A Hive for The Galaxy (Sci-Fi CK2-style Quest)

The Laurent · Aug 6, 2015

Count the Costs: Stewardship Hunt 2829

The candidates were carefully chosen, but not all presented themself carefully. Gaerka was a brash, bold individual, given to bombastic statements and bold financial risks that paid off often enough for them to be one of the richest of the Merchant Caste. While they sold themselves as someone who had started from the bottom, and had even been a very, very distant candidate during the selection for the role that became 'Speaker', they were actually middle-caste, and from a caste whose function, long since subsumed, meant that it was entirely reasonable for them to enter business. This they did well, though, there's no doubt, but even more than their financial acumen, what drew Vorzhan to them was their knowledge of the business world.

They could wine, dine, and convinced wealthy donors and backers that the government meant them no harm. While they were merely smart and good at making money, not an economist at all, they'd certainly contribute quite a bit with their connections, and they wouldn't be horrible at base economic issues, though they neither know nor care much about the legal issues, and they'd have advisers for that sort of thing.

Mauris Law-Caste, on the other hand, was a clever investor in small ways, yes, and they knew several economists who could eventually help them catch up on the basics, but their real advantage was their great knowledge of the law-books, and the fact that they had been working for Kikkizit and the Speaker for free on a large number of issues already. They were 'clued in' at least to the nonclassified actions, and even had some intimation of the economic warfare and sabotage that was going on. They'd bring plenty of knowledge and ability to reform the laws and knowledge of how laws and economics interacted, but they would certainly not be the choice that brought the most talent to the fore or pleased the business castes.

Finally, Taklirn represented the economists. Some had approved of the Speaker, some had disapproved, and ultimately theirs was not a demographic that mattered much either way, even compared to the Intellectuals. What did matter was that they were known, at least on Gazinitah, as the go-to talking-head for economic matters. There were rumors of a rather dissolute lifestyle and a tendency not always to follow their own macro-economic wisdom on a micro-economic scale, but on the other hand, Kikkizit could vouch that they were brilliant and radical, perhaps even Communal in outlook while still aware of the realities of the modern intergalactic economy. They could be a voice of reform--not moral, nobody would believe that--but this very possibility meant that it wouldn't be a popular decision with the business castes. Not merely 'neutral confusion' as with Mauris, but outright surprise and hostility.

Choose a Stewardship Bug

[] Gaerka
[] Mauris Law-Caste
[] Taklirn

A/N: Not too much to say. A big post by my Co-QM next, to buy time/allow me to write the War Turn start, then the War Turn, then the Rumors section. Then we go onto Turn 6!

lkmcclenahan · Aug 7, 2015

THE NEW SPACE COMBAT SYSTEM

The space combat system has received a number of changes since the Battle of the Pirates' Moon – while the core mechanics are still the same, other things have been added in. For example, ships' maneuvering ability now actually matters. To demonstrate this and show off the system as it currently stands, I thought I'd share a few examples with the thread.

To demonstrate the new importance of maneuver ratings, I conducted a test engagement between a division of battleships and a division of battlecruisers. The opposing sides:

BATTLESHIP DIVISION
- ISS Dependable (Steadfast class battleship) (Flagship - Command 24)
- ISS Formidable (Steadfast class battleship)
- ISS Leviathan (Steadfast class battleship)
- ISS Relentless (Steadfast class battleship)

BATTLECRUISER DIVISION
- ISS Incredible (Fearless class battlecruiser) (Flagship - Commander 27)
- ISS Daring (Fearless class battlecruiser)
- ISS Intemperate (Fearless class battlecruiser)
- ISS Valiant (Fearless class battlecruiser)

Incorporated Suns STEADFAST class Battleship
HP 26 – Size 9 – E Def 17.5 – M Def 18.9 – E Atk 18 – M Atk 7.2 – Maneuver 59.1

Incorporated Suns FEARLESS class Battlecruiser
HP 20 – Size 6 - E Def 7.6 – M Def 8.9 – E Atk 18.5 – M Atk 7.9 – Maneuver 18.5

Size defines how likely a ship is to get hit relative to other ships in the same formation. Because all the ships in each formation are the same size here, it doesn't really apply much.
E Def – Energy Defense
M Def – Missile Defense
E Atk – Energy Attack
M Atk – Missile Attack
Because of the way that maneuvering ability is calculated, a higher Maneuver stat indicates a less agile ship, while a lower stat one with better thrust-to-weight ratio.

The mechanic of two forces first engaging each other with missile salvos, then with energy weapons, during each pass remains the same- less than a minute from contact, the two divisions start launching missiles, firing until their autoloader drums are empty. The salvo weights are very similar- the battleship force launches a total of 640 missiles, the battlecruisers 704.

THE MISSILE ATTACK ROLL

BB Force: 4d10 + (BB Force Missile Attack Total) – (BC Force Missile Defence Total)
4d10 + 28.8 – 35.6
23 + 28.8 – 35. 6 = 16.2. 16 hits scored on BC Force

BC Force: 4d10 + (BC Force Missile Attack Total) – (BB Force Missile Defence Total)
4d10 + 31.6 – 75.6
27 + 31.6 – 75.6 = -17. 0 hits scored on BB Force.

Distributing the damage: 16d4 = 2,3,4,3,3,4,1,1,3,4,2,4,1,1,2,2 : 1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2,3,3,3,3,4,4,4,4

4x 1, 4x 2, 4x 3, 4x 4

Despite the battlecruisers' slightly heavier salvo weight overall, they were unable to achieve any meaningful result- not only were they having to contend with missile defence systems, but also with the battleships' more powerful shields and thicker hull armor. In response, the battlecruisers' lighter protection allowed the battleships to inflict some damage- each battlecruiser loses 4 hit points. Not enough, however, to impair their combat ability yet.

BC FORCE
ISS Incredible – 16/20 HP
ISS Daring – 16/20 HP
ISS Intemperate – 16/20 HP
ISS Valiant – 16/20 HP

THE MANEUVER ROLL
Now, mere seconds from energy range, each force performs a last-minute course change to try and angle for a better position. How well they do at this relative to each other is represented by the Maneuver roll.

BB Force: 1d100 + BB Force Command rating – BB Force Maneuver rating
1d100 + 27 – 59.1
43 + 27 – 59.1 = 10.9 (round to 11)

BC Force: 1d100 + BC Force Command rating – BC Force Maneuver rating
1d100 +24 – 18.5
64 + 24 – 18.5 = 69.5 (round to 70)

Courtesy of their superior thrust-to-weight ratio and some good rolling, the battlecruisers achieved a superior position – the difference between the rolls means that they will be able to ignore 59 points of damage, having placed themselves where the battleship commanders, in the seconds before contact, will only just be able to bring their batteries to bear in time.

THE ENERGY ATTACK ROLL

BB Force: 4d10 + (BB Force Energy Attack Total) – (BC Force Energy Defence Total) – (BC Force Maneuver Advantage)
4d10 + 72 – 30.4 - 59
22 + 72 – 30.4 – 59 = 4.6. 5 hits scored on BC Force

BC Force: 4d10 + (BC Force Energy Attack Total) – (BB Force Energy Defence Total)
4d10 + 76 – 70
17 + 76 – 70 = 23. 23 hits scored on BB Force.

