The New Terran Republic: A Distant World's Unique AAR

[the rifleman]

Hey guys,

[B]Last update: 06/06/2017[/B]

So I love space and all that jazz and playing a ton of Distant Worlds Universe and Aurora 4X. So I decided to try the AAR thing one more time. I tried awhile ago and it just didn't turn out anything how I hoped. I didn't like how the narrative flowed and was basically posting in-game screenshots. So this time it's gonna be different. I will be writing the story and adventures of humans/Earth throughout the game I am playing, and it will be shown as a narrative. No crappy ingame menus and very obvious decisions. There will engagements describes, meetings, and everyone I name is a real person in the game such as ship captains, leaders, etc. When mentioning research or ship components they are real and in-game paths I am taking. There will be many pictures but they will be there to aid the narrative story. I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 1 and 2: New Beginnings and Expansions: This Post
Chapter 3: Joining the Rest of The Galaxy : [URL]https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1545756&p=51555001&viewfull=1#post51555001[/URL]
Chapter 4: State Affairs Updates: [URL]https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1545756&p=52107533&viewfull=1#post52107533[/URL]
Chapter 5: Hostile Alien Encounter: [URL]https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1545756&p=52128335&viewfull=1#post52128335[/URL]
Chapter 6: One Long Warp For Men...[URL]https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1545756&p=52171915&viewfull=1#post52171915[/URL]
Chapter 7: [B]The Great Military Overhaul...[/B][URL]https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1545756&p=52321902&viewfull=1#post52321902[/URL]
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[B]New Terran Republic

Chapter 1: A New Beginning[/B]

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The year is 2100 AD, the dawn of a new century. On a lonely, blue planet called Earth, drifting endlessly in space, the past one hundred years have been that of conflict, death, and what many called the apocalypse. While the cause of the beginning of the third world war is now unknown, it lasted for over thirty years, with widespread bombardments on civilian population centers and a monumental loss of scientific knowledge. The loss of the internet and majority of universities and museums resting in ashes aided to what is now called “The Great Loss”. Knowledge of rocket technology, advanced medical equipment, nuclear research, and many more was lost among the fighting. The year is 2100 AD, and humanity is once again rebuilding. The New Treaty Of Versaille of 2081 led to creation of an international allegiance called the New Terran Republic. All of Earth was united under a single flag, a single government working together to ensure that horrors of war will forever remain a thing of the past. The new administration, comprised of tens of thousands of members from all countries around the globe, has made the goals of the future clear. At the helm was a man named Flavius Kentorian, hailing from the New European Territories. He was one of the best administrators and negotiators the Europa Collective has seen. At the age of 38 he was rather young compared to many of his associates, but nonetheless was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of the New Terran Republic. The following speech, delivered on August 15th, 2081, is from an archive from the Ministry of Historical Affairs:

[IMG]http://cdn.history.com/sites/2/2013/12/kennedy-berlin-P.jpeg[/IMG]

“My fellow humans, I am proud to announce today the end of global warfare. The past century, as horrible as we know it, will no longer be a model for the Earth of tomorrow. The New Treaty of Versaille will be creating a new peaceful government. A global government for all global citizens of Earth. We have lost a lot more than just lives. We have lost entire economies. We have lost history and science. But humanity is resilient! We will rebuild and grow stronger than ever. My administration has selected the best the world has to offer. We will be a global republic working for the people of Earth, with a new goal in mind. Humans must once again become a space-faring species. With over ten billion dead from the war, current census reports put our global population at roughly 1.8 billion. That is a tragic number, and humanity got lucky once again to be able to see a peaceful future. Nonetheless, to ensure that humanity can outlive any war or disease or global catastrophe, we must look to stars as our new homes. Much of the history and science that we have lost included massive knowledge banks on aerospace research and applications. I ask you, Earth, to help during the massive undertaking in the next 20 years. We must take to stars and as such, I, along with the newly founded Ministry of Space Affairs and Ministry of Earth Assemblies and Constructions, commissioned the building of a new grand space station for the people of Earth. The International Space Station, lost around the 2030s from what records remain, will look like a scale model of our plans. This will be the first great challenge for the New Terran Republic. While our resources are spread thin, we still have massive stockpiles of chromium, polymers, carbon fibers, and nekros stones to make the space station possible, along with future space development among our solar system.I hope all of you will help with this undertaking. Earth is ready to rebuild! Humanity is ready to look to the stars as its new home! Humanity is ready to explore! Hurrah! Hurrah! Thank you people of Earth and welcome to a new era!” - End transmission.

[B]Image from the archives of the Ministry of Space Affairs, dated 2098:[/B]

[IMG]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/b3/12/4f/b3124fa89e61629dd7b32acdfc74bee1.jpg[/IMG]

[B]The New Hope Space Station nearing final assemblies and construction[/B]

On the eve of July 27th, 2100 AD the New Hope Space Station was completed in orbit above Earth. The station employed five hundred crew members, equipped with research labs, three shipyards for construction and six docking ports. The station was also equipped with twelve pulse lasers and nine seeking missiles for defensive purposes should the need arise from outside threats.

[B]Image of New Hope Space Station above Earth 2100 AD:[/B]

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Minister Kentorian delivered the opening speech from aboard the space station bridge to the crew, and everyone listening on Earth:

“I would like to extend my thank you to the millions of workers, pilots, and everyone else involved in the construction of the New Hope Space Station. We stand here today as a marking point in human history that perseverance is key to the survival of humanity. We set out on a goal twenty years ago, to begin rebuilding. Thus far not only have we made leaps in all areas of science but we have completed the largest construction undertaking in human history. From this point on, construction will be begin on exploration ships to find resources among our solar system as well as space construction ships to be sent to these moons and planets to create mining bases in order to extract these resources for our use. This space station will also service a purpose as the local trade center for all civilian or private sector shipping lanes. We will begin by exploring and mining our very own moon, Luna! Thank you again to all those who were able to make this possible. Here’s a toast to the future of space exploration and colonization! Hurrah!!!”

Design and construction of space ships for exploration and construction purposes began at once. Labs on Earth were able design a construction ship under two years with the aid of the New Terran Republic scientific funding. The ship, while massive, will be powered by fourteen powerful ion-type engines, with twelve compressed caslon tanks for fuel storage. A basic nuclear reactor is on board to be used for continual power production. Crewed by 15 members, this will serve as the largest ship created in the republic. A basic exploration ship was also designed, serving as just survey ships for the entire solar system.

[B]Image from the Ministry of Space Ship Design 2101 AD:[/B]

[IMG]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Ion_Engine_Test_Firing_-_GPN-2000-000482.jpg/375px-Ion_Engine_Test_Firing_-_GPN-2000-000482.jpg[/IMG]

[B]First Generation Ion Engine for Exploration/Construction Ships[/B]

As soon as designs were approved, construction at the station began and two exploration ships were completed to begin scanning nearby planets and as well as our moon. On Earth, large shipyards continued to build the first construction ship. The first iteration design of the exploration ships were titled the Glenn Mk. 1 after a famed astronaut and space pioneer from the first space programs back in the 20th century.

[IMG]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b5/81/92/b5819256a0c2c4b0530b2daa7608388b.jpg[/IMG]

[B]Image of the first Glenn Mk. 1 in orbit above Earth[/B]

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The exploration ships were supplied at the station, and began their first journeys to Luna, and the outer planets. Within days, surveys showed Luna having deposits of steel and lead and as such as soon as the construction ship was to be completed, it would be launched with the goal to establish a mining base.

