was sure they were the longest of his life. Such horror such pain, so much loss.

Among the dead was his Father, the President of the Republic. Several senators had died as well, but those losses paled in comparison to the death totals that had come across his desk not 15 minutes ago. There were so many names on that list. More names than he had ever seen, names that burned in his mind, not hundreds, not thousands, but hundreds of thousands.

The image of the city disappearing into the vastness of Kornephoros X replayed itself in his mind again. He had felt so helpless at that moment, unable to do anything as the very people he had sworn to protect were lost. The hours that followed he had tried. Oh creator how he had tried. Dravel had used all of home fleet's resources, every shuttle that was capable of atmospheric flight had been sent to search for survivors, but except for the few that had made it out on skimmers, they found nothing. Nothing but light wreckage of Landing City that had some how gotten caught in the endless wind currents of Kornephoros X.

Still while he had been searching for survivors others had been searching for answers, but there were precious few to be found. Most of the evidence had been lost with Landing City. It was known that a nuclear detonation had erupted on the eastern side of the city, but beyond that no one knew how it had gotten there, or who had placed it. The republics nuclear specialists had flocked to the location where the doomed city had once been, looking for answers in the clouds around it, but after 15 hours they had, had little to report.

Not long after the disaster he did his duty and contacted the Prime Minister, to tell him that the President of the Draven Republic was dead. Yalare had of course given his condolences , and promised that he would use all the governments resources to find those responsible. Dravel had stared at the screen for long seconds after the Prime Minister had cut the circuit. His father had never liked the Prime Minister, the two had battled for control of the government ever since Yalare had been elected prime minister. His father had outmaneuvered Yalare when he took control of the Defense Committee, and Dravel suspected that Yalare had never forgotten that. Now, the game had changed.
The Presidency was an inherited position, technically Dravel was now the President, but the Republics constitution mandated that a new President could not take office until the next general election. Until Dravel took office the Presidents duty's entire fell upon the Prime Minister, who by law was the only one who could call a general election. Dravel got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, Yalare could postpone calling an election for at the most 4 years, but until that time the Republic was being controlled by one of his father's worst enemies.

Chapter 6

Yalre stood in the center of the Great Hall of the People's Committee. Both the upper and lower committee's were here today for this emergency session. There was no doubt as to the reason, word of the disaster at Landing city had spread across the whole of Kornephoros X, and would soon spread across much of the Republic. Yalare knew that the response to the news would be panic, especially for the residents of the floating cities, something had to be done, and quickly.

Yalare cleared his throat. "Senators of the People's Committee I am here today under the Gravest circumstances. We have been attacked, our people have been murdered, our President is dead." He paused for a moment letting his words sink in. "The cowards who did this did not attack from a starship, they did not make any demands, they simply slaughtered innocent Dravens without mercy, without thought. These monsters planted a nuclear device within Landing City, their goal simply to kill as many men, women and children as possible."

"However, my fellow Dravens, their effects will be much worse. Already people are trying to abandon the great floating cities of Kornephoros X, for fear that they may be next. Soon this scene will be repeated all throughout the Republic." He paused, and watched the terror seep into the eyes of the senators, and they imagined the floating cities, the lifeblood of the Republic, abandoned in an endless sea of clouds. "We cannot allow this to happen, we cannot allow the Republic to slip into the ashes of history, we cannot allow it, I will not allow it!" His Last words came out with such force that few in the room could doubt his resolve.

"That is why I am here before you today, to ask that you help me save the Republic from its own fears. Later today I will propose a resolution to enforce martial law across all worlds of the Republic." Muted conversation suddenly lit up around the room, no one could believe what they were hearing, martial law had never been declared in the republic.

Yalre held his hand out for silence, "I wish there were a better way, but unless we stop people from leaving the floating cities we will see an end to all that we hold dear. We must gain control of the transportation, and communication systems if we are going to be able to stop this madness from spreading everywhere. We must act now!" He banged his hand on the podeum, as the room burst in exploded with applause, and in his mind a lone voice, encourage him, always convincing Yalare that what he was doing was for the good of the republic.

At the end of the day over half the Senators voted in favor of martial law, none of them knew that they had signed their own death warrant.

[tbontob]

Originally posted by CaptRR:
Rutha sort of painted me into a corner with his news broadcast, so now I have to attempt to roll with it .

Yeh, he kinda does that doesn't he? But then I have probably painted him into a corner as well. Maybe, more times than he has painted me into one.

Anyways, that is what makes this thread so interesting. We think we are going in one direction and then someone does something that forces us to change direction.