Distributing the damage:

5d4: 3,4,4,1,2 : 1,2,3,4,4
1x 1, 1x 2, 1x 3, 2x 4

23d4: 1,1,2,1,2,2,4,3,4,4,3,2,3,4,1,4,1,2,3,3,4,1,3 : 1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2,2,3,3,3,3,3,3,4,4,4,4,4,4

6x 1, 5x 2, 6x 3, 6x 4

BC FORCE
ISS Incredible – 15/20 HP
ISS Daring – 15/20 HP
ISS Intemperate – 15/20 HP
ISS Valiant – 14/20 HP

BB FORCE
ISS Dependable – 20/26 HP
ISS Formidable – 21/26 HP
ISS Leviathan – 20/26 HP
ISS Relentless – 20/26 HP

The maneuverability of the battlecruisers allowed them to pass mostly outside the battleships' weapon arcs, though not entirely- each battlecruiser received enough damage to take it below 75% HP. At this point, they suffer a minor reduction in offensive and defensive capability. The battleships all took heavier hits, but they have more HP to burn than the more fragile battlecruisers and their superior defenses stopped most of the fire headed their way.

With the first pass finished, one thing becomes clear- it is foolish at best for battlecruisers to engage battleships with equal numbers. Even with their maneuvering ability they were unable to evade all of the battleships' fire, and it did nothing to protect them from the missile salvo beforehand. In addition, their continued survival during each pass relies largely on luck- had the maneuver rolls been reversed the battlecruisers would have only been shielded from 17 points of damage during the energy exchange and as a result they would have sustained a near-catastrophic total of 47 hits, enough to take all of them below half health assuming an even distribution of damage.

Shall we see if the other variety of battlecruiser, which trades in firepower for its maneuvering advantage instead of protection, fares any better?

BATTLESHIP DIVISION
- ISS Dependable (Steadfast class battleship) (Flagship - Command 24)
- ISS Formidable (Steadfast class battleship)
- ISS Leviathan (Steadfast class battleship)
- ISS Relentless (Steadfast class battleship)

ARMORED BATTLECRUISER DIVISION
- HFS Zerachiel (Seraph class armored battlecruiser) (Flagship - Command 22)
- HFS Cassiel (Seraph class armored battlecruiser)
- HFS Sachiel (Seraph class armored battlecruiser)
- HFS Uriel (Seraph class armored battlecruiser)

Incorporated Suns STEADFAST class Battleship
HP 26 – Size 9 – E Def 17.5 – M Def 18.9 – E Atk 18 – M Atk 7.2 – Maneuver 59.1

Holy Free State SERAPH class Armored Battlecruiser
HP 23 – Size 8 – E Def 12.6 – M Def 13.9 – E Atk 7.2 – M Atk 5 – Maneuver 12.9

MISSILE ROLL
BB FORCE: 4d10 (23) + 28.8 – 55.6 = -13.8 (0 hits scored)
BC(A) FORCE: 4d10 (27) + 20 – 75.6 = -32.6 (0 hits scored)

MANEUVER ROLL
BB FORCE: 1d100 (60) + 24 – 59.1 = 24.9 (round to 25)
BC(A) FORCE: 1d100 (80) + 22 – 12.9 = 89.1 (round to 89)

BC(A) Force evades 64 points of damage.

ENERGY ROLL
BB FORCE: 4d10 (24) + 72 – 50.4 – 64 = -18.4 (0 hits scored)
BC(A) FORCE: 4d10 (18) + 28.8 – 70 = -23.2 (0 hits scored)

The answer: not really. Both sides' defenses rendered them almost immune to missiles, though the battleships would have scored a few hits had they rolled high. The battlecruisers' maneuvering allowed them to completely evade all damage, while their lighter, heavy cruiser grade batteries couldn't have made any impression on the battleships even if they'd rolled four tens.

However, again, if the maneuver rolls had been reversed, the battlecruisers would have only been able to evade 24 points of damage, meaning they would have taken 5/6 points of damage each on average. Their survival is again dependent on good maneuver rolls, and unlike the other variety of battlecruiser they are completely incapable of inflicting any damage at all in return. Hardly a winning proposition!

While handy for the purposes of proving a point, battleships and battlecruisers engaging each other alone is hardly a realistic set-up. For the third example, we're going to use a scenario that should prove rather familiar!

1st (Provisional) Heavy Cruiser Division
· Prince Izec (Prince Izec class) (Flagship - Command 21)
· Prince Iltixx (Prince Izec class)
· Prince Zaynzem (Prince Izec class)
· Guardian (Warrior class)
· Thunderous (Warrior class)
1st Light Cruiser Squadron
· Aspereiz (Aspereiz class)
· Brazen (Aspereiz class)
· Crescent (Aspereiz class)
· Hunter (Aspereiz class)
· Skirmisher (Aspereiz class)
· Watchkeeper (Aspereiz class)
2nd Light Cruiser Squadron
· Active (Aspereiz class)
· Chaser (Aspereiz class)
· Denguard (Aspereiz class)
· Pathfinder (Aspereiz class)
· Patrol (Aspereiz class)
· Pioneer (Aspereiz class)
1st Destroyer Flotilla
· Afen (Zynshos class)
· Greai (Zynshos class)
· Kleyika (Zynshos class)
· Orvestath (Zynshos class)
· Ozos (Zynshos class)
· Shraw (Zynshos class)
· Uznal (Zynshos class)
· Zeyri (Zynshos class)
2nd Destroyer Flotilla
· Ektin (Zynshos class)
· Ilnik (Zynshos class)
· Irabrius (Zynshos class)
· Kluos (Zynshos class)
· Phen (Zynshos class)
· Styax (Zynshos class)
· Zim (Zynshos class)
· Zynshos (Zynshos class)
1st Frigate Flotilla
· Asteroid (Pulsar class)
· Comet (Pulsar class)
· Constellation (Pulsar class)
· Eclipse (Pulsar class)
· Meteor (Pulsar class)
· Nebula (Pulsar class)
· Pulsar (Pulsar class)
· Quasar (Pulsar class)

Gazinith PRINCE IZEC class Heavy Cruiser
HP 16 – Size 3 – E Def 4.3 – M Def 5 – E Atk 4.5 – M Atk 3.2 – Maneuver: 9.3

Gazinith WARRIOR class Heavy Cruiser
HP 15 – Size 2 – E Def 3.4 – M Def 3.7 – E Atk 4.2 – M Atk 0.5 – Maneuver: 9.6

Gazinith ASPEREIZ class Light Cruiser
HP 12 – Size 2 – E Def 2.1 – M Def 2.5 – E Atk 2.1 – M Atk 2.5 – Maneuver: 2.5

Gazinith ZYNSHOS class Destroyer
HP 5 – Size 1 – E Def 0.5 – M Def 0.7 – E Atk 1 – M Atk 0.3 – Maneuver: 0.7

Gazinith PULSAR class Frigate
HP 3 – Size 1 – E Def 0.3 – M Def 0.7 – E Atk 0.7 – M Atk 0.3 – Maneuver: 0.7