Months later, a mining base was established as the first of the New Terran Republic among many of the inner planets and moons surveyed for various valuable resources. Civilian shipping lines quickly developed with with new designs of gas and rock mining ships as well as many types of freighters for transport of goods and resources. It took less than a year after the first space ship construction for the space above Earth to become crowded with ships and explorers. New developments in special armors were also developed to allow ships to last in space for longer with new protection against sun radiation. Construction shipyards were also made more efficient through the use of stronger, lightweight materials from.

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[B]Space Above Earth, circa 2102 AD[/B]

The next four months led to discovery of new fuel sources among the gas giants and more valuable resources among their moons.

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Pictured above is Mercury, Venus and Mercury’s moon Wuloitem, all full of dilithium crystals, polymers and iridium to be mined for the construction of more space ship components.

[B]Chapter 2: First Contact[/B]

At the end of those four months, in 2102, the course of history changed forever. Over the course of a couple days humanity learned it was no longer alone in the universe. It began with the discovery of two space ship wrecks of non-human origins in orbit around one of Jupiter’s moons. The ship was alien in nature, with advanced technology never seen before. Teams were dispatched right away to board the ship and investigate if it was possible to bring it online to study. Not far after, a mining ship in the NH984 Asteroid Field was attacked by what seemed like giant space slugs. The slugs did not appear when the asteroid fields were probed by exploration ships.

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[B]First Contact Report From Fleet Command[/B]

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[B]Partially Destroyed Alien Ship Near Jupiter’s Moon[/B]

To top it off, an enemy fleet of what can only be described as pirates arrived at Earth and blockaded the entire planet. The space station received a direct transmission from one of the ships:

“Greetings to our victims! You may have noticed we are about to attack you. We have superior firepower and superior numbers. Your station stands no chance for us. You will pay monthly tribute of 300 galactic credits or face destruction”.

Not only were we not alone in the universe, but our first contacts with non-human species have been incredibly hostile. An emergency meeting was called between the heads of the ministries and top government officials. It was decided that the best course of action was to give into the demands of the alien pirates. We were outgunned and outnumbered. We pinged the response back to the pirates, and their ships promptly...disappeared into space the same way they arrived. After studying video surveillance scientists estimate they are used extremely advanced propulsion technologies, those of “hyperspeed” or “faster than light” which we once thought impossible. A new scientific undertaking began immediately to try to unlock these secret technologies as well as an order from Prime Minister Kentorian himself to establish a defensive line around The New Hope Space Station.

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[B]Enemy Pirate Fleet in Orbit Around Earth Pictured From Space Station[/B]

It was proposed by Fleet Command to repair the alien ships found around Jupiter and use them for our fleet defense in the system. Construction ships were dispatched at once. Construction on orbital defense batteries began at once as well.

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[B]Orbital Defense Batteries can be seen around the Station[/B]

A large of amount of funding was quickly sunk into the development of tougher armor and enhancing missile technology for escort size defense ships.

After months of repairs the first alien ship was ready to be flown. It was re-equipped with life support for humans and the controls were quickly figured out as it seemed most of the ship was automated. The technology was incredible. The ship had advanced targeting systems as well a countermeasures. Advanced propulsion designs, super compressed fuel tanks, as well as a fusion reactor core for power. The most marvelous discovery was that of an outer...shield. The ship had an aura around it that glowed slightly blue, and ballistic testing confirmed that nothing short of hard, large rail guns could penetrate the shield. As such, the ship was to be dispatched to the asteroid fields to deal with the space slugs and research was poured into advancing rail gun technology.

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[B]Alien Ship Boarded and Under Control[/B]

The ship quickly set course for the asteroid belts. It would take 2 months to journey there, and in that time the crew ran drills and became familiar with the systems on the ship. The captain chosen was Yuri Nothris, a young Russian, but he was top of his class in all fleet simulations and was promptly chosen to have the honor of Earth’s first engagement with an alien species. After two months, the ship arrived at the asteroid belt. Weaving in and out of rocks, the slugs were not hard to find. The quickly started towards the ship from about one km out. Yuri ordered the ship starboard and prepared the beam weapons on board. As soon as the slugs were in range, Yuri yelled “Fire!!!”. The weapons discharged powerful, red beams of laser cutting through space towards the slugs. Four out of five hit the first slug head on, tearing right through it. The second was hit by the fifth beam and a large gash opened up on its side, green fluid leaking out. “Reload. Aim. Fire!”. Another volley of lasers danced in space towards the injured slug, its partner clearly dead. All the beams hit creating large holes in the slug, and it stopped moving. “Victory!”. The first engagement in space was successful. Videos of the “battle” were replayed back on Earth and everyone rejoiced. Not only did we have our defenses up, but our new alien ships seemed to be capable of doing great deals of damage towards hostiles. The asteroid belts were cleared for mining after the removal of the space slug carcasses for study.

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[B]Footage of the Asteroid Battle[/B]

Other notable advancements made during the two month travel period was new storage techniques of fuel and cargo in ships. The new materials and compression methods allowed for 25% more storage at the same size containers. New civilian enterprises also sprung up as passenger liner ships. These ships would ferry people to and from planets as a form of space tourism and was instantly a large source of income both privately, and for the government through the form of taxation for using the space station.

Yuri’s ship was introduced as the first of the new HomeWorld Defense Fleet, under the command of Admiral Laurus Marten. The second alien ship was still under construction as it was a much larger ship, designated destroyer class by Fleet Command.

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I got everything ready for chapter 3 just need to type it all out and put it together. First thoughts? More or less of? Directions people want Earth/humans to take or suggestions always welcome. Hope you all enjoyed the read. I'm going to keep posting these continuously with or without feedback. Just fun to get better at writing.

Thanks!

[the rifleman]

[b]Chapter 3: Joining the Rest of The Galaxy[/b]

In the following months after the first engagement with an alien species, research funding into weaponization of space crafts, as well as developing new ship components went into overdrive. The recovered alien ship from Jupiter was docked at The New Hope Space Station for further studies, especially on the shield system with hopes of being able to replicate the effect. Alongside shield research, priority was placed on figuring out hyperdrive technology. Numerous independent traders came and went, but none were able to describe the engineering behind their special propulsion drives. Three new research stations were commissioned, this time in orbit around Earth to allow for better experimentation in zero gravity environments.

[img]https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQN-qoT1NKvSNkDcehdCP7khvwLWgokx8iDxV6I_5zGHiN5sNV8dg[/img]

[b]Shield Component Testing Aboard the High Tech Research Station Above Earth[/b]

Of course as fate would have it, no plan goes perfectly. On August 26th, 2102, Earth received another visit from alien pirates. Once again through the use of their hyperdrives, we were unable to detect them landing on our system before it was too late. Although this time it was just a single ship, frigate class from pirates who called themselves “Evil Fang Bandits”. They were had weapons trained on the space station, and demanded we also pay tribute to them. Another emergency council was held among the heads of government and military leaders. It was decided that it was time we tested our weapon systems, especially the orbital batteries. They were each equipped with 15 beam laser weapons, and 12 missile bays. The space station itself went retrofits to add more missile bays. The order came from the top of Fleet Command:

“All units, battlestations! Aim and target lock enemy frigate, prepare to fire….FIRE!”

Volley after volley of missiles and beams all flew through space towards the pirate frigate.