Ruatha shocked me when he killed off his alter-ego the God-emperor Ruatha. It forced me to re-evaluate and re-assess my long term plans on the unfolding relationship between the Wreylings and the Zax. I wrote about it (among other matters) in the "Ingame Stories" of the Newbie Galactic Conflict site.

All I can say is "roll with the punches."

[tbontob]

Re: Zax Society
posted by: tbontob Posted Less than 1 min ago
Thu, Feb 6 at 05:01:25 EST
----------------------------------------------
THE LOCATION: THE SEMI-OVAL OFFICE OF ZAX CENTRE
THE TIME: STARDATE: 2405.5
THE PEOPLE: ZAXXON, R2D3, Dip-low-Mac-Sea, Spiii, Strong-of-the-Arm Custer and Cord-Ill-Era

Stong-of-the-Arm Custer was morose. He was getting a new fleet with all the new up-to-date technology and with it he should be able to "whup some ***". But there was a problem.

Custer was saying, "The hulls of the new battle cruisers have been built and the engines installed. However, the installation of the other components is being held up because of the electronics shortage. If the shortages continue much longer, the ships will be outdated before they leave the yards."

"Dip-low-Mac-Sea, what news of the contact with the Wreylings?"

"I have some unsettling news." Dip-low-Mac-Sea said.

"Yes, what is it."

"Well, it would seem we do not have not made contact with the Wreylings."

"What happened?"

"Well, it seemed like one of the inventors picked up a strange signal which he thought was in the Wreyling language."

"And?"

"Well, it wasn't"

"What was it?"

Dip-low-Mac-Sea turned a beet red and then answered, "It seems he was able to pick up certain sounds in a building close to him and er...ah...ahem...."

"Yes, yes, get on with it!"

"Well it from a couple who were doing their duty to increase the Zax population, sir. The female in particular was loud and vociferous in her shouts of...ahem...passion."

"How in the world could he mistake that for the Wreylings?"

"Well, with all the grunts, groans and squealing, he thought it must be the Wreylings talking among themselves."

"Hmmm. Well, keep the diplomatic message ready. If and when we are able to make contact with the God-emperor Ruatha, I want you to send it immediately."

After a pause, Zaxxon continued, "With all the dislocations caused by the reward, I am inclined to withdraw the reward and..."

"I wouldn't do that!" Cord Ill Era interjected.

"Who are you?"

"Cord Ill Era of the Department of Motherland Safety, sir."

"And why shouldn't we withdraw the reward?"

"In simple terms, the people would riot. If you think things are bad now, they will be impossible if you withdraw the reward."

"R2D2, how is the research in communications progressing?"

"Very well, sir. We now have instant communications between adjacent solar systems."

"And how much is the communications budget?"

"Five percent, sir."

R2D2 carefully watched Zaxxon carefully as Zaxxon performed some mental calculations. When he noticed the Zaxxon's color suddenly turning beet red, he quickly said, "But with the emergency, I intend to increase the communications budget."

"Do it, we need a solution to this crises."
===========================================
THE LOCATION: Sod Dum, a provincial capital.

Eston had almost finished packing when Loy Al tew deBone walked in.

"I'll be glad to get to Elstonile Castle and get this over with!" Eston said in an irritable voice.

"Ahem. Ah, well, ah, we are not finished."

"Not finished?"

"We do not have the seal of Zaxxon."

"The seal of Zaxxon? Why do we need it?"

"Whenever the Zaxxon takes a trip the seal is always openly displayed on the vehicle he travels in. If you do not have the seal, the Zaxxonness will know you are not Zaxxon."

Eston groaned! It seemed nothing was going right. "All the seals are kept in Zax city. How can we get one here?"

Loy Al tew deBone responded with, "Well I know this forger. It will be expensive..."

"Impossible! No-one can duplicate the seal."

"Yes, I agree. Except this forger is exceptional which is why it will be expensive."

"More money! Where is this...ah...acquaintance of yours?"

"In Go More Ah. It's the capital of the state adjoining this one."

"When can we get it?"

"We will have to see him first. I have already arranged the meeting. We should leave now to see him."

[CaptRR]

More of the story, this should give Rutha some room to manuever.
___________________________________________

Chapter 7

Jasha sat in his office and thumbed the data card his hand, so much had happen in the Last 2 months since the Landing City Tragedy. He had expected to be relieved of his Committee chairmanship when Yalare took over, but the exact opposite had happen. Instead he had been ordered to proceed to the Central Powers Headquarters, there he hadn't had a lot to say. The original reason for his trip was to update fleet status, but once he had gotten to HQ he had been bombarded with questions, all having to do with Landing City. Unfortunately he had no answers to give, so he had stayed at Headquarters for the Last 2 months, listening to the trickle of news that was coming out of the Capital nowadays.