- Phoenix Wing

o Heavy Cruiser Division

§ Gorgon (Restitution class) (Flagship - Command 18)
§ Basilisk (Restitution class)
§ Griffon (Restitution class)
§ Hydra (Restitution class)

o Light Cruiser Squadron

§ Aventail (Caveat class)
§ Escutcheon (Caveat class)
§ Gauntlet (Caveat class)
§ Lorica (Caveat class)
§ Morion (Caveat class)
§ Spaulder (Caveat class)

o Destroyer Flotilla

§ Assegai (Tort class)
§ Cinquedea (Tort class)
§ Gladius (Tort class)
§ Kirpan (Tort class)
§ Kukri (Tort class)
§ Rapier (Tort class)
§ Tulwar (Tort class)
§ Zaghnal (Tort class)

o Frigate Flotilla

§ Bombard (Writ class)
§ Carronade (Writ class)
§ Culverin (Writ class)
§ Falconet (Writ class)
§ Howitzer (Writ class)
§ Mortar (Writ class)
§ Saker (Writ class)
§ Serpentine (Writ class)

- Pirates

o 3x assorted Light Cruiser (count as Barsa United Harmony class CL)
o 10x assorted Destroyer (count as Barsa Wading Stone class DD)
o 19x assorted Raider (count as Gazinith Diamond class FF)

Mercantile Republic RESTITUTION class Heavy Cruiser
HP 16 – Size 3 – E Def 3.1 – M Def 4.2 – E Atk 6.2 – M Atk 5.2 – Maneuver 12.6

Mercantile Republic CAVEAT class Light Cruiser
HP 9 – Size 2 – E Def 1.2 – M Def 1.9 – E Atk 4.1 – M Atk 3.5 – Maneuver 5

Mercantile Republic TORT class Destroyer
HP 5 – Size 1 – E Def 0.4 – M Def 0.6 – E Atk 1.4 – M Atk 0.8 – Maneuver 1.4

Mercantile Republic WRIT class Frigate
HP 3 – Size 1 – E Def 0.3 – M Def 0.7 – E Atk 1.1 – M Atk 0.8 – Maneuver 1.6

Pirate Light Cruiser
HP 10 – Size 2 – E Def 1.6 – M Def 1.8 – E Atk 2.6 – M Atk 0.3 – Maneuver 5.1

Pirate Destroyer
HP 4 – Size 1 – E Def 0.4 – M Def 0.5 – E Atk 0.8 – M Atk 0.1 – Maneuver 1.2

Pirate Raider
HP 2 – Size 1 – E Def 0.3 – M Def 0.4 – E Atk 0.3 – M Atk 0.1 – Maneuver 0.8

We pick up just after the pirate flotilla has scattered to the four winds, falling for your feint and trying desperately to get out of the way. A single light cruiser and a group of eight raiders pull towards the Phoenix Wing force, and the rest just go every which way. Three minutes before contact, the Gazinith force turns back toward Phoenix Wing, now facing a more favourable prospect. Missiles are flung from launchers, even the scattered pirate vessels managing to contribute in that regard, if not in any meaningful way.

Gazinith Missiles at Phoenix Wing: 5d8 (25) + 12d6 (51) + 24d4 (64) + 34.6 – 43.6 = 131 (131 hits)
Phoenix Wing Missiles at Gazinith Force: 4d8 (17) + 7d6 (25) + 24d4 (59) + 55.7 – 69.2 = 87.5 (88 hits)
Pirate Missiles at Gazinith Force: 2d6 (11) + 21d4 (46) + 2.7 – 69.2 =-9.5 (0 hits)

CH Prince Izec – 13/16
CH Prince Iltixx – 12/16 (Light Damage)
CH Prince Zaynzem – 10/16 (Light Damge)
CH Guardian – 12/15
CH Thunderous – 14/15
CL Active – 10/12
CL Aspereiz – 12/12
CL Brazen – 8/12 (Light Damage)
CL Chaser – 9/12 (Light Damage)
CL Crescent – 9/12 (Light Damage)
CL Denguard – 8/12 (Light Damage)
CL Hunter – 8/12 (Light Damage)
CL Pathfinder – 10/12
CL Patrol – 8/12 (Light Damage)
CL Pioneer – 7/12 (Light Damage)
CL Skirmisher – 8/12 (Light Damage)
CL Watchkeeper – 7/12 (Light Damage)
DD Afen – 4/5
DD Greai – 2/5 (Moderate Damage)
DD Ektin – 2/5 (Moderate Damage)
DD Ilnik – 5/5
DD Irabrius – 5/5
DD Kleyika – 5/5
DD Kluos – 4/5
DD Orvestath – 3/5 (Light Damage)
DD Ozos – 1/5 (Heavy Damage)
DD Phen – 3/5 (Light Damage)
DD Shraw – 5/5
DD Styax – 3/5 (Light Damage)
DD Uznal – 3/5 (Light Damage)
DD Zeyri– 3/5 (Light Damage)
DD Zim – 2/5 (Moderate Damage)
DD Zynshos – 5/5
FF Asteroid – 3/3
FF Comet – 3/3
FF Constellation – 1/3 (Heavy Damage)
FF Eclipse – 3/3
FF Meteor – 2/3 (Moderate Damage)
FF Nebula – 2/3 (Moderate Damage)
FF Pulsar – 1/3 (Heavy Damage)
FF Quasar – 3/3

CH Gorgon – 13/16
CH Basilisk – 4/16 (Heavy Damage)
CH Griffon – 6/16 (Moderate Damage)
CH Hydra – 9/16 (Light Damage)
CL Aventail – 8/9
CL Escutcheon – 1/9 (Heavy Damage)
CL Gauntlet – 6/9 (Light Damage)
CL Lorica – 4/9 (Moderate Damage)
CL Morion – 4/9 (Moderate Damage)
CL Spaulder – 2/9 (Heavy Damage)
DD Assegai – 2/5 (Moderate Damage)
DD Cinquedea – 2/5 (Moderate Damage)
DD Gladius – 3/5 (Light Damage)
DD Kirpan – 3/5 (Light Damage)
DD Kukri – 4/5
DD Rapier – 2/5 (Moderate Damage)
DD Tulwar – 3/5 (Light Damage)
DD Zaghnal – 1/5 (Heavy Damage)
FF Bombard – 0/3 EXPLODED
FF Carronade – 3/3
FF Culverin – 1/3 (Heavy Damage)
FF Falconet – 0/3 Wrecked
FF Howitzer – 1/3 (Heavy Damage)
FF Mortar – 0/3 EXPLODED
FF Saker – 0/3 EXPLODED
FF Serpentine – 1/3 (Heavy Damage)
Pirate CL – 2/10 (Heavy Damage)
Pirate Raider – 0/2 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 0/2 Wrecked
Pirate Raider – 0/2 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 0/2 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 0/2 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 1/2 (Heavy Damage)
Pirate Raider – 0/2 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 0/2 Wrecked

Well… that had to hurt.

THE MANEUVER ROLL

Now, Phoenix Wing are going to do something different here. They've just taken a hard hit, and if the Gazinith fleet manages to bring them into energy range then they'll be hit even harder- so, instead of trying to maneuver for an advantageous position before contact, the Phoenix Wing force is going attempt to avoid engagement entirely. If they roll higher than Gazinitah in the maneuver roll, then they break off and there is no energy attack roll.

Gazinith Maneuver: 1d100 (24) + 21 – 9.6 = 35.4 (round to 35)

Phoenix Wing Maneuver: 1d100 (20) + 18 – 25.2 = 12.8 (Round to 13)

Unfortunately, hobbled by half of their heavy cruisers having damaged drives, they don't manage to do so. This is going to hurt, a lot.