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Missiles exploded all over the frigate, but it was immediately clear the majority of the initial salvo was deflected by the shields. Three missiles found their mark and outer armor of the ship can be see exploding into space. Before a second salvo could be fired the frigate jumped into hyperdrive and all systems lost targeting. The jump was captured on video that was used for further research of how ships initiate jump.

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[b]A Hot White Flash Behind The Ship’s Location[/b]

Two months following the incident with the Evil Fang Bandits, a breakthrough was made by a team of scientists led by Doug Corvidian, a materials and nanotechnology expert. The breakthrough was made at one of the research stations orbiting Earth. His team was able to replicate the shield systems aboard the alien ship that was recovered. Testing with both beam and missile weapons shows that a layer of three meters of blue, ultra strong ablative material is able to withstand the damage to a certain point. Alongside strength it is easy to build more layers and they self heal after a certain period of time if left undisturbed. A retrofit to all space ships, bases and stations was ordered to install the new shield technology, named Corvidian Shields Mk. 1.

From October 2102, to the end of February 2111, it was a smooth period of constant technological upgrades across the board. Our reach across our solar system expanded with mining stations at all moons and planets, as well as a large increase with independent alien traders. We were able to install brand new medical and entertainment systems aboard The New Hope Space Station. This allowed for all crew members, as well as visitors to have around the clock, state of the art care. The entertainment center also provided the perfect atmosphere and opportunities for down time. Advancements in solar cell technology also greatly benefited all operational bases. Bases will no longer have to depend on fuel for excess production, and thus introduced a reduction in both fuel consumption and the required amount of fuel tanks on bases. Point defense weapons were also designed and installs on stations to protect against small size ships, as well as possible enemy fighter craft. New sources of Tyderios were also discovered on Saturn, which is a strategic resource in the use of shield components. After these developments, focus was turned to improving rail gun technology for farther range and increased projectile size as well as improving command centers on ships to reduce maintenance costs.

[img]http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc272/GhostRazor/Pirhana_M-450Shredder_Q-RAC.jpg[/img]

[b]127mm Point Defense Cannons Designed by Ministry of Weapon Development[/b]

Alongside point defense, New Hope Space Station was equipped with twelve brand new space fighters. These ships will act as an extra line of defense against small raiding ships,armed with railguns and missiles. Construction of a research academy was finished on Earth to recruit the brightest students and produce more scientists to run experiments on orbital research stations. The final improvements made during this period was the re-arranging of Earth Defence Forces to save 4% on logistics cost and training.

[img]http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars-exodus/images/3/34/Lancefighter.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20070603153350[/img]

[b]First Gen. Vulcan Class Fighter[/b]

On July 6th, 2114, high above Earth the first operational hyperdrive precursor engine was turned on...and successfully tested by Chief Propulsion Scientist Kor Berallia and his team. The new engine, having been in development almost fourteen years, will now allow humanity’s ships to travel the stars at speeds to rival that of alien technology. Trips to Mars and Jupiter are cut down from two years to less than a day’s travel. Flavius Kentorian christened the very first ship to be installed with the new hyperdrive technology, a small freighter by the name of “Lucky Lady”. The speech he gave before has been pulled from the archives:

“I stand before you today to mark another incredible achievement in human engineering. We have, after fourteen grueling years, been able to replicate the hyperdrive systems of alien ships. We will no longer be bound by the limit of the speed of light. We will no longer by bound by the limit of our solar system; no longer bounded by time. Humans are explorers at heart, and from this day on, we will be able to physically reach all of our closest stars and solar systems. As I speak, explorations ships are being retrofitted with the new drives and have their targets set. We do not know what we will find out there in the vastness of space. Whether it will be empty or full. Friends or foes. But nothing can stand in the way of the human spirit! Hurrah! Hurrah!”

[img]http://www.theforce.net/swtc/Pix/dvd/ep5/hpod07.jpg[/img]

[b] Last image of Exploration Ship Brazen Encounter Before Jumping Into Hyperspace on the way to the Fyudus Junction [/b]

Next Chapter: Exploring nearby systems, more alien encounters, developing technology. Lots of shit to update. As always C&C is always appreciated and I hope you guys enjoy the reading.

Thanks again!

[the rifleman]

Hey everyone! Been awhile since I updated this. I've been super busy with work and school and also some life things that took my focus away. Anyway, things are good now and I can focus on writing again and why not improve while playing the best damn space game out there. I'm going to switch it up a bit from the previous 2 updates. Going to focus on character development, and interactions between people. Try to make it as real as I can. Any critiques and help on my writing and style is definitely appreciated! Ok here's chapter 4, also I'm going to start pumping this out a lot more and in shorter stories that way i can still write a lot and in more detail around major events. Helps me stay focused and actually complete these.

[b]Chapter 4: State Affairs Updates[/b]

*A couple months after the departure of Brazen Encounter*

Kentorian was in his office, the time 7 A.M, preparing for the monthly morning briefing on the current affairs of the state. It’s been quite a wild couple of months since the departure. It seemed like that day marked a complete turning point for Earth and the human race. We were actually achieving what we set out to do, and now more than ever people are volunteering to get a chance to prove themselves among the stars. Keeps us busy I suppose, he thought to himself with a chuckle. With a refreshed manner from the coffee, he asks his committee of ministers who came in and sat down while he was preparing his notes, “Hey everyone take a seat. Good to see you all again. We’ve got a packed schedule today so let's get to it. Jurus, you can start, what have we got? ”

Each of the committee members begin listing off their compiled notes from each respective ministry:

“Sir, the Ministry of Tourism has recently finished their design of a space resort. This resort will be able to accommodate a couple hundred guests, at very high fees of course. Private companies are currently investing heavily to have these build near various Moons throughout the system. It will generate a lot of revenue for the state in the coming years”.

“Sounds great, we can use the funds. How is our economic situation looking?” Kantorian asked looking at his Minister of Economics.

“With the recent development of the precursor drive, and logistical improvements to the space station, we’ve seen a huge increase in space traffic and backlog orders for trade ships. We are currently operating the shipyards at 100% capacity and bringing in a lot of income. We are sitting at a good point in terms of money generation so nothing to worry about for now. We project income to keep increasing the more stations we establish across the system. We are currently sitting at 16, mixe of gas and mineral mining. Lastly, we are looking at the maintaince cost of the stations and ships and we predict we can reduce cost by around 4%. Pretty significant amount as we hopefull expand to new systems. That’s all I had sir, thank you.”

[img]http://i.imgur.com/2mhG1nC.jpg[/img]

[b]Space traffic between Earth and Saturn for transportation of gas and minerals.[/b]

“Great update, that’s good to hear we’re not going broke hahaha. We’re still on for the funding hearings later today about preliminary mining ventures into the outside systems correct? Ok good. How is our military situation looking like admiral?”