Josha tried to get updates on what was happening at home, but he had found that his own department was reluctant to give him information, citing security. When the Landing City tragedy happen it was all over the news, now suddenly it was gone, as if someone was trying to hide it. Josha knew that Yalare must have taken control of the communication channels, but the Peoples Committee would have blocked any such move. He had heard a few leaks, rumors mainly, about how the Prime Minister had declared marshal law, but every time he tried to follow up on it, he had been stopped cold. The Prime Minister's Last com, had made it clear that he wanted Josha to stay at Central Powers HQ, as far away from the Republic as he could be sent.

He was interrupted from his thoughts, but a movement at his door, for a second he was startled, but that soon faded as he recognized the figure entering the small office. "Jobe, how are you doing?" He stood and walked around the table to greet his friend.

Jobe, was a tall man, taller than most Dravens even, and he carried an air of confidence that was seldom for a man of his stature, that was part of the reason he had been made the chief Representative to the Central Powers Alliance Representatives. It was one of the proudest positions in all known space. Something was wrong though, his friends normal confidence was gone, he looked tired, worn, as though he had gone been in a street fight, and lost.

"Jobe, what's wrong?"

Jobe took a deep breath, there was no way to make it sound good, "Mr. Chairman, I'm afraid I have some rather unpleasant news."

Josha retook his seat behind his desk, Jobe was hardly ever formal with him, only when he had some important, usually bad, news did he drop back into the formal titles he had used during his upbringing. Josha motioned for him to continue.

"As you know, we lost 2 Central Powers Representatives in Landing City." The statement was cold fact, already known, but something was different in the way he reported it. "Well normally when a representative dies his replacement is appointed by the President. We thought that the Alliance would allow our Prime Minister to appoint a replacement in the place of our President since he too died at Landing City, and up until today that's what we thought would happen." He stopped as if struggling for the words. "Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, the rules for our inclusion in the Central Powers Alliance do not give us any leeway, only the President may appoint a representative if one is dies in office, and we will not have a President until the next Election cycle."

Josha sat back heavily in his chair, what was happening was now dawning on him, and it scared him even more than when he heard the news of Landing City. "Great creator, it can't be."

Jobe looked at the floor, he knew how his friend felt, he felt the same. He had tried to debate it over the Last several hours, but in the end he had no leverage to work with, it was law after all, and it was unchangeable.

Over a minute must have passed before either man said a word, finally it was Josha who broke the silence, "Who?" was his only word.

"I'm afraid I don't know that yet, Josha, but there's one thing for sure, with the loss of those two votes, the New Governor Of the Central Powers Alliance will be from the Weyrling delegation."

Josha couldn't believe it. He never thought he would live to see the day that the Republics future rested on Rutha's Empire.

Chapter 8

Yalare worked diligently over the terminal in his office, it was small for the position he now held, but it suited his needs, and most of all it was secure. But it didn't matter right now, he had a major problem, the Republics Budget problems were getting worse, he had thought that with the loss of the President he would be able to scale the Military back, but that had not happen, the Terren Galactic Impereum had rebelled against their old leader, no one knew what happen too him, but the important thing was that he no longer in control of the Terrens. A new leader had arisen from the death of the old one, Mao Dzendun. Yalre would have welcomed the new leader, and used the opportunity to negotiate the border, so that he could stop this insane military spending.

Mao Dzendun had other ideas though, he had begun by blaming the Republic for the the problems that the Terrens were now having, and even go as far as to cut trade relations. Mao Dzendun had also accelerated his own military buildup, claiming it was to protect against the imperialist Draven's. Yalare was no military genius but he knew that scaling down the military now would mean the end to the repblic, but with the spending staying the same, and no increase in income he saw no way out of this problem.

"You know what you have to do." Yalare froze it was the voice again.

"Wha-what are you talking about." Yalare stumbled for the words, he was beginning to hear more and more from the voice, what scared him most was that he was beginning to agree with it on many things, it was as if Yalare was losing himself.

"You can't fool me remember, you know what you have to do, for the good of the Republic."

Yalare's heart was racing, what the voice was suggesting was impossible, 'I-I can't, it would kill millions."

The voice was as calm as ever, calculating in many ways, "Millions now or billions later, you choose."

