[STGOD] Primary Story Thread

[Spyder]

Once again, we ask that our allies ignore the childish bullying of the Kokand Empire. They are obviously enjoying their quips and oh, so clever statements. Allow them that, at least.

Yes, quite right. I know it is getting more and more difficult to take the Kokand Empire seriously, especially after the telescope thing, but we should all do our part to avoid going to war.

[Spyder]

Oh, thank you. I see the first one is entitled 'Combat for Dummies'. The first chapter is titled 'How to spy on the Kokand Empire's Martian holdings using telescopes when you have no surviving forces within an astronomical unit of Mars'.

Planetary and space-based telescopes have existed for generations, capable of observing Mars in a fair amount of detail. Simple observation would not require more than that. Surely advanced nations are capable of constructing such simple devices?

We could argue the minimal likelihood of any Roman satellites surving the relentless assault during the Emancipation War but the bottom line is 'does is really matter?'.

[Spyder]

The Asgard had such an agreement. Given the contempt Floaters seem to have for international law and treaties I doubt such scraps of paper would stop them from continuing their belligerence. We regard the Floaters and being untrustworthy and after their recent coup, unstable as well. We will not enter into such agreements with out solid concessions on the part of the Floaters. It was they who sparked the regrettable incident which resulted in the current animosity.

And we would like to thank the Minmatar for the excellent toilet paper they recently provided to the crew of one of our frieghters.

Asgard, why did your men destroy a package that was from us addressed to your "ally"? What have we done to offend you?

[Sea Skimmer]

We could argue the minimal likelihood of any Roman satellites surving the relentless assault during the Emancipation War but the bottom line is 'does is really matter?'.

It would appear so given your numerous communications on the matter. The Asgard crew is quite welcome to a package you where told not to send and we would simply have thrown in the recycling bin.

[Stormbringer]

We could argue the minimal likelihood of any Roman satellites surving the relentless assault during the Emancipation War but the bottom line is 'does is really matter?'.

It doesn't matter. Such a satellite is cheap and easy to send up and hardly worth destroying given the minimal utility in battle. Either way it shows the lengths anti-Kokand hysteria has come to.

Asgard, why did your men destroy a package that was from us addressed to your "ally"? What have we done to offend you?

Our allies did not want the package yet you sent it anyway. We bare you no ill-will. We merely needed the TP and no it wouldn't be missed.

[The Yosemite Bear]

The Navigator and the Astropath emerged from the dark corridore both greatly shaken The knowledge had been passed down. The minions of the pestialent one were hiding out of veiw, the location had been given. The agoraphobia had shaken the astropath, the Navigator Intiate was still shaken by the horrors she had witnessed on the distant star.

[Spyder]

We could argue the minimal likelihood of any Roman satellites surving the relentless assault during the Emancipation War but the bottom line is 'does is really matter?'.

It doesn't matter. Such a satellite is cheap and easy to send up and hardly worth destroying given the minimal utility in battle. Either way it shows the lengths anti-Kokand hysteria has come to.

A little harmless posturing between civilized nations is hardly hysteria.

Our allies did not want the package yet you sent it anyway. We bare you no ill-will. We merely needed the TP and no it wouldn't be missed.

Asgard Representative, I don't think you realize the seriousness of this incident. Whenever an item is shipped using foreign shipping lanes, the sender places the utmost level of faith that the carrier will take the package to the intended recipient. As a signatory to the ITA, you're charged with protecting the ideals of free trade. The trust placed in you has been abused. While it is true that the intended recipient did not want the delivery, destroying the packages was not your call to make. I have representatives from the Aktaeon Corporation and OmniCom waiting outside my office as we speak. They want to know if Asgard state shipping is still a viable and safe means of transporting goods. What am I supposed to tell them? I want to say 'yes, the Asgard are a safe and reliable carrier' but I need your assurance that this will never happen again. A lot of people have a lot of money invested in each shipment your freighters carry.