“Sir we still have two of our corvettes docked around the space station. They will be be deploying on 6 month tours around the solar system for patrols. The alien ship we recovered and used to clear the asteroid belts was christened as the [i]Daedalus[/i] and is now being used on patrols between Earth and Demeter. We also recovered another alien wreck near Jupiter, this one contained technology that seems an advanced copy of our own. The life support systems on the ship are actually compatible for humans. We might night be completely alone among our kind, but nonetheless the ship is currently being repaired for active service. We have named it the [i]Hermes[/i]. It’s currently armed with six heavy railguns, three concussion missiles, and two point defense systems. I highly suggest we begin equipping new designs with the precursor engines and begin building a military front in our solar system. We never know when more pirates are going to arrive, and thus we have also begun funding signal arrays to be deployed and hopefully allow us to catch incoming threats early. Thank you sir that’s all I have for today”.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/UwqtLUn.jpg[/img]

[b][i]Hermes[/i] being fueled and prepared for it's trip back to Earth to be retrofit and instated into the navy.[/b]

“Sounds like everything is handled appropriately, very nice. Set a meeting for later today to begin discussion on increasing military funding and looking at options for fleet compositions. Thank you admiral. Minister of Science, what do you have?”

“Not much development past the engine sir. We know that Brazen Encounter is still on it’s journey and will reach it’s destination within a month. We still have a signal with the crew if we need to speak with them. Secondly, we are pushing ahead with research in medical and entertainment systems for space stations as well as retrofitting more weaponry aboard. We are also developing a new proton drive engine for sub-warp travel. This new engine will use less fuel, while putting out much more thrust than its previous design. We also completing research academies across the planet in major city centers to recruit the best and brightest scientists. Lastly, we are upgrading the rail drives to output 20% more fire rate due to using new materials that can take the stress and heat of the actions. That’s all I had sir, thank you”.

[img]https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/copper_chamber.jpg[/img]

[b]Proton engine prototype testing at the Propulsion Design, Research and Testing center in Francia, New European Territories.[/b]

Just as the meeting was wrapping up, two admirals and international security advisers burst through the door:

“SIR! Sorry to interrupt but we’ve just detected two unknown alien beings on Uranus, they are very large in size and have already destroyed the gas mining stationed there. We estimate anywhere from 35 to 50 casualties. No ships were caught in the havoc. Orders sir?”

“Assemble the council, and prepare the navy for intercepts. It’s going to be a long day. Do we have any visuals of these creatures? Strengths? Weaknesses? I want everything on my table in 5 minutes before the meeting. Tell the crew of the [i]Hermes[/i] to turn the hell around and prepare pre-engaging drills. Dismissed”.

That's all for this one! Going to roll another out friday or maybe even tomorrow night depending on what I'm doing. Going to have some juicy space action and even more coming up. Enjoy the read, C&C, thank you guys.

[the rifleman]

Hey Everyone, here with another chapter. This one I'm most proud of writing wise. I really worked no personal interactions and well, I think a pretty cool battle report. Enjoy and C&C!

[b]Chapter 5: Hostile Alien Encounter[/b]

The New Terran Republic General Assembly Hall was located in Germania, New European Territories. It was built right after the end of the great war, as one of the infrastructure pushes by the new administration under Kantorian. Alongside the revival of education systems, social systems, and engineering/science initiatives which included space travel, the new general assembly was created in order for the world to effectively tackle problems together, and furthermore ensure that when problems do arise between member states, that they are dealt with diplomatically. The large, modern hall filled with endless glass and steel, seats five hundred of the world’s most renowned, and important politicians, scientists, and military experts. At the very center stood Kantorian, ready to speak:

“Thank you to those of you who could be here in such short notice. I know the rest of you are currently calling in, so thank you as well. I have called everyone here under a code orange emergency. This information should help quell any rumors you might have heard over the past couple hours. On October 30th, 2114, at approximately 6:37 A.M Central U.S. time, the mineral mining station on Uranus was attacked by two unknown alien beings. They were relatively the size of one of our frigates, and the station was destroyed very quickly due to multiple breaches in the armor and hull. We fear everyone inside has died, which would put the current death toll to forty-seven. The aliens are of unknown origin but it is possibly that they laid dormant within Uranus’ crust and the mining is what drew them out. That is currently our best theory. They are large, crab like creatures with claws from the pictures taken of escaping vessels. We are unsure what their organic structure is like or how tough they will be to eliminate. We currently have the Sabre Class Frigate[i]Hermes[/i] en-route to engage the creatures. They have secondary objectives to board the station and check the to see if anyone managed to survive against the odds if any signals are found. All questions can be directed to the Secretary General, and we will continue to have updates when the Hermes arrives in two days. There are currently no other ships in the area, and Terran Navy will continue to monitor the situation and all ships with that destination have been turned around. Thank you.”

[img]http://cerebrallemon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/UN-general-assembly-014.jpg[/img]

[b]Kantorian speaking to the general assembly[/b]

Kantorian got off the podium amid a flurry of questions from just about the entire auditorium. The room was a vibrant roar of anger and cries for vengeance, with the soft undertone of fear creeping through various circles. Kantorian walked into the adjacent safe room with his generals in tow. Fleet Admiral Sture Vrubel was first to speak:

“Sir, Hermes will arrive in two days and they are currently preparing equipment for training exercises on the their journey. They are currently equipped with three large concussion explosion missile batteries and six heavy railguns with a crew of thirty-five. They are well trained and the advanced systems on the ship should give them an added edge. We believe it is adequate firepower to take these hostiles creatures down with minimum damage to the ship if they manage to get close.”

“Thank you admiral, I have other matters to attend to today, but please keep me updated if anything arises. Everyone is dismissed, thank you”.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/4NGA8w8.jpg[/img]

[b]One of the early pictures of the unknown alien beings that came in from passing ships[/b]

Meanwhile aboard the Hermes, in deep space heading towards Uranus…

“Second Officer McGill, ETA to target?”, Captain Hugo Nesalio bellowed out from his high chair as he oversaw the action on the bridge.

“ETA is twenty four minutes sir!”, Second Officer McGill replied in an equally loud voice, “All crew is at battlestations, oxygen supplies are nominal, shields are at full power and all weapons are loaded and ready to fire.”

“Thank you Officer, put the PA speaker system on, I’d like to address the crew”. The captain takes a short pause and then he begins, “My fellow sailors, we are about to engage in the second ever direct combat with alien lifeforms. Know that these lifeforms did not come in peace, and as such we have no other option than to fire upon them without mercy, and completely eliminate them. We will be at our destination, twenty-five kilometer off the station, shortly. We suspect the two beings are holed up there looking for more prey. As soon as we have either visual of the targets, or lock-on confirmation from the weapon systems, we will be orbiting them at half speed and at twenty kilometers. Missiles will fire first, aiming for center mass. If they get within ten kilometers, we will open up full volleys on the railguns. Remember your training, and keep your cool. I believe in every single one of you, and we will come out of this victorious. That is all.” He turned the radio off and turned to the senior officers on the bridge, “Alright, let’s bring the action and give them hell.” He sat down at his console and prepared for the fight to come.

Roughly twenty-four minutes later, the Hermes exited warp speed, and for the first time the crew could see the station in the distance through the on-board camera systems. “Second Officer, status report?”

“Sir, we are approximately twenty-four and half kilometers from the station, orbiting at three-hundred meters per second. We are receiving no signals from the station, not even a distress call. The attack must have caused rapid depressurization throughout the system. No way anyone could have survived or even known what was happening….Umm sir picking up two heat signatures that rose from behind the station. Cameras confirm those are our targets”.

The two unknown aliens were larger in size than previously thought, almost larger than the Hermes itself. The outer body was a gray, tan color with layers of luminous metal for what seems like armor for protection. They are able to propel themselves through space through the use of their back legs, and the two front claws they use as weapons have station debre still attached. They also possess antennas on their heads that are used to evaluate their surroundings and any impending threats.