Yalare, wanted to say it was wrong, to show where the voice had been mistaken in some way, but he couldn't it was cold, hard logic. Yalre picked up a small datacard and inserted it into his terminal. He looked through the report until he found the line he wanted, his hand flowed gracefully yet slowly over the keyboard. He didn't change much on the short report, just one word, but it was enough to change report entirely.

He finished, saved the document and reached for the send switch, his finger stopped just short of it. "I can't do it" he said, his voice crackling slightly, he couldn't believe what he was doing.

The voice was there again, always there, "Millions now or billions later, you choose." Yalre's finger pushed the send button. He froze there for several minutes, it was done, he had just paved the Republics Future, unfortunately it would be paved with blood.

[Ruatha]

Weyrling Empire 2405.8
The Weyrling Destroyer "Responder"
-------------------------

Captain Areia was sitting at the helm discussing with her second in command Anselm Thurya.

"-Thurya, you seem to always know what's going on. Have you heard anything about the Light Cruiser Reconsider that was sent out towards the Terrans? I mean the official Version of them hitting an asteroid field at full speed is pure bull****. No Weyrling ship would be able to such a mistake!"

"-Well Areia, When we resupplied at that Draven planet Troiken IV I happened to get some time over to visit a local pub. And the Dravens have an altogether different Version of what happened the Reconsider going around.
They said it was destroyed in a battle with a Terran Destroyer, and that we Weyrlings are so embarrased about loosing our first ever ship to ship combat that we are covering it up. But hey, I'm not saying that our headquarter are lying, but that's what I heard anyway."

"-I wouldn't put that beyond them. Our fleet hasn't got such a glorius reputation before, and if we lost a LC to a destroyer that would upset some people at home!
Remember all that fuss that was stirred up Last time we were at war, the four destroyers, glory of our fleet. Killing an unarmed colony ship and then being wiped out by mines! What a success!"

"-As Captain, do you know when the Matriarch will leave our ship. It's quite nervous having her around. I mean, she's nice and all that but I don't know how to treat her. I mean she's a war hero, our military leader and civilian leader. And Last week she was trying to chat with me! I didn't know what to say; Beutiful weather, eh? Was all I could blurt out, 2 standards away from the nearest planet!! She must have thought I'm daft."

"-I think she's a down to earth type. We've had some good talks during the trip. She's been teaching me some strategy and tactics. Trying to get me to apply for the Fleet Grand Officer school!
Yesterday she said we'd meet up with the Indestructible next month, and then shell transfer flag to that ship.
Not to be disrespectful but I too feel it's cumbersome. Here I am, fresh on my first command and I'm piloting the Flag ship of our fleet!

When you were at that Draven bar, did you find out what this buildup is all about?
I've never seen so many ships at the same location before!"

"-Well, this is as I said before pure speculation.
It was said that their Chairman of Defense Relations, someone called Josha was trying to get the Central Power alliance to go in and end the Infernal realms war. It seems he doesn't think the Thermoilans can handle it. I don't blame him, have you ever seen a Thermoilan? Scary people!!
On the other hand someone said that the Thermoilans had demanded that the entire CP fleet be used in a attack against the Sarnak. It seems the Sarnaks, never heard of them before mind you, has declared war on the Thermolians several times.
One guy said we were going to spank the Terrans butts for destroying Landing City and implanting the Devices into us Weyrlings. I can tell you that there is still a lot of upset feelings about Landing City, never mind what we don't hear in the news. There were even some there who insisted it was us Weyrlings who had destroyed the city.
Another rumour was that the Argon confederacy was planning a surprise attack on us and that we were planning a counter attack, the one telling this story insisted that the Argons already had attacked us, and conquered half the CP territory. And that it was just a gigantic coverup that was keeping us all from knowing. I guess if that was true though, we wouldn't see so many ships outside the hatches as we do today!
But there might be some merit to this story. I heard from reliable sources, the Matriarchs secretary, a real nice guy if you catch my drift...I'm going to get alot of more sleep when he leaves with the Matriarch!", Thurya started laughing.

"-If you can focus your thoughts for a second Thurya, please!
What did this hunk tell you?"

"-He said that there had been alot of communications with the Argons recently, and that the Matriarch, altough not revealing what it was about, seemed very disappointed after the Last communication with them!"

"-That's not much evidence of an Argon attack if you ask me, maybe you should go and pump him for some more! Information I mean", now both officers laughed.

"-If that's an order my Captain, I'll do my best to comply, for the Empire!", Thurya raised up and left.