THE ENERGY ROLL

Gazinith Force: 5d8 (25) + 12d6 (43) +16d4 (39) + (8d4 / 2) (10) + 56.8 – 15.6 = 158.2 (158 hits)

Phoenix Wing Force: 2d8 (11) + (2d8 / 2) (5) + 2d6 (5) + (5d6 / 2) (9) + 5d4 (16) + (8d4 / 2) (9.5) + 40.1 – 46.1 = 49.5 (50 hits)

CH Prince Izec – 11/16 (Light Damage)
CH Prince Iltixx – 9/16 (Light Damage)
CH Prince Zaynzem – 8/16 (Moderate Damage)
CH Guardian – 12/15
CH Thunderous – 12/15
CL Active – 8/12 (Light Damage)
CL Aspereiz – 5/12 (Moderate Damage)
CL Brazen – 6/12 (Moderate Damage)
CL Chaser – 7/12 (Light Damage)
CL Crescent – 7/12 (Light Damage)
CL Denguard – 7/12 (Light Damage)
CL Hunter – 6/12 (Moderate Damage)
CL Pathfinder – 9/12 (Light Damage)
CL Patrol – 6/12 (Moderate Damage)
CL Pioneer – 7/12 (Light Damage)
CL Skirmisher – 5/12 (Moderate Damage)
CL Watchkeeper – 6/12 (Moderate Damage)
DD Afen – 4/5
DD Greai – 2/5 (Moderate Damage)
DD Ektin – 2/5 (Moderate Damage)
DD Ilnik – 5/5
DD Irabrius – 5/5
DD Kleyika – 5/5
DD Kluos – 4/5
DD Orvestath – 3/5 (Light Damage)
DD Ozos – 1/5 (Heavy Damage)
DD Phen – 2/5 (Moderate Damage)
DD Shraw – 5/5
DD Styax – 3/5 (Light Damage)
DD Uznal – 2/5 (Moderate Damage)
DD Zeyri– 1/5 (Heavy Damage)
DD Zim – 1/5 (Heavy Damage)
DD Zynshos – 5/5
FF Asteroid – 1/3 (Heavy Damage)
FF Comet – 1/3 (Heavy Damage)
FF Constellation – 0/3 Wrecked
FF Eclipse – 3/3
FF Meteor – 2/3 (Moderate Damage)
FF Nebula – 0/3 Wrecked
FF Pulsar – 0/3 EXPLODED
FF Quasar – 3/3

CH Gorgon – 0/16 Wrecked
CH Basilisk – 0/16 EXPLODED
CH Griffon – 0/16 EXPLODED
CH Hydra – 0/16 EXPLODED
CL Aventail – 2/9 (Heavy Damage)
CL Escutcheon – 0/9 EXPLODED
CL Gauntlet – 0/9 EXPLODED
CL Lorica – 0/9 EXPLODED
CL Morion – 0/9 Wrecked
CL Spaulder – 0/9 EXPLODED
DD Assegai – 0/5 Wrecked
DD Cinquedea – 0/5 EXPLODED
DD Gladius – 0/5 EXPLODED
DD Kirpan – 2/5 (Moderate Damage)
DD Kukri – 1/5 (Heavy Damage)
DD Rapier – 0/5 Wrecked
DD Tulwar – 1/5 (Heavy Damage)
DD Zaghnal – 1/5 (Heavy Damage)
FF Bombard – 0/3 EXPLODED
FF Carronade – 3/3
FF Culverin – 0/3 EXPLODED
FF Falconet – 0/3 Wrecked
FF Howitzer – 0/3 EXPLODED
FF Mortar – 0/3 EXPLODED
FF Saker – 0/3 EXPLODED
FF Serpentine – 0/3 EXPLODED
Pirate CL – 0/10 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 0/2 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 0/2 Wrecked
Pirate Raider – 0/2 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 0/2 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 0/2 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 0/2 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 0/2 EXPLODED
Pirate Raider – 0/2 Wrecked

And, all that's left is one badly damaged light cruiser, four badly damaged destroyers, and one miraculously unscathed frigate all frantically transmitting their surrender, along with seven drifting wrecks. A crushing victory, though one that doesn't leave a lot for the victors to recover afterward. Mind, Gazinitah, despite only losing three frigates, didn't escape unscathed- most if it's capital ships damaged to one degree or another.

McClenahan: Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Tell us what you think! Also, why yes, I have worked out warships for most of the major polities. Just in case!

The Laurent: Also, vote is still open on Stewardship choices, am working on the 'From the Ashes?' war turn thing, will hopefully post it tomorrow afternoon/morning/something!

The Laurent · Aug 8, 2015

From the Ashes, Part 1

It's not really the decision of one bug, and yet there are choices that have to be made in planning and executing the operation. But choices don't begin in a vacuum. It takes information to make them, and time and dedication, and Vorzhan, being one of the cleverest Xvorzit I ever met, and brilliant at both planning and executing undercover operations and causing mayhem, had them both. They also had an elite information network which managed to gather a considerable amount of information about--to translate it into a human approximation--57 Xu Haztin Station. Sometimes known as the 'Big 57.'

Information:

The 'Big 57' had been an important Iashec trading station for a long time, but it was only in the past twenty years that it became so vital and its purpose changed. Whereas before it had been primarily mercantile though also no doubt supporting plenty of mercenary bands, it had grown more military in latter days, and was now a haven of black-box and mercenary operations in this sector of the Mercantile Republic's overall galactic presence. With a population in the ten millions, the system was even less populous than that containing the Pirates' Moon but it had a large influx of people leaving and arriving, perfect for infiltrating as Lucille had already done.

In fact, some of Lucille's and Vorzhan's agents had even infiltrated the more 'civilian focused' aspects of the military, the ones that were officially defense forces. What was harder to get a grip on was the constantly changing cast of Iashec-backed mercenaries that served as the primary security force for the facility where the Phoenix Wing ships were held.

Simply put, any assault would have to gain control of the docks covertly and then crew the recovered ships with trained spacers. Humans would stand out, but not as much as Xvorzit, so it'd likely have to be a force primarily provided by Phoenix Wing. They'd then need to escape and reach the hyperspace terminator intact, using any number of methods to avoid a fight which would likely end poorly at best.

Detection before the ships were ready to go would make the escape much more difficult, and an escape where the enemy ships would be able to fully pursue was unlikely to succeed for one reason.

The facility was near the center of the system, close to the sun, and some of the mercenary ships were being repaired at backup facilities far closer to the terminator. A clean escape would thus have to be well timed and well planned, and would come with a number of risks. However, the rewards were deemed well worth it.

Enemy Asset Data:

The Iashec had an up to date security system as well as plenty of mercenaries on the ground, and in docks and patrolling up above were enough mercenary ships to present major difficulties even for the entire Gazinith navy. They would not be easy to deal with, and the most logical frame of action would be to avoid direct conflict with as much of the enemy as possible, hitting what is contacted with maximum force.

Assets are ever shifting, but while positional data will be entirely outdated, averages for the number of enemy ships have been drawn based on past observations, and a wide variety of information that has been carefully aggregated to find a 'median range' of ships that will be found, and their type can be confidently assumed since Iashec mercenaries use Iashec ships. Mostly older classes like the ones encountered over the Pirates' Moon, but some current generation designs have been observed also.