“It seems like they picked up on our thermal signature as well. Everyone prepare to engage and for evasive maneuvers if required. MISSILE CREW OPEN FIRE ON MY COMMAND...READY...FIRE”.

Three large concussion missiles, ten meters in length and a meter in diameter, took off towards their targets at speeds up to 5,000 meters per second. The missiles are designed to track the target with the help of the ship onboard tracking computer, as well as thermal signature of the painted target. The missiles were upon the lead creature in seconds, and three large explosions went off near its center of mass. Pieces of the creature were later caught on camera flying away due to the explosion.

“MISSILE CREW FIRE AT WILL, RAILGUNS CONCENTRATE FIREPOWER AT THE EXPOSED SECTION OF THE LEAD CREATURE. FIRE ON MY COMMAND”, captain Nesalio yelled through the intercom, sweat pouring down his face as his crew was working at max capacity to keep firing on the creatures, who were closing in fast.

“Turn 90 degrees left and 45 down, full burn away from the lead creature. Missiles crews keep firing! Railguns prepare to fire after the next maneuver!”

The lead creature was hit with another full volley of missiles, and it was clearly heavily damaged as it dropped in both speed and seemed to rethink attacking the ship. It’s companion was still heading right for the ship.

“RAILGUNS RE-AIM AT THE SECOND TARGET...READY… FIRE!”. Six large, tungsten-steel projectiles ten centimeters in diameter were fired directly at the second target. While traveling at speeds greater than the missiles, the projectiles lack any targeting control or attitude correction and the creature took evasive action of its own, with only two out of the six projectiles landing. Nonetheless, the projectiles that hit penetrated deep within the creature and it stopped dead in it tracks, in a lifeless manner.

“We must have hit a major organ sir. One down, one to go!” exclaimed the second officer in excitement, that was quickly gone as they realized the first creature was suddenly upon the ship.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/QweVaGw.jpg[/img]

[b][i]Hermes[/i] engaged with the first creature while the second floats dead near the station[/b]

“McGill evasive maneuvers! Everyone hang on! Weapons systems are fire at will!” The hurt creature managed to use a its last burst of energy to land upon the ship, and attempt at clawing the ship in half. McGill took the controls, and quickly dove the ship away from the claws to avoid being crushed. The top of the claw hit the very back of the ship on its way out penetrating past the shields, completely destroying one of the engine nozzles and rendering it useless. The next volley of missiles and projectiles ripped the creature in multiple places and it stopped moving.

“Second target is down sir!”

“Damage report? Is everyone ok?” Chief Engineer Olivia Sneijer replied from below decks,

“Sir all systems are operating nominally except for engine number four. The nozzle was destroyed and we are getting no thrust on that engine, so we shut it down. We will have to head back home on six engines which shouldn’t be a problem. We used nine missiles and eighteen heavy projectiles, meaning we only used 20% of our available ammunition. That is all sir”.

“Thank you for the report Chief Sneijer. Everyone else, great flying and great shooting. We handled that by the book and came out victorious. Those bugs didn’t stand a chance against this ship and its crew! You are all up for recommendations and drinks on me back on Earth. Hooyah!”

The communications officer aboard the ship quickly sent the battle report back to Earth, and clean up crews were notified to fly to station for body retrieval and to begin repairs. The bodies of both alien beings will also be captured for further study on how to combat them more effectively.

Thanks for reading! Up next, more Earth politics, new system exploration, technological expansion and surprising finds.

[the rifleman]

New update, this one took awhile because of finals. I didn't get everything I wanted into it, but a lot will be updated and explained in later chapters after this very long and shitty week ends. Enjoy the read. As always C&C, any suggestions help.

[b]Chapter 6: One Long Warp For Men...[/b]

The invasion of the alien species, named Giant Kaltors, on Uranus prompted a large retrofit of all mining station designs, as well as increased funding into xenology to understand the creatures. The Giant Kaltor is a large invertebrate crustacean with many arachnid features. After months of studying the remains, the doctors presented their findings to the New Terran Republic General Assembly. The lead doctor on the investigation was Luvenia Hodges, a forty year old veteran doctor who studied at the New Institute of Xenological Studies in Londonum, New England. She began when all the delegates who were present have taken their seats. Prime Minster Kantorian was not present as he had other matters to attend to.

“Hello everyone, delegates, and Secretary General. My name is Luvenia Hodges and I am the head investigator on the study of the alien species that attacked the Uranus mining station on October 30th, 2114. My team and I have been working around the clock to understand the physiology, history, behaviors and origins of these creatures. We used the on-board video evidence of the mining station, passing ships, and the Hermes as part of investigation, along with studying the recovered bodies after they were killed. We found that they typically inhabit the upper atmosphere of frozen gas giant planets, but they can roam freely through space and thus can be found nearly anywhere in a system. They are also often found at Gas Clouds throughout the galaxy. How they arrived at these isolated locations is unknown. Kaltors are very aggressive and territorial – they will attack any approaching ships. They are quite fast-moving and very agile. Their attack is swift and merciless: they eat any ships they can catch.
Shielding is useless against these creatures – they munch straight through shields, destroying the ship’s components. We are unsure of how they are able to physically surpass the shields, but we suspect they act in the same manner our railgun ammunition do and the claws can be of further study for military purposes. Lastly, unless you have overwhelming force, it is wise to steer clear of Giant Kaltors. That is all we have to report. I will be taking questions after the summit. Secretary General Alstrom, the floor is yours. Thank you everyone.”

[img]http://s1.ibtimes.com/sites/www.ibtimes.com/files/styles/embed/public/2016/08/16/natalia-gherman.jpg[/img]

[b]Luvenia Hodges delivering the findings[/b]

“Thank you Dr. Hodges, and your team, for all of the hard work you have put in on this project and for all the information you have been able to present to us today. I would like to further extend my thank you to the New Institute of Xenological Studies, and all of those who helped make this project possible under such short circumstances. I also want to send my deepest condolences to the families of the lost crew of the Uranus mining station, and to announce that a memorial has been resurrected on the General Assembly Campus. They will not be forgotten. That will conclude this assembly for the day, and matters of business will continue tomorrow starting 6 A.M. local time. Thank you again.”

Following the Uranus mining station disaster, designs of the stations went rapid re-designs to include defenses against such attacks. Stations have become armored, installed with high energy laser weaponry and safety compartments that do not depressurize in the event that the outside shell is pierced or damaged. Fortunately for the Republic, the next two years were filled with rapid growth, expansion and continued exploration of the closest solar systems, The Fyudus Junction and CZ968. The following excerpt is from a speech given by Kantorian at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new International Academy of Sciences and Engineering on June 15th, 2116 in Empire City, New York:

[img]http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/536a55f6eab8ea900b187ab2-1190-625/this-is-what-cornells-futuristic-nyc-tech-campus-will-look-like.jpg[/img]

[b]Concept Art of the New International Academy of Sciences and Engineering[/b]

