Turn 9
Year 2168 CE
You woke to a sharp pain deep in your chest, gasping as you quickly raised your hand to activate your Omnitool, decades of experience keeping you calm despite the distress you were in. Thumbing the emergency number, you laid back in bed trying to keep your breathing calm despite the frankly head-splitting pain you were going through, letting the rhythm of your breath keep you anchored.
It was difficult to tell the passing of time just then, but in what felt like only moments you heard the screech of the ambulance as the medics came barging into your house. Scans flickered over you as they talked to you… but you couldn't hear them. Why was that? Everything was… just so very tiring. You didn't want to sleep, but you could see them gesticulating, ushering you to do so as they injected… something into you.
So, you gave in and fell into blissful unconsciousness.
The next time you woke, it was far more peaceful, eyes flickering open to look at the white hospital ceiling as you lay in a comfortable bed. Then you groaned, the pain from a somewhat lesser headache sweeping through you.
"Easy there Jimmy."
Strong hands held your head up as a glass of water was held to your lips, with Tychas to the side asking for the nurse to go and fetch the doctor assigned to you, before finally helping you lie back.
Groaning, you looked over to him. "Tychas… what happened?"
He sat next to you, hands clasped together covering his chin, face contorted into a grim visage before finally seeming to muster up the courage to say the truth.
"You had a heart attack Jim."
You started forward only for him to grab you and keep you down.
"Easy, easssy. It wasn't serious, you're all fine according to the docs, but still…"
He looks down and as he does you can easily see the lines on his face. You reach into the pocket where you know he keeps it. He's kept it there ever since you lot took it back when you were just… dumb ass kids sent in from juvie.
It was a picture, taken on an old and busted up camera, but the faces of several graduating marine cadets were clearly visible. Tychas towering over everyone next to you, Janice with her arm thrown over your shoulder laughing at one of Morgaine's stupid jokes, and there with case of bear clasped firmly in both hands was Paul… as Stetman and Swan getting into another stupid argument, Sarah watching over all you dumb idiots fondly. Rookie platoon 61, young and convinced they could just take on the world and win.
You felt your fingers trace over the picture, over the faces of people who were no longer here, some for better reasons than others, and felt your heart tighten, this time with sorrow.
"We're not young men any more. I guess this is the warning shot." You said faintly.
Tychas shrugged, taking back the picture to stow it back in its special place, no matter how much it probably burned him to keep it.
"Well, least its not like we're just handing things over to a bunch of pansy ass punks. And who knows? Maybe retirement would suit some old hands like us after all."
Then he started chuckling, and after a moment you joined in, trying to imagine yourself relaxing on an Eden Prime beach in flip flops, a sun hat, Hawaiian shirt, swimming trunks and a big wad of sun cream across your nose just for added stereotype. You looked ridiculous!
As the doctor emerged, walking over with your chart ready and waiting, you looked over at him with your biggest smile and asked: "So what's up doc?"
Situation: James Raynor has had a minor stroke. While in excellent condition for a man of his age, he is advancing in years. 87 years old right now, and has been living a very high stress life style for pretty much all of them. The fact he's out on the frontier, underground, with less than top quality healthcare right now isn't helping either. While it is not yet at the level where his duties are being impacted, the stress of last year was enough to tip him over the edge. Tychas Findly is also starting to feel his age, and both are considering retirement.
Otherwise, the archaeological expedition is reporting some progress, and while Horner and Han will be available at the end of the year after they finish their honeymoon they won't be around for most of it. You've also gotten a gift from the Hanar, as thanks for the Enkindled. (D20 = 18 =) 4 Harmony Defence Platforms with resources to maintain them for three years. Increase orbital defences by four, for no extra cost.
Finally, Nal'Vatanis' refinery has opened in orbit and is rapidly increasing the amount of profit it's bringing in. +750 income per year, increasing by an additional +750 each year for the foreseeable future.
Pick 7 6
[] System Defences: You have them now, but if anything, the recent attack proves you can never have enough of them. -1200 credits
[] Planetary Exploration: You've plenty of data, but even so there's plenty of mysteries. -100 credits
[] Planetary Exploration: Jungle This is quite clearly a whole other level of danger, and it requires a whole other level of investment. -700 credits
[] Mining Minerals: Valuable, and easier to get (must take Planetary Exploration to be useful.)
10KM sites 300 credits per site taken (can take a maximum of three sites per action)
Beryllium deposit
Silicon and Graphite
15 KM sites 500 credits per site taken
Gold
Iron
[] Eezo 2. Electric boogaloo: With the cavern beginning construction what next becomes apparent is that you need to get that Eezo exploited as soon as possible, or at least covered. The amount of devastation it managed in an unrefined state was immense, you don't want a repeat of that. Thankfully Nal'vatanis is more than happy to set up a second mine/refinery, although the start up cost will be greater than before due to structural instability. -2000 credits
[] Create Infrastructure: The lifeblood of any nation. While you are confident that barring a massive battle what you have won't decay, you need to invest to improve what is there (potential decrease due to sudden expansion). -1500 credits.