Battleships- 1-2 confirmed, Executive class. Cannot rule out presence of full division or more modern Director class
Battlecruisers- 1-2 confirmed, Liquidation class. Cannot rule out presence of full division or more modern Abeyance class
8-12x Heavy Cruiser (mostly Restitution class, 2-3x Abrogation class)
12-18x Light Cruiser (mostly Caveat class 3-5x Contract class)
24-32x Destroyer (mostly Tort class, 6-10x Liability class)
16-24x Frigate (mostly Writ class, 4-7x Clause class)

Goals of Operation:

Primary Goals:

Retrieve the Phoenix Wing ships and gain control of them and the facility.
Escape the facility with minimal casualties.
Successfully rendezvous for a debriefing.

Secondary Goals

Avoid large numbers of civilian casualties.
Create distractions in order to weaken the Iashec response.
Avoid getting any operatives caught or lost that might point the way directly to Gazinitah.

Optional Goals

Sabotage long-term Iashec slaving/raiding activities.
Download significant information on Iashec operations for future counter-Iashec spycraft.
Steal or gain access to up-to-date military data on Iashec ships for the purpose of the

Operational Decisions:

The first important thing they had to address was what assets they were going to deploy. Hazitean argued that she should go, but there were risks and challenges associated with this. Most of all, she was becoming somewhat famous, and samples of her DNA or images that can be verified as her would make it somewhat more difficult to cover this up or deal with the backlash, and so instead a team can be sent. Well, a team would already be sent, but someone well-trained and experienced, but not as well known and perhaps not as skilled as Hazitean could head it.

[] Bring Hazitean.
[] Don't.

Next, the question was how much of the Gazinith network to deploy. Too many cooks could spoil the stew, or so Lucille said, yet too few agents, in addition to special forces and Lucille's own 'crew' would make success far more difficult.

Specify what assets to deploy:

[] You could send a number of hackers via a long route around and have them arrive on civilian transports that would pass close to a number of facilities, thus giving them a chance to potentially even the odds a little, though also some risk of discovery.
[] Elite infiltration agents, including a turncoat Iashec, could be sent in to assassinate a number of key figures, but besides the possibility of failure, there is a greater risk of escalation, though in certain plans this is inevitable.
[] Agents among the spacers. You could have a number of the few non-Phoenix Wing spacers you take aboard be covert agents, a symbol of lingering distrust against Phoenix Wing, and yet perhaps necessary for all of that.
[] Flooders: A new type of agents, their job is to flood convention forms of media and communication with spam that helps obscure or confuse what's really going on. They'd have to extract themselves, however.
[] Attempt to send hired agents to infiltrate further into the mercenary operations that are confirmed to stick around the area constantly. High risk, high reward.
[] Write-in: You can ask about some form of asset you think Gazinitah might have and I'll tell you if they do and it's available!

The next question is under what circumstances the Gazinith navy should interfere, or if it should be involved at all. They could arrive at the time of departure to ward off chasers, or at least arrive close to it and hope the timing went well, they could lurk out of system, or they could wait at the 'meeting point' for all of the ships. In the latter two cases they wouldn't be able to help, but it might reduce the 'implications' of the attack.

Deploy Gazinith Navy?

[] Yes.
[] No.

There was also the question of further mayhem. Many believed that Iashec designs could again be stolen, or even ships scanned, in order to advance naval tech, while others wanted to use the chaos to implant a number of elite agents or bugs that could thus not be traced, and Lucille wanted to set up, on her own time beforehand, but drawing from the resources for the operation, a network on '57 in order for future actions, most likely related to mercenaries. As well, there were no doubt some slaving ships in the area that could be hijacked during the escape. It'd be a drop in the bucket, but it might have propaganda advantages.

Which optional missions do you activate, if any?

[] Steal the Designs, Mark 1. This is less ambitious, and just involves a little sneaking and hacking. Relatively low risk, relatively low reward.
[] Steal the Designs, Mark 2: This needs 'Agent Spacers' to work, and is a moderate to high risk for moderate to very high rewards. Take an actual military-grade Iashec ship, one of their current designs, even if it's just a frigate or destroyer. It'd be tough getting it out, but successful exfiltration would give technology that could be worked up to battleship levels, at least in theory, saving months or years of development.
[] Set up extended operations. Moderate risk, moderate reward.
[] Plan Chaos: Cause a lot of damage, and free the slaves. Unknown risk and reward.

Finally, a few more issues present themselves. First, whether or not to tell Sol about the upcoming mission, and whether or not, if they were told, to ask for help and support if the Iashec came to accuse them. Cover for their own actions, economic support...it'd be a lot to ask, and so Sol would at least ask for tokens of some sort of deal, or an advantage, and just asking for support and expecting it could end poorly.

Tell Sol About the attack?

[] Yes
-[] And ask their help/support in front of the councils in the face of any accusations.
-[] Ask for their help and offer something in exchange.
--[] Either Write-in something, or leave it blank and see what sorts of terms Sol comes up with.
[] No.

Also of importance, assuming that the mission succeeds, is what, on top of the obvious spoils already gained, should Gazinitah ask from Phoenix Wing for this help? The more they asked for, the more they might get...but also the more chance that this might all have to be closely negotiated. Meanwhile, asking for a single thing could have good or bad effects, and it was all an interesting dance to read about, even second hand, looking at the old transcripts, which I did to create this document.

What is asked for? (Pick as many as you like, though consider what was said above)

[] Information, knowledge they have that they might tell or pass to you in the future.
[] Favors they will owe you that might be called on at some later date.
[] Technology
[] Contacts - Phoenix Wing have a good number of contacts in the Technocrat Imperium. Who knows where that could lead?
[] Intrigue Support: They could be a cover for a number of operations, essentially, and who knows what it might lead to? Or might not.

A/N: Not much to say, get down to voting!

The Laurent · Aug 12, 2015

From the Ashes--Results

[X] Don't.
[X] You could send a number of hackers via a long route around and have them arrive on civilian transports that would pass close to a number of facilities, thus giving them a chance to potentially even the odds a little, though also some risk of discovery.
[X] Agents among the spacers. You could have a number of the few non-Phoenix Wing spacers you take aboard be covert agents, a symbol of lingering distrust against Phoenix Wing, and yet perhaps necessary for all of that.
[X] Flooders: A new type of agents, their job is to flood convention forms of media and communication with spam that helps obscure or confuse what's really going on. They'd have to extract themselves, however.

[X] Yes. Deploy the Navy
[X] Steal the Designs, Mark 2: This needs 'Agent Spacers' to work, and is a moderate to high risk for moderate to very high rewards. Take an actual military-grade Iashec ship, one of their current designs, even if it's just a frigate or destroyer. It'd be tough getting it out, but successful exfiltration would give technology that could be worked up to battleship levels, at least in theory, saving months or years of development.
[X] Set up extended operations. Moderate risk, moderate reward.

[X] Yes, inform Sol

[X] Information, knowledge they have that they might tell or pass to you in the future.
[X] Contacts - Phoenix Wing have a good number of contacts in the Technocrat Imperium. Who knows where that could lead?

Extended Operations 1: 1d100+18+5 (Equipment)+5 (Planning)+5 (No Hazitean)-15 (Opposing Intrigue)=28, operation not blown, but take -5, can try again closer to time.

Hazitean, of course, grumbles. But no more than that, she understands the logic behind it, even if she didn't approve. There were many things she didn't approve of, such as the way the attempt to set up extended operations had led to a wave of arrests that luckily touched everyone but the actual agent. Still, she clucked her tongue and said that she'd have done better, she was plenty sneaky herself. Vorzhan still doesn't regret their decision, though from afar there is a certain helpless feeling to watching the spycraft of another. A more valid criticism was that it was done too early, and too carelessly, yet at the same time almost too cautiously. An agent had to trust they had everything working right after the fifth check, because if you waited to check it a sixth time, it was already too late.