“Hello. I would like to extend my thank you to everyone here in attendance and all of those watching at home. When we set out on a mission twenty seven years ago, I don’t think any of us imagined the amount of success we would have in not just growth, expansion, or scientific advancement, but also in the sense of human unity on an entirely new scale. Today marks yet another milestone in the history of mankind. It is with great pleasure and excitement to be here today to open the new International Academy of Sciences and Engineering. This academy will open it’s doors today to the best and brightest humanity has to offer, and will become the hallmark of research for the benefit of humanity. The work that the men and women will be conducting here will be the deciding factor in how humanity begins to colonize our galaxy. Speaking of colonizing, I also have another important announcement to make today. I am thrilled to report that the Brazen Encounter, the first manned ship to leave our solar system, has arrived in the Fyudus Junction 32 trillion kilometers away. The ship was been on it’s journey for six hundred and sixty eight days. The crew is doing well, and have reported no problems on exiting warp, apart from the expected nausea. They are currently in orbit above the planet FJ-3, using special scientific probes to search for possible minerals and to test if the planet would be able to sustain human life. The Brazen Encounter will continue to explore and catalog the entire Fyudus solar system, before coming home with their findings. Alongside the Brazen Encounter, today it’s sister the ship, the Exodus will be launched towards CZ-968. This is another system we believe holds promising chances for habitable planets and valuable resources. It is currently 12 trillion kilometer away and this will be a long journey for the crew. We have faith in them completing the mission, just like we have faith in the Brazen Encounter coming home safe. I have put in a request to the Terran Republic General Assembly to commemorate today, the 15th of June, as the Extra-Sol Day holiday for all of Earth to celebrate the first moment in human history where we have successfully navigated another solar system. I again want to say thank you to everyone who has been able to make this possible for the Republic and I look forward to updating everyone on the progress of both exploration ships. Thank you.”

[img]http://i.imgur.com/GQRFX0R.jpg[/img]

[b]Brazen Encounter in orbit around FJ-3, a frozen gas giant holding krypton and tyderios gas. Both very valuable strategic resources.[/b]

The landing of the Brazen Encounter at the Fyudus Junction was definitely an event to be celebrated and remembered by the people of Earth, but it also served as a great wake up call to the armed forces and higher leadership of the Republic. What was not reported in Kantorian’s speech was that the Brazen Encounter had landed in the system four months prior and was already on its journey home. The crew had scanned all of the main planets, as well as the sun. Upon landing on the last gas giant, designated FJ-2, the crew’s scanner picked up a unique thermal and electromagnetic energy on the surface of the planet. Upon further investigation, this source turned out to a resupply base for one of the pirate factions that has been harassing the Sol system. As soon as the crew realised what they stumbled upon, they recorded their findings, transmitted it through the secret encoded channels back to Earth, and hit warp to get back to the Sol System. When the information arrived at Earth thirty-three hours later, the admirals were shocked to discover that, in fact, the Republic has no means to keep watch on matters outside of the Sol system, as well as that our military technology and capacity is greatly lagging. This sparked what is now known as the great military overhaul of the 2110s.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/3tDjLXX.jpg[/img]

[b]Unknown Pirate Resupply Base on FJ-2[/b]

[the rifleman]

After a very long time, and cracking through some really shit writer's block, here's chapter 7. I think it's best and most detailed yet.

[B]Chapter 7: The Great Military Overhaul[/B]

Two days after receiving the news about the pirate resupply base on FJ-2, the top government officials of The New Terran Republic planned to convene for a special security council meeting to discuss options and plan a path forward for the Republic to deal with the pirate menace, and lack of technological innovation regarding the military. The meeting was to take place at the Chateau de Versaille, Francia. The palace was one of the most famous and recognizable buildings in the world, known for its grand halls of exquisite art, and extensive use of marble and glass. The palace has been a site of famous councils and signings throughout history, including the the signing of the New Treaty Of Versaille of 2081. This historic landmark was about to bear witness to a new era of the republic.

Three major factions were expected to be represented at the council: Those who favored military intervention and major military spending increases, those that favored technological superiority, and finally those who opposed military intervention all together and insisted on a closed system approach to governing the republic. Prime Minister Kantorian and the Secretary General Samuel Alstrom were to be independent parties during the council proceedings and help act as mitigators. The military party was largely represented by the Republic Navy, and the top generals and admirals of the republic. The science faction, unsurprisingly, was represented by the top scientists in the republic. Lastly, the non-aggression faction was represented by various culture leaders and leaders of smaller nations of the republic. Approximately over three hundred delegates were expected to attend, the majority reigning from the first two major factions.

[IMG]https://www.internationaltraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Versailles-2-of-52.jpg[/IMG]

[I]Palace of Versailles where the emergency council took place.[/I]

The council was to take place in the Grande Galerie, or Hall of Mirrors. The room is filled with 357 mirrors, that overlook the outdoor gardens, supported by glorious marble pilasters and gilded bronze capitals. At the center of a room, a massive mahogany table was placed,with seating for the top delegates, which we’re approximately fifty of the three hundred. The other delegates will be able to watch the council through the live screens and interact with their faction’s delegates through microphones. Each faction had their own space within the palace with sleep accommodations, cafeterias, leisure areas, and plenty of meetings rooms. The meeting itself was still top secret to majority of the government, and further to the public. The grounds of the palace we’re closed and off limits to all press and civilians and all workers were issued non-disclosure agreements. Only those with top clearances, usually the personal aides of the officials, were allowed close to or inside the Hall of Mirrors. This caused quite a stir amid the media community who caught wiff of the event after top officials were seen arriving at the palace and a police cordon was inplace. Media and civilians alike began questioning the high government and protests quickly rose across the world, asking for full transparency. Kantorian’s office attempted to do damage control on the issue and released the following statement the day before the council was to begin:

“My fellow humans, I would like to extend my sincere apologizes for not informing the public sooner about the council about to take place at the Palace of Varsaille. This meeting is currently off limits to press and the public due to the matters discussed involving national, and galactic security. My office, as well as the republic government, is strongly committed to transparency between the government and the public. We promise to stand by these ideals and we will be informing the public and press as much as we possibly can throughout the council. My office, and the Ministry of Communications, will periodicly put out outdates we believe will not break established top secret protocols. I ask the public and press to have faith, confidence, and patience. Thank you.”

The press release was met with mixed emotion by both the press and the public, many stating that the release only raised more questions than it had answered. The number of protests only increased, and government approval ratings took a sharp turn. Many were calling the move autocratic. Nonetheless, the meeting was ready to get underway the next day.

[IMG]https://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20080221&t=2&i=3247959&w=780&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=img-2008-02-21T234534Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_India-320799-1[/IMG]

[I]Mass protests at government centers took place throughout the planet.[/I]

At 5:30 A.M., the palace was already alive with staff getting the final preparations underway for the the first day of the council, and many representatives were already awake completing their speeches, and practicing mock debates. Kantorian was in one of the many cafeterias having breakfast with Secretary General Alstrom.

“I’m telling you Sam, there’s no better croissants in the entire world. Mmmm do you see how much chocolate this is!?”

“Hahaha Flav careful not to spill all over yourself, jeez. Besides, I prefer oatmeal for breakfast, more nutritious. You’re in a pretty good mood for such an important day. Are you prepared for all the introductory ceremonies and speeches?”, Alstrom asked as he began slowly digging into his strawberry oatmeal.

“Yea i got everything ready back in my room. I ran it over with the team the past couple nights it should be a fairly uneventful first day. We’ll be getting the council up to speed on all developments, plan out the way discussions will work, set out goals and dates, you know all of it. I’m very curious to see both sides go at it though. I got a feeling it’s going to be a long one, but we’ll come out of it for the better at the end. I hope…”, Kantorian replied giving Alstrom with a worried look on his face, but it was gone just as soon as he started speaking again, “I’m gonna finish this croissant on my way back to my room. I’m gonna run some lines a couple more times and I’ll see you at the introductions in two hours.” He took his food, gave his best friend a pat on the back, and left the cafeteria.