[Cpt_Frank]

Asgard Representative, I don't think you realize the seriousness of this incident. Whenever an item is shipped using foreign shipping lanes, the sender places the utmost level of faith that the carrier will take the package to the intended recipient. As a signatory to the ITA, you're charged with protecting the ideals of free trade. The trust placed in you has been abused. While it is true that the intended recipient did not want the delivery, destroying the packages was not your call to make. I have representatives from the Aktaeon Corporation and OmniCom waiting outside my office as we speak. They want to know if Asgard state shipping is still a viable and safe means of transporting goods. What am I supposed to tell them? I want to say 'yes, the Asgard are a safe and reliable carrier' but I need your assurance that this will never happen again. A lot of people have a lot of money invested in each shipment your freighters carry.

We are of the opinion that the sending of such books as
'The ABC of Interstellar Trade', 'The Rules and Ideals of the ITA' and
'How to reopen your trading lanes',
books which really everyone owns and has read, was obviously meant to mock the Kokand Empire.

[Thirdfain]

Planetary and space-based telescopes have existed for generations, capable of observing Mars in a fair amount of detail. Simple observation would not require more than that. Surely advanced nations are capable of constructing such simple devices?

We would like to point out to our cousins in the Asgard Empire that the speed of light restricts the usage of optical devices such as telescopes. As the explosions were picked up by FTL active sensors, and not lightspeed telescopes, the NRE had no way of knowing the purpose for which the device was being used- they must have decided that it would have been more expedient to request an explanation of the event, then wait the twenty minutes it takes light to arrive at Earth from Mars.

We are of the opinion that the sending of such books as
'The ABC of Interstellar Trade', 'The Rules and Ideals of the ITA' and
'How to reopen your trading lanes',
books which really everyone owns and has read, was obviously meant to mock the Kokand Empire.

Your assertion that everyone owns and reads them is obviously misguided- Kokand aggression against free trade seems to indicate they would have no interest in any of those tomes. The Minmatar's shipment, had it been used properly, may have been of great help to the obviously ailing minds in charge of the Kokand Empire.

[Spyder]

We are of the opinion that the sending of such books as
'The ABC of Interstellar Trade', 'The Rules and Ideals of the ITA' and
'How to reopen your trading lanes',
books which really everyone owns and has read, was obviously meant to mock the Kokand Empire.

That is totally beside the point, not to mention false; the books were on astro-physics, not economics. If shipping companies are in the habbit of opening everyone else's mail then they will lose the trust of the companies that rely on their services. The idea behind measures such as the creation of the ITASF was to give corporations confidence so that when they ship 50 million credits worth of merchandise into deep space that it actually will arrive at its destination.

But enough of this infighting, we're the ITA. We're better then this. Together between our 16 member nations we've constructed the largest flow of wealth in the history of mankind. Let's focus not on what caused this rift among our ranks but what we can do to repair it.

[Alyrium Denryle]

We propose that a non-aggression pact be signed between the NBA, the Floaters, their allies, and the neutral powers. We will also withdraw our forces from North Africa if the Kokand Empire agrees to withdraw all its African-based military assets to behind the 5 degree latitude mark.

The Floaters would give their support to such an agreement. A non-agression pact would do us all a world of good.


We ask that our allies ignore the name-calling and bullying of the Kokand Empire. It is of no importance. Monacoran forces, we would appreciate it if you would pull back your line units form the area. They will, of course, be prepared to move back in, should the Kokanders commit acts of war.

We will pull back our line forces when they pull back their siege corps. no sooner, no later. We will not let the Kokkand Empire build up on our allies border with impunity.

We will call back our fleets in hyperspace.

[HemlockGrey]

On the fringes of Kokand space, a transport vessel bearing the mark of the Imperial Supply and Cargo fleet was going briskly about its work.

The work, of course, was rather new and perhaps unsuited to an even modified transport, but the current scarity of military vessels made this an unfortunate necessity.

The prefabricated listening posts- no more than a dozen meters in length-had been towed through hyperspace and were now being deployed- in neutral space, of course, as to not incite any rash actions.

The posts were activated as soon they were dropped off, buzzing with FTL sensors, scanners, and various other readings, constantly being transmitted back to the space station Caepidda, and then being sent on to Rome and Augustia for a more detailed analysis.

[Alyrium Denryle]

We propose that a non-aggression pact be signed between the NBA, the Floaters, their allies, and the neutral powers.