Long Boat: 1d100+18=61, successful.
Infiltration 1: 1d100+18+5+5+5-15+5 (Long Boat)=81, success.

The hackers, on the other hand, arrived safe and sound, passing by all sorts of stations and setting things up rather well. Getting them out would be difficult, but it was worth it as data began to stream in on the ships and their condition. Luckily, as the Phoenix Wing members began to sneak in via other ways, they seemed spaceworthy.

Infiltration 2: 1d100+25=41, partial failure…
Hide Evidence: 1d100+25-5 (Failure)=24, failure
Frame: 1d100+20=100, successfully framed

On the other hand, not everyone takes the lessons of earlier to heart, and a crisis blooms that the Speaker can only watch from afar as the Iashec authorities hunt for a mole. Someone has been examining the data from the mercenaries staying on Big 57, and there has to be a culprit. At first, the agents had gotten the rather unlikely idea that they could scrub their trail- any success would have been short-lived at best, Vorzhan knew- but they they came upon a better idea, and found an Iashec who was related to a rival Capa, one who was known to be on the take. It was no surprise that they were rounded up, and no surprise that it turned out that this time they wouldn't wriggle out of it.

They were duly executed without trial.

Extended Operations 2: 1d100+18-5 (Previous failure)+5 (Frame)+2 (personal investment)=60, partial success.

Meanwhile, all throughout the operations on the station, careful and subtle tricks were employed, and more than a little brute force. Sometimes, to trick the locals, one had to blend in, and so some of Lucille's agents played corrupt human officials, looking for muscle for a variety of reasons. The network was fragile, and more than that small, but it was growing. So too was the difficulty of getting further into the system.
Apparently the ships were being kept for something, some sort of plan that had not yet begun, and which might never begun since apparently the Iashec who was behind it had been executed in the last purge. Now it was drifting, aimless, and Vorzhan's wings twitched in amusement at that even from afar. Soon they'd lose all data entirely and, more importantly, everything they read was out of date. By now the operation would begin soon, they realized, reading the latest report.

Infiltration 3: 1d100+30=79, bare success
Flooders 1: 1d100+18=109, crit success, +10 to all other rolls up to the strike.
Extended Operations 3: 1d100+30 =83
Flooders 2: 1d100+18-15+10+5+5=79, success

What was also gratifying was that social media was so easy to infiltrate and influence. Because it was so closely monitored and because news was so often covered up or censored, smart sentients had networks of reliable contacts, who would spread news around via a variety of ways below the usual networks. It was an environment in which rumors spread and took root easily, with none of the vitality of Xvorzit communications, let alone the beauty, complexity, and speed. Xvorzit were well known for sometimes going too far in immersing themselves in social media, just as they gathered in crowds, but here it was an advantage, and they were able to quickly establish trusted online media profiles. So when the time came to tell a few lies and hack a few websites, cause a run on a bank or two, nobody would even think that this could all be a big deception.

It also made it easy to extend tendrils of influence and blackmail. There was even a particularly brilliant operation in which they and their Iashec allies pretended to be the secret police and extracted huge bribes to 'forget' the crimes that had been discovered. It was a fragile sort of ruse, but it worked better than expected, and kept on working as the station personnel kept on changing. Constant shifts in population meant that nobody stuck around in one place long enough for there to be a pattern.

Game Day: 1d100+35=88, +5 bonus to next step\
Into the ships:1d100+30 =40
Trouble! Shoot it. 1d100+33 =126, trouble shot.
Flood the Stations 1d100+30=87, +5 to other rolls

Finally, after months of prep work, the day for the attack came, the attack Lucille would be leading, with hundreds of soldiers, sailors, spies...and a carefully smuggled in Assault team. They were ready, they were prepared, and the defenses fell easily. And while they did, the news media flooded with reports of a riot on Station 57-B. Ships moved to quell the riot, by bombardment from above if necessary, even as all of the official channels were flooded with nonsense and spam. They must have known something was going to go down, because they had troops stationed there, but it didn't take Lucille and her men even a minute to finish off the last of them. More death to add to her memories, more souls to pray for. She wasn't religious, certainly not old-religious, but…

Superstition was something you got if you explored the known galaxy enough, at least, certain sorts of superstitions, bits and pieces of other cultures drifting into you, filling you, defining you. She welcomed it, and so she changed and hoped and dreamed. Now she was part of a larger dream, a dream of freedom, and so her every action seemed suffused with this odd 'holiness' that wasn't tainted by the fact that what they were doing was, in many cases, murder. "Talk to me," she said subvocally as the soldiers and sailors began to board the ships as fast as they could, "What you got?"

*****

Steal the Designs, Mark 2--1 1d100+10+5+18-15+5=72
Steal the Designs, Mark 2--2 1d100+25=60
Last push: 1d100+20=104, success
Whatchu got? 1d100 =88 Light cruiser!

"Jackpot," the man said, "We lost some men, and it's going to be a bitch to ride this, but…" He trailed off and said, "We got Gazinitah a brand new, shiny light cruiser. We'll be launching it in time with you, you'll give the countdown, okay, Lucy?"

****

"Don't call me Lucy when we're on the job," Lucille said, breezily, waving a hand, "We'll be another minute or two, hold down the ship…"

*****

We need a distraction 1d100+35=98, success
All Systems, Go! 1d100+35=82, bare success.

It was a desperate preparation, and if the distractions had not been as thorough as they were, it could have ended very poorly indeed. Powering up a ship that was completely cold after months in dry-dock- well, it wasn't something that could be done quickly. Every minute it took was another minute where enemies could gather and destroy them, and all that stood between doom and victory were some hackers, and a few clever tricks.

Phoenix Wing was good, and the spacers helped, but in the end it came down to luck. Luck and frustration, because just like the Speaker, eventually Lucille reached the point where she could do nothing except sit in the cabin and watch what the professionals were doing. And what they were doing was taking off, ignoring all questions directed their way as to where they were going. At the moment, though, everyone was distracted, and the ships left dock without having had to fire a shot.

Encounter? 1=1d100+ 1d100+20-10 =61, bare pass.
Encounter 2?=1d100+ 1d100+20-8=46, an encounter.
Encounter 3? = 1d100+20(Naval)-19(Enemy Naval)=46, an encounter

In fact, hours of travel passed as they dodged ships, including a formation of light cruisers and destroyers moving to intercept- not to engage closely, that would've been suicide, but to harass them, try to make them focus on the light units while the heavyweights moved into position. The truth was, it was very boring, and Lucille fell asleep.

She woke to the blare of klaxons and the temporary Phoenix Wing commander, an experienced officer by the name of Ysbel, is giving orders. Lucille takes a little while to understand the situation. There are a number of formations moving to intercept them, and there's no way to evade them all- the best option takes them through a small group of ships, none larger than a heavy cruiser, and then, more worryingly, a group containing a pair of battleships. All the other options, however, are worse, and would have them facing at best equal numbers.

Any encounter was still a while away, but by the standards of space travel it took no time at all before the first group was upon them.

As is the way with space battles, it was over in less time that it took to blink. Lucille could feel the deck shudder beneath her feet as the cruiser was hit, but the damage couldn't have been serious. Nothing on their side larger than a frigate took a hard hit.