Two hours later, the Hall of Mirrors was alive with politicians and their aides getting settled into their seats for the first day’s proceedings of the emergency council. It was a frenzy as televisions were turned on, microphones checked, papers shuffled and a swirl of voices floated through the air. Kantorian was in the room, alongside Alstrom, going through, shaking hands, and all the other usual introductory proceedings.

In the middle of the room, a large oval table is placed with seating for each faction having their own section of the table, with Kantorian and Alstrom sitting at the helm facing the southern gardens. The military section was seated on the right of the mediators, and Admiral Laurus Marten was chosen as the head representative of the faction. He currently serves as the Fleet Admiral of the Homeworld Defense Fleet of the Sol System, and has combat experience from the fleet’s first confrontations with pirates and hostile space creatures. Given his credentials, the military faction felt he was the best representative for the group, and understood the reasoning behind the goals they set out to achieve at the emergency council. One the left of Kantorian and Alstrom was the scientific faction, led by Chief Propulsion Scientist Kor Berallia whose team was credited for the invention of the human warp drive engine years back. His faction as well have their agenda set out and ready to engage with the other representatives. Lastly, across the table was the pacifist section who was being represented by Quiana Priddy, a forty year old woman from the English Territories. She was wearing a ceremonial robe representing her home state with a pin of Terra on her chest. She was a famous senior member of the Terra First Party whose platform is based around xenophobia against all non-human beings. The party believes that the human species needs to close off Sol from the rest of galaxy, and focus all the resources on the defense of Terra. They use the first hostile pirate encounters and the Uranus mining station disaster as evidence to push their platform.

After finishing the formalities, people began filling their seats and Kantorian was the last one standing at the table. He checked his watch, nodded to the Communications Minister to began the recordings and connect the feeds for the politicians in the other rooms. He cleared his throat and began:

“My fellow representatives, I am happy to welcome you to the second emergency council of The New Terran Republic. Thank you for those of you that could make it today, and for those watching in the other rooms, thank you as well for attending. The motivation for calling this council comes from the latest developments in the Fyudus Junction, which everyone should have been briefed on already. To quickly summarize, roughly four months ago, when the exploration vessel Brazen Encounter and her crew landed in orbit around FJ-2, they discovered what seemed like a pirate resupply base on the planet's surface. After analysing the images, we were able to conclude it was in fact a pirate resupply base ran by the Evil Fang Bandits due to the insignia seen on the base. As a result of this discovery, two major issues stand out. Number one, this station was placed very close within our space sectional borders without our knowledge. Second, the station is of an advanced design, larger than any of our mining stations or orbital stations, and able to withstand the extremely hostile environment on a gas giant. These two glaring problems are the reason we are meeting here today, and we will continue to meet until adequate solutions have been presented and agreed upon by a majority of the present representatives at this table. The Republic cannot exist within the galaxy without knowing the affairs occurring within its borders, and we must also tackle the naked truth that the Republic is currently ill equipped militarily, and technologically to deal with the possible dangers of further pirate attacks, or attacks of wild creatures such as the ones seen on Uranus. Thus, this council will work tirelessly to correct these issues. The council will begin today with introductory statements from all parties. The introductions will be followed by civilised and controlled debate. Secretary General Alstrom and myself will be acting as the mediators. A call to the end of the council can be put forth at any time, and requires a 2/3rds majority to pass. The vote must also require hard writing on the solutions presented in order for it to be voted upon, as well as all the other Republic Resolution 14: Document Authorization requirements to be met. Thank you again for being here today, and remember it is up to all of you to work together, for Terra and the greater solar system. They are counting on us out there. We will begin with the military sector. Admiral Laurus Marten has the floor.” Kantorian finished speaking pleased with how the introduction went, took a deep breath and nodded at Marten.

Admiral Laurus Marten, a tall yet aged man, with a freshly shaved face and deep voice that oozes professionalism and duty, stood up and introduced himself:

“Thank you Prime Minister Kantorian. My name is Admiral Larus Marten, I am in charge of the Homeworld Defense Fleet, and served during the pirate and Uranus crises. I stand before you here to today to present the arguments the military faction have brought forth for this emergency council. The military faction, comprised of the leading military personnel in the republic, feel it is highly critical the focus of this council is to reform the military itself, with a massive increase in defense spending for both home world defense, and sector surveillance. The military currently does not possessive the required amount of vessels to properly protect the republic’s borders. In the coming days, the military’s representatives and myself will lay forth a plan we believe will be a satisfactory solution to the emergency council. This plan will revolve around overhauling the fleet, expansion of our defensive measures, and heavy funding into military tactics and officer recruitment. These are the key problem areas we have identified and will be debating heavily towards those ends. Thank you.”

The admiral took a look around while making a salute as a gesture of respect to the other representatives present and those watching eagerly in the other rooms, and then sat back down in his seat. Kantorian stood back up and cleared his throat,

“Thank you Admiral Marten for your service to The Republic, representing your faction and for your introduction. The representative from the technology and trade faction has the floor”. Kor Berallia, a short man middle aged man with an iconic long curvy mustache and tenor voice, took this as his cue to stand up and begin his introduction,

“Hello my name is Kor Berallia, and I am the chief propulsion scientist aboard the New Hope Space Station as well as a senior research advisor at the International Academy of Sciences and Engineering. I stand before you here today as the head representative for the science and trade faction of this emergency council. Our faction firmly believes and will continuously reiterate the importance of increased funding for research and technological ventures as viable solutions to both emergency and military situations or possible threats the republic currently faces. My faction and myself want to stress that we are not a pacifist faction. We understand through the past crises that the republic faced, that sometimes peace is not an option. We simply believe that superior technology to our adversaries is the key to an everlasting republic. We also concur with with our military leaders that our currently abilities to surveil our current sector in the galaxy is a great shortcoming for proper planning and response to outside threats. In the coming days my faction and I will outline the areas in our technological capabilities we believe are severely lacking and need of upgrading, and the available paths to do so. We look forward to continued dialog and reaching a solution quickly with each respective faction. Thank you.” After Berallia sat down, Kantorian called up the final faction representative for the morning introductions,

“Hello, my name is Quiana Priddy and I am the current representative for the pacifist faction, and representing the greater Terra First party. We are here for this council, while a minority, to represent the interests of Earth, and humanity first. We firmly believe that the priority of this council should be to direct all funding to the defense of Earth, New Hope Station, the solar system mining stations. All efforts outside of Sol are putting humanity at an increased danger and as the galaxy has proven to us with the past crises and the current state of our military, humanity is not ready to join the rest of the universe among the stars. The plan we shall lay out will reflect these beliefs, along with more continued funding into education and cultural ventures to celebrate humanity in the face of savage otherworldly creatures. Thank you.” Priddy finished her speech with confidence among a sea of murmurs, most unpleasant in nature, and sat down giving the room back to Kantorian to finish the introductions to the council.

Kantorian stood up again, and prepared himself for the final speech of the morning: “Thank you to all of the representatives and their factions for their introductory arguments. We will be taking a thirty minute break to prepare for the first day’s official debate session. As stated before, the debates will continue throughout the day, until lunch at one o'clock, and then will resume until five in the afternoon. This will be the basic schedule every day, unless circumstances dictate otherwise. Debate will be orderly, and will follow the format of one speaker at a time with the other factions having opportunities to reply. At this time, the thirty minute recess begins. Thank you again, and let's make this council as productive, as it is historic.”