[X] Found new city: You've found a new massive cavern that is perfect for a large-scale settlement. Of course, it'll be a lot of effort to make, but it'll be far easier than Lightning was and will open up easy access to a new Eezo deposit. Right now you just have the population for this to work… just. -1750 credits
[] Build additional Hydroponics: While you will be setting these up as they become needed, building more than you need will probably boost morale and give people's diets more variations. -300 credits.
[] Antanov Ring Establishment: Setting up facilities in the ring would be very beneficial, for water, minerals and setting up infrastructure for future development like ship yards. -800 credits.
[] Helium 3 extraction: The essential star ship fuel, while you won't be able to export this stuff by any means you do have a gas giant or two. Extracting and refining enough that you don't need to purchase it from outside and can sell to traders doesn't seem too hard especially since Nal'vatanis is using Perkwunuos as the centre for her suddenly massive number of mining zones. -500 credits.
[] Military Expansion: You've lost a lot of soldiers over the years. To wildlife, pirates and other threats. You need to start recruiting new ones for defence. Happy is the city that in times of peace thinks of war. -1000 credits
[] Building Small: Now you can service pretty much any ship barring the largest monsters, but now you need to go bigger. You need to be able to actually build ships. Well, easier said than done considering the number of components that still need to be manufactured elsewhere, but it's doable. -1750 credits.
[] Wildlife Exploitation: The Flora and Fauna of this world is monstrous, but also potentially beneficial. And figuring out why you haven't been targeted yet is pretty important. -500 credits.
[] Research: You got egg heads, but you're pretty sure you're not in a position to get them doing stuff at this stage. With the researchers from Berkenstine you can finally do some research. Topics are minerology, geology and lithology. (hint sound in caves).
[Sound in caves research locked]
[] Equipment for the Frontier: While you may not have too many traditional science types what you do have are experts in fire arms, armour and other things of that nature. Let's see what your boys can wizard up. -200 credits (Can write in specific gear)
[] Licencing: The Harrier turned out better than your wildest dream. Maybe you can see about getting a weapon's company interested in the thing? -150 credits
[] Reach out to [Insert colony] for [Insert Reason]: Your fellows maybe able to help you in ways you hadn't considered. Olmatsi is the power house of the region, maybe Roquiban will give your people a discount, maybe Kappa Su will let you purchase food, perhaps the wildlife experts on Hogranis can aid you with your own? You can also offer aid if you think you have anything to give.
[] Encourage Migration: While you've opened up migration and got a surprisingly large number of takers you need to get more coming through. Its not cheap or easy to advertise a death world as a good home, but you can manage it. -600 Credits
[] Volus Volus Volus?: You have to admit you haven't thought much of the Volus. You've the mind of a quarter master, which so far is all you've needed, but the galaxies economists are arriving in the cluster in force. Maybe offer them some help setting up, wouldn't be amiss. -10 credits (variable costs/benefits depending on what, if anything, they decide they need help with.)
[] Enthusiastic Greetings: Given the currently close relationship Nal'vatanis has with Kappa Su, maybe you can leverage this to get some good trade deals going? Everyone needs minerals after all. -10 credits.
[] Reach out to Alliance: They might be able to help you, but they may also be too busy. -10 credits
[] Congressional: The Congress is humanities representative body. While you won't have a representative for a while, getting involved now may ensure that you are not forgotten as other colonies with faster growing populations get involved especially now with the current confusion and fluctuation in how the Alliance may govern itself. -100 credits (can write in a specific purpose)
[] Citadel: Similarly, you've made a surprisingly large number of contacts in Citadel space. Enough that you can confidently say you may be able to find something interesting if you give it a poke. (can write in specific purpose.) -100 credits
[] Reach out to Corporations: They may be willing to help you, they may also try to screw you over. -5 credits.
[] Investment: Nal'vatanis is currently one of your biggest employers, but also one of your colonies most lucrative contacts in general. Helping them helps you, so fund them and with luck reap the rewards. -1000 credits
[] Acquire licence: Now that you have the rights to produce Hahne-Kedar weapons you've actually created some factories, which can produce all kinds of things so long as you have the manufacturing licence. You've certainly got the resources to do it. Acquiring the licences for ship parts will probably reduce the cost of the ship yards, or at least increase their profits. Currently you've got some people who may be interested.
Heed Industries: Thruster manufacturer -1000 up front cost
Tuhi Storage: Creates storage crates -500 up front cost
Kassa Fabrications: High quality body armour -1100 up front cost
Write in potential corporation, SA, Citadel or even Terminus. Create your own if you wish as well
The cost may vary, but the long-term benefits are excellent
[] Ensure Healthcare: Between the fauna, flora and eezo you need it and while it may be decent now, it will need expanding. -800 credits
[] Ensure Education: Welp the basics are down, but maybe ensuring as much is done in advance as possible before the kiddies grow up is a good idea. -800 credits
Locked for now!
[] Reach out to Universities: You've got quite a few researchable things out here, and maybe some universities will be willing to come set up research posts. -10 credits
[] Establish Police: Well you certainly made the right call with this one, but you are going to need to get it even beefier if you want to keep unwanted eyes away. -1200 credits.
[] Write in
Thanks again to
@EternalStruggle
I'll update the front sheet tomorrow.