The same couldn't be said of the other group. The enemy commander must've been suicidally brave or terrified of disobeying orders, and he'd paid for it- all that was left in their wake were three damaged escorts and half a dozen broken wrecks, and of the heavy cruisers there was no sign at all. It was staggering, how many could die in just the blink of an eye, far too many to pray for. They weren't in the clear yet, though- another fifteen minutes maybe and the battleships would be upon them. This time, they paid a price. Armor shredded and shattered by graser and graviton cannon, the cruiser Basilisk was spitting out escape pods, along with a light cruiser and a pair of escorts, and there was no trace at all of a third except a brilliant explosion.

The enemy had paid a high price, but that didn't matter. If anything, it made it worse. The two battleships were shattered, drifting, spitting out escape pods, and much of the rest of their fleet was badly mauled. So much death, and they didn't even have the time to retrieve escape pods. It seemed pretty hard to swallow that this was merely the price paid for victory- and victory it was, as the Gazinith navy appeared at the hyperspace terminator to cover their withdrawal.

It'd had a cost, a definite, large cost, but they had won. It felt cold for her though, hollow. For all the price paid, in both money and effort and lives, but something to be proud of… later. For now, she went to get something to eat, to try to relax. It'd still be hours yet before they jumped and weeks yet before she was back on Gazinitah, where the sacrifices might begin to make sense.

First engagement:

Escaping Force:
4x Consul class CH
6x Praetor class CL
1x Contract class CL (captured)
8x Aedile class DD
8x Quaestor class FF

Intercepting Force:

2x Restitution class CH
3x Contract class CL
2x Caveat class CL
3x Liability class DD
3x Tort class DD
1x Clause class FF
4x Writ class FF

MISSILE PHASE

Escaping Force: 4d8 (20) + 7d6 (25) + 16d4 (49) + 29.9 - 43.4 = 81 (81 hits scored)

Intercepting Force: 2d8 (5) + 5d6 (19) + 11d4 (26) + 37.9 - 58.2 = 29.7 (30 hits scored)

Damage to Escaping Force:

CH Basilisk - 12/16 (Light damage)
CH Gorgon - 12/16 (Light damage)
CH Griffon - 12/16 (Light damage)
CH Hydra - 16/16
CL Aventail - 11/15 (Light damage)
CL Escutcheon - 15/15
CL Gauntlet - 13/15
CL Lorica - 13/15
CL Morion - 15/15
CL Spaulder - 14/15
Captured CL - 14/15
DD Assegai - 6/6
DD Cinquedea - 5/6
DD Gladius - 6/6
DD Kirpan - 5/6
DD Kukri - 6/6
DD Rapier - 6/6
DD Tulwar - 6/6
DD Zaghnal - 4/6
FF Bombard - 3/3
FF Carronade - 3/3
FF Culverin - 2/3 (Moderate damage)
FF Falconet - 2/3 (Moderate damage)
FF Howitzer - 1/3 (Heavy damage)
FF Mortar - 3/3
FF Saker - 3/3
FF Serpentine - 3/3

Damage to Intercepting Force:

Restitution 1 - 7/16 (Moderate damage)
Restitution 2 - 3/16 (Heavy damage)
Contract 1 - 10/15 (Light damage)
Contract 2 - 5/15 (Moderate damage)
Contract 3 - 10/15 (Light damage)
Caveat 1 - 5/9 (Light damage)
Caveat 2 - 2/9 (Heavy damage)
Liability 1 - 2/5 (Moderate damage)
Liability 2 - 4/5
Liability 3 - 4/5
Tort 1 - 3/5 (Light damage)
Tort 2 - 1/5 (Heavy damage)
Tort 3 - 2/5 (Moderate damage)
Clause 1 - 0/3 Exploded
Writ 1 - 2/3 (Moderate damage)
Writ 2 - 0/3 Exploded
Writ 3 - 1/3 (Heavy damage)
Writ 4 - 0/3 Wrecked

MANEUVER

Escaping Force: 1d100 (95) + 20 - 16.2 = 98.8

Intercepting Force: 1d100 (100) + 8 - 25.2 = 82.8

Escaping Force protected from 17 points of damage

ENERGY PHASE

Escaping Force: 4d8 (18) + 7d6 (30) + 13d4 (30) + 3d2 (5) + 63.6 - 10.5 = 120.2 (120 hits scored)

Intercepting Force: 2d4 (5) + 3d6 (11) + 2d3 (4) + 3d4 (5) + 5d2 (7) + 25.8 - 42.4 - 17 = -1.6 (0 hits scored)

No damage to Escaping Force

Damage to Intercepting Force:

Restitution 1 - 0/16 EXPLODED
Restitution 2 - 0/16 EXPLODED
Contract 1 - 0/15 Wrecked
Contract 2 - 0/15 Wrecked
Contract 3 - 0/15 Wrecked
Caveat 1 - 0/9 Wrecked
Caveat 2 - 0/9 EXPLODED
Liability 1 - 0/5 EXPLODED

Liability 2 - 2/5 (Moderate damage)

Liability 3 - 2/5 (Moderate damage)

Tort 1 - 3/5 (Light damage)

Tort 2 - 0/5 EXPLODED

Tort 3 - 0/5 EXPLODED

Clause 1 - 0/3 EXPLODED

Writ 1 - 0/3 EXPLODED

Writ 2 - 0/3 EXPLODED

Writ 3 - 0/3 EXPLODED

Writ 4 - 0/3 Wrecked

ENGAGEMENT 2: ENTER THE BATTLESHIPS

Escaping Force:

4x Consul class CH
6x Praetor class CL
1x Contract class CL (captured)
8x Aedile class DD
8x Quaestor class FF

Heavy Force:

2x Executive class BB
1x Abrogation class CH
1x Restitution class CL
2x Contract class CL
2x Caveat class CL
8x Writ class FF

MISSILE PHASE

Escaping Force: 4d8 (18) + 7d6 (23) + 13d4 (38) + 3d2 (5) + 26.7 - 50.3 = 60.4 (60 hits scored)

Heavy Force: 2d10 (12) + 2d8 (12) + 4d6 (7) + 8d4 (20) + 68.2 - 52.1 = 67.1 (67 hits scored)

Damage to Escaping Force:
CH Basilisk - 4/16 (Heavy damage)
CH Gorgon - 9/16 (Light damage)
CH Griffon - 6/16 (Moderate damage)
CH Hydra - 13/16
CL Aventail - 3/15 (Heavy damage)
CL Escutcheon - 10/15 (Light damage)
CL Gauntlet - 11/15 (Light damage)
CL Lorica - 10/15 (Light damage)
CL Morion - 12/15
CL Spaulder - 12/15
Captured CL - 11/15 (Light damage)
DD Assegai - 6/6
DD Cinquedea - 3/6 (Moderate damage)
DD Gladius - 6/6
DD Kirpan - 3/6
DD Kukri - 3/6 (Moderate damage)
DD Rapier - 4/6 (Light damage)
DD Tulwar - 6/6
DD Zaghnal - 2/6 (Moderate damage)
FF Bombard - 3/3
FF Carronade - 3/3
FF Culverin - 0/3 EXPLODED
FF Falconet - 2/3 (Moderate damage)
FF Howitzer - 1/3 (Heavy damage)
FF Mortar - 2/3 (Moderate damage)
FF Saker - 2/3 (Moderate damage)FF Serpentine - 3/3