He finished his last speech for the day, and caught his breath amid another frenzy of noises as each representatives made their way back to their faction’s corner of the palace to discuss the opposition’s introductory statements.

The first day of the council was followed by weeks of vigorous debate. Each side, spirited in their arguments, went back and forth daily on how to handle the current crisis. After hours were marked by periods of closed door meetings, and backroom deals between factions on various portions of solutions, that ultimately became the final solution to the crisis. The most prominent parts of the solution was written by the representatives of the technology and military sectors, who both equally denied much of the agenda from the pacifists. During one of debate, admiral Marten directly called out the Terra First Party as “an impossibly silly fantasy that has no bounds in the reality; Terra’s faith is already settled to be among the rest of the occupied galaxy whether we like it or not. It is not a choice, and to accept any other narrative sets a dangerous precedent. We cannot be complacent to the outside world”. The short speech was met by loud applause from many representatives around the room. Outside of the palace, the general public and media was growing restless with the very little information coming out of the palace. The short announcements and information that came out weekly from the government gave nothing away as the the nature of the meeting, and only served to anger the media and public. As time went on, the size of protests grew larger and local police was actively guarding the palace.

After two months of continuous sessions, showdowns, and growing outside pressure, the final council concluded with vote that passed with a large majority. The passed Republic Resolution 519, was nicknamed “Military and Technology Retrofit Strategy” by the signatories. The plan involved massive increases in military funding in order to create a larger homeworld defense fleet, an expeditionary fleet for scouting nearby solar systems within the sector and intercepting any threats that may arise. Included in the funding is also the establishment of new military academies to directly train admirals and ship captains for long term space flight, space combat, and large scale fleet operations and logistics. The technology faction also came away from the council with a major victory. Funding will be given to leading research facilities to expand and hire more scientists, as well as expanding research into new avenues of both space ship design, ship weaponry, and ship defenses. Lastly, a new research facility was to opened in orbit to serve as an extension of the New Hope space station, as well as a long range communications outpost and sector proximity surveillance system. While the pacifist faction didn’t reach much of the goals they set forth when arriving at the council, a resolution could not be passed without their approval as they held sufficient seats to break the 2/3rds required number. The other factions continuously negotiated with the Terra Firma representative, and they were also able to come away with some positives from the council. Due to the new requirement of scientists, as well as military personnel, education systems across Earth are to receive massive funding boosts in order to be able to fill the new personnel requirement. While they disagree with the use of the funds, the faction understood the need for humanity to be well equipped off the battlefield, as well as the importance of general education to the public. The party celebrated the council as a victory when the resolution was made public.

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[I]Kantorian and Alstrom speaking before the signing of Republic Resolution 519 as representatives looked on.[/I]

The day following the signing of the agreement, Kantorian stepped outside of the palace onto the main driveway to deliver a statement to the press, and protesters. An announcement was made that there was to be a speech one hour before he was about to deliver and reporters and civilians alike all gathered, who were now all ready to hear what Kantorian had to say, amid isolated anti-government and Earth First chants:

“Hello and thank you all for being here today. As you know a large number of representatives from the various regions of Earth, along with representatives of the scientific and military communities have been actively engaging inside the palace for the past two months. The reasoning for not holding a public council was due to nature of the matters discussed, as they pertained to highly classified intelligence; a matter of solar system security. I am pleased to say that the council has ended successfully, with a large resolution having passed. This resolution, titled “The Military and Technology Retrofit Strategy”, will allow the government to begin reformation of the current use of our technology in the military, expand our military capacity and operations in our local sectors, as well as large increases in funding for public ventures that aid in the development of the republic. In the coming days, more information will be released about the resolution, and work will begin as it is laid out. All questions and inquires will be handled by the Ministry of Communications. I thank you all again for your patience and continued trust in the republic’s work for a better, safer tomorrow. Thank you.”

Kantorian stepped off the podium amid of frenzy of questions from reporters, renewed protests, and even waves of applause from supporters. The following weeks and months were packed with work in all areas of the government, as major reform began.

The largest undertaking was the retrofitting of republic military vessels. New thrusters were developed for quicker, more efficient maneuvering through local space, and rail gun technology was overhauled. While larger frigates were to keep the current heavy rail guns, escort class ships were overhauled with newer railguns that fired smaller rounds, but at a very fast pace. This allows for easier ammunition storage, longer lasting and more reliable guns, and allows the escorts to act as support in groups at a cheaper cost. A military academy to train navy pilots, officers, and to train fleet operations was also constructed and quickly began recruiting heavily. Some of the best officers to come out of the school, such as captain Thassun Marteri, were assigned to various ships within the newer, larger HomeWorld Defense Fleet. The fleet itself was expanded to three more frigates, and six new escorts. On the scientific front, research in military weaponry quickly began. In a bid to expand the arsenal of the republic, research began on ion weapons aimed at disabling enemy ship components, as well as researching the possibility of ship boardings with Republic Space Marines. A proximity sensor array was also designed by a team on Terra, and promptly installed on the New Hope Space Station. This proximity array gave the Republic the advantage of being able to surveil a distance of almost 48 billion kilometers, and ensured that the Republic would not be surprised by events in the local sector as well as be prepared for any possible attacks. Research also began on creating space countermeasures for missiles, and better tracking equipment for all vessels. The massive scientific and military undertaking due to the resolution passed in the Military and Technology Retrofit Strategy Resolution took three years to manifest into actual results. It was not until June, 2119 that the proximity array was installed and turned on, and the the terran space station was finishing the final construction of the fleet escorts. The undertaking also led to massive job creation on all fronts, and markets soared during the three year endeavor which also led to rising approval numbers for the republic government following the closed door council disapproval.

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[I]Escort Class vessel equipped with new railgun technology.[/I]

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[I]New large antenna dish connected to New Hope Space Station for sector surveillance. [/I]

The night the resolution passed, Kantorian was sitting with closest allies discussing the coming weeks and months of work. Kantorian was weary of the coming years, “I know what we passed today was historic and required, but I’m afraid of how much power we are giving the military. Yes this measures helps everyone all around but...they benefit the most out of this. They’ll gain political traction just watch.” Alstrom who was also present, drinking a glass of aged whisky answered,
“Eh, I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not. Only time will tell but we hardly had much of another choice? We had to act and give them those powers. Besides, can’t hurt The Republic to be a little tougher. We need to be able to take on more than just a damn space worm…” he said with a scoff.
“I suppose you’re right. We’re getting old Alstrom my man. We need to watch ourselves, and everyone else around us. These next couple years are going to get interesting.” he took a sip of his own whisky, and got lost in another train of thought.

They were both correct, as with the expansion of the military came a rise in power for the fleet command, as well as a shifting attitude of public opinion who began viewing security and technological prowess of great importance. Suddenly, the Republic Navy was as a large a faction, and voice within the republic chambers, as some of more sizable nations of Terra. Militarism was quickly on the rise.

With the fleet renewed, soldiers, pilots and commanders trained, ships armed and fueled, a grander age of expansion was about to begin for the Terran Republic.

OOOF. One hell of a chapter. Chapter 8 will be up next after a small interim chapter detailing some of the ship designs and stuff like that! Little more lore to the world. Thank you and C&C.