The Asgard had such an agreement. Given the contempt Floaters seem to have for international law and treaties I doubt such scraps of paper would stop them from continuing their belligerence. We regard the Floaters and being untrustworthy and after their recent coup, unstable as well. We will not enter into such agreements with out solid concessions on the part of the Floaters. It was they who sparked the regrettable incident which resulted in the current animosity.

And we would like to thank the Minmatar for the excellent toilet paper they recently provided to the crew of one of our frieghters.

They have honored every treaty they have with us. They simply view the safety of their citizens as more important than interstellar law, and that is the fundamental difference. When the Floaters see a conflict between the law, and morality, they choose morality. When the Kokands see such a conflict, they choose law. We are inclined to side with morality over law.

[Alyrium Denryle]

And frankly the recent coup is not an indication of instability. What it indicates to us, is how the Floater government will bend over backwards to avoid the deaths of millions.

[Thirdfain]

They have honored every treaty they have with us. They simply view the safety of their citizens as more important than interstellar law, and that is the fundamental difference. When the Floaters see a conflict between the law, and morality, they choose morality. When the Kokands see such a conflict, they choose law. We are inclined to side with morality over law.

Our brothers in Durandel's Empire could not have summed it up more clearly.

And frankly the recent coup is not an indication of instability. What it indicates to us, is how the Floater government will bend over backwards to avoid the deaths of millions.

Had our Council not taken the steps it did, the vast public hatred our populace has for the Kokand would have forced us into war. The Kokand's usage of nuclear/biological weapons against Europe would have forced us to respond by kinetic strike and aerosol napalm clouding against their Mars bases, their African holdings, and their allies in the Oceanic Union.

The death toll would likely end up in the billions. The council, seeing the folly in this, took whatever steps the deemed necessary. The action was, in fact, completely legal under the terms the Great Cluster agreed to when they formed the Council- it was simply an action no one dreamed would ever have to take place.

[Sea Skimmer]

They have honored every treaty they have with us. They simply view the safety of their citizens as more important than interstellar law, and that is the fundamental difference. When the Floaters see a conflict between the law, and morality, they choose morality. When the Kokands see such a conflict, they choose law. We are inclined to side with morality over law.

And yet in going for morality in the matter of one hundred people there actions killed tens of thousands. Obeying the law at any point would have resulted in zero additional deaths. Explain how "morality" was the better course of action?

[Thirdfain]

And yet in going for morality in the matter of one hundred people there actions killed tens of thousands. Obeying the law at any point would have resulted in zero additional deaths. Explain how "morality" was the better course of action?

Obeying morality at any point would have stopped you from opening fire on the "Black Alice," and the action which killed the crews of my fleet and so many of your ships would never have occured. Explain how law was the better course of action?

Quite simply, it was not. Your law played as large a part in the massacre as did my morality.

[Darksider]

Emperor rehinashuu of the Krytos Star Empire sat in a meeting with his advisors. "First order of buisness, the commendation ceremony for the captain of the Red Dawn" Said an advisor.

"Tell the PIR that i will present the captain with the medal two days from now and shortley thereafter promote admiral Connor to Supreme Admiral and send out invitations to all other star nations, we need to create an atmosphere of peace to ease
the current tensions" "With all due respet emperor, the kokand appear set on war with the floaters and several elements within floater society are set on war with the kokand"

"Those elements were nuetralized by the floater council they are most defanatly willing to negotiate now" "

What about the Kokand?" asked another advisor. The emperor turned "Only time will tell."

"What if there is a war?"


"If there is it will make the last one look like a schoolyard brawl and tear the galaxy apart"

"you know what i ment emperor, which side are we on??"

"Our mutual defense pact with the floaters should make that obvious to even you Karadi, we must do all we can to avoid war"

[Sea Skimmer]

Had your people obeyed morality, their would have been no Massacre, and no deaths. Your mistake was just as broad as ours.

Morality was why your ship got not a single warning and one minute as our laws call for but four and more then twenty. Our mistake was in doing so; many Kokand lives would have been saved if our capital forces had had time to redeploy to destroy your fleet, which you used that time to bring in our sovereign space. That is little incentive to ever follow more then the letter when dealing with you.