Damage to Heavy Force:
Executive 1 - 17/22
Executive 2 - 12/22 (Light damage)
Abrogation - 14/17
Restitution - 13/16
Contract 1 - 10/15 (Light damage)
Contract 2 - 10/15 (Light damage)
Caveat 1 - 4/9 (Moderate damage)
Caveat 2 - 9/9
Writ 1 - 0/3 Wrecked
Writ 2 - 0/3 EXPLODED
Writ 3 - 2/3 (Moderate damage)
Writ 4 - 3/3
Writ 5 - 1/3 (Heavy damage)
Writ 6 - 1/3 (Heavy damage)
Writ 7 - 0/3 EXPLODED
Writ 8 - 0/3 Wrecked

MANEUVER ROLL

Escaping Force: 1d100 (20) + 20 - 32.4 = 7.6

Heavy Force: 1d100 (25) + 19 - 54.1 = -10.1

Escaping Force protected from 18 points of damage

ENERGY PHASE

Escaping Force: 2d8 (12) + 6d6 (11) + 9d4 (22) + 2d4 (6) + 1d3 (2) + 6d2 (9) + 50.5 - 32.6 = 79.9 (80 hits scored)

Heavy Force: 2d10 (12) + 2d8 (11) + 3d6 (11) + 1d4 (4) + 1d3 (1) + 3d2 (5) + 59.5 - 33.7 - 18 = 52.3 (52 hits scored)

Damage to Escaping Force:

CH Basilisk - 0/16 Wrecked
CH Gorgon - 8/16 (Moderate damage)
CH Griffon - 4/16 (Heavy damage)
CH Hydra - 11/16 (Light damage)
CL Aventail - 0/15 Wrecked
CL Escutcheon - 5/15 (Moderate damage)
CL Gauntlet - 8/15 (Light damage)
CL Lorica - 9/15 (Light damage)
CL Morion - 11/15 (Light damage)
CL Spaulder - 9/15 (Light damage)
Captured CL - 9/15 (Light damage)
DD Assegai - 5/6
DD Cinquedea - 3/6 (Moderate damage)
DD Gladius - 3/6 (Moderate damage)
DD Kirpan - 0/6 Wrecked
DD Kukri - 3/6 (Moderate damage)
DD Rapier - 3/6 (Moderate damage)
DD Tulwar - 3/6 (Moderate damage)
DD Zaghnal - 1/6 (Heavy damage)
FF Bombard - 0/3 Wrecked)
FF Carronade - 2/3 (Moderate damage)
FF Culverin - 0/3 EXPLODED
FF Falconet - 1/3 (Heavy damage)
FF Howitzer - 1/3 (Heavy damage)
FF Mortar - 2/3 (Moderate damage)
FF Saker - 0/3 Wrecked
FF Serpentine - 1/3 (Heavy damage)

Damage to Heavy Force:

Executive 1 - 0/22 Wrecked
Executive 2 - 0/22 Wrecked
Abrogation - 6/17 (Moderate damage)
Restitution - 5/16 (Moderate damage)
Contract 1 - 4/15 (Moderate damage)
Contract 2 - 6/15 (Moderate damage)
Caveat 1 - 0/9 Wrecked
Caveat 2 - 0/9 Wrecked
Writ 1 - 0/3 Wrecked
Writ 2 - 0/3 EXPLODED
Writ 3 - 0/3 Wrecked
Writ 4 - 1/3 (Heavy damage)
Writ 5 - 0/3 EXPLODED
Writ 6 - 0/3 EXPLODED
Writ 7 - 0/3 EXPLODED
Writ 8 - 0/3 Wrecked

And, home free!

*****

Information: 1d100 =61
Contacts: 1d100 =64

Phoenix Wing were very grateful, and they promised they'd give plenty of information over the next few months, and even years, as to what they did and why they did it, and they were willing to talk to certain people in the Technocrat Imperium who were opposed to the increasing comfort some in the government felt towards toeing the Mercantile Republic's line. It would be valuable indeed, though with agents on Big 57 and a war being managed on Asurin, the covert campaign against Zaeswin and now this, the intrigue network was stretched to its very limits.

Iashec Reaction (lower is worse) 1d100+5 (Hazitean not there)+18 (Intrigue)-10 (Intrigue)-10 (Survivors)+8 (Misdirection)+3 (Bugs)=27, pretty bad.
Sol Reaction (higher is better) 1d100+10 (Told them)+23 (Diplomacy)-5 (Foreigners)-5 (War)-15 (Internal Diplomacy)=33, mild disapproval, you're on your own.
Known Galactic Reaction: 1d100=59, pretty meh.

Something would have to be done, though there was also the fact that the Iashec were able to prove that the mission was, at the very least, funded and partially staffed by Gazinitah. Sol was unable or unwilling to stop it, and apparently on the streets of Earth many marched against supporting what was, whatever the nature of the victims, a clear violation of every rule and treaty meant to protect the rights of others. The essential argument was this: That the Sol government was giving support to one petty player who gleefully violated the rule of law in order to hurt another petty player who gleefully violated the basic rules and standards of galactic society. That one were 'good guys' meant little compared to the precedent and the fact (at least according to them) that this would only be the start of further foreign involvement. Indeed, while not shut out- in fact, considering the Mercantile Republic's reputation, most seem to shrug at the fact- relations with Sol were severely damaged, and the Iashec had what in other times would have been a solid casus belli. As it was, in all honesty, the undeclared war would likely escalate, and Kikkizit told Vorzhan carefully that if Sol withdrew its support at this point, Gazinitah would be ripe for an attack even if there were protests after the fact.
He didn't need to tell Vorzhan that by the time the protests started, everything they had been working for would be entirely destroyed. Suddenly making sure Sol didn't bolt from their alliance and creating a navy capable of truly defending Gazinitah seemed like high priorities indeed.

Results: Intact modern light cruiser. For reasons of not wanting to seem even more guilty you can't just reuse this ship format, but you can take the tech and upscale and downscale it to get to work on building Gazinith ships of the same level of technology. Gained Phoenix Wing allies, gained information and contacts. Gained even more Iashec enmity, Solarian reputation damaged. Options and such opened, of course.

A/N: So, this got out of hand! But, you got it! You're just...2-3 actions away from making modern warships. One is Maximum Capacity, another is Shipyards so that you can build the ship. The other is currently not revealed. Yay!

Gained even more options. Yay.

Also, some of the Solarian public are starting to sour on you. Yay?

The Laurent · Aug 13, 2015

Turn 5 News/Votes:

Economy: 1d100+40-3 (Opening up Avenues failure)-5 (non-productive mines)+12 (Half adviser's stewardship)+20 (Will of the Hive)-5 (Slight cut)-2 (Hive Voice)-10 (Buy-Out)+7 (Unhelpful Taxes)-3 (In the black)-1 (Take a pill)+5 (Virtual Production)=119, economy continues to grow, but economists feel that the growth will be slowing down over the next year as it stabilizes into a more sustainable pattern of growth. +50 Wealth a turn, however, nonetheless.

Local News:

Calls for Re-evaluation: As educational reforms intensify, those left behind begin to ask questions. Concerned parents have set out suits and complaints that their children's grades, and the schools they were sorted into, were biased. No doubt, Kikkizit admits, that at least some of them could have gotten into better schools or gotten better evaluations, though others would have merely moved from the bottom of one rank to the top of it. Either way, their complaints or valid, but the question of what can even be done since often years and years have passed is a vexing one.

[]Grant them what they want (Costs 200 Wealth