Once more the Floaters demonstrate they can never be trusted, they call it a mistake to obey laws , which could have resulted in no additional harm. Kokand finds the Floater concept of morality sickening.

[HemlockGrey]

A shuttle jumped into Zarathrustran space, and another into the space of the Mensia-Dorien Hegemony, and another into the space of Durandal's Empire, transmitting a short message before hypering out:

ENCRYPTED TRANSMISSION
One hour ago a network of listening posts around Kokand space went active. We are now capable of intercepting any message being transmitted out of Kokand space and have assigned a team of top cyphers to crack the Kokand code.

Further, we are now aware of any FTL movements in and out of Kokand space. We will keep our friends informed of any unusual activity.

[Thirdfain]

The cluster emerged from hyperspace, an unlikely collection of rocks knit together in a skeleton shell of foamed steel supports. The object was huge, and the concourses and transparent domes of Floater habitations could be seen across the cluster. A large, spindle-shaped structure was in the center of the cluster. A comet was being ripped apart and converted into oxygen and water even as the cluster left hyperspace.

Over twenty thousand Floaters worked and lived on the Sargasso Industrial Cluster, from the Mohaim system. The asteroids of it's structure held cargo facilities, zero-G smelters, and a prefabricated building slip. The rest of the Cluster was devoted to the everydays of Floater life- nursery schools, habitations, workshops, malls, love hotels, state buildings, and even a library. It was a small city in space. Nearly four hundred small craft, ranging in size from 5-man lancers to 10-kiloton asteroid tugs, swarmed about the Cluster. Some split off, prospecting for resources.

"This is the Mohaimese cluster Sargasso, Octavius traffic control. We have the materials and the engineers, and are prepared to begin work immediatly. Please clear a path for us to your shipyard facilities."

[Sea Skimmer]

Kokand space

ADJ-77 emerged from hyperspace not far from one of many Roman probes picked up on the last sensor sweep. She didn't dally long, simply releasing one of dozens of large pods held by clamps in her hull. The pod fired a few thrusters before matching course and speed with the probe. Then it unmasked a transmitter.

The probe was hit by a huge pulse of energy, tripping the circuit breakers on every one of the highly sensitive sensors to protect the system from physical damage. The breakers reset and brought the sensors back online, only to be instantly tripped again as another pulse hit. The process continued on. ADJ-77 went to hyperspace, it had other probes to deal with. The only way to defeat the system was to send another ship out to move the probe. But then ADJ-77 would be back with a hull covered in freshly charges jammer pods. And she had far smaller distances to cover.

Of course it was a largely unnecessary move, Kokand's use of one-time pads for all but the most routine of communications rendered its comm. encryption unbreakable. The routine communications might be useful, if they could be broken very quickly. But the shear size of the encryption key and made quite impossible.

[HemlockGrey]

"This is the Mohaimese cluster Sargasso, Octavius traffic control. We have the materials and the engineers, and are prepared to begin work immediatly. Please clear a path for us to your shipyard facilities."

Cluster Sargasso, your flight path is cleared. All merchant traffic has been shifted to secondary routes. The caesar is enroute from Rome now, ETA two hours. Welcome to Octavius.

[HemlockGrey]

The Roman Empire demands to know why Kokand forces have disrupted scientific equipment in neutral space. This is a clear violation of the rights of neutral space and is an unjustified attack on Roman property.

This only solidifies proof that the Kokand Empire will commit acts of aggression without so much as an afterthought. Roman legions in North Africa have been put on red alert. We demand that Kokand apologizes for it disruption of our equipment and pays monetary damages.

[Sea Skimmer]

The Roman Empire demands to know why Kokand forces have disrupted scientific equipment in neutral space. This is a clear violation of the rights of neutral space and is an unjustified attack on Roman property.

Demonstrate that any damage has actually been inflicted. Kokand is free to broadcast whatever signals it wishes from within its own space and these cause no damage. If you wished to examine Kokand space then these signals are merely part of it. If you don't wish to do so, then focused your probes else ware.

Also please explain why your scientific equipment has the antenna of a military grade secure communication system. Footage of these probes and their NRE military markings has now been transmitted to every news station within the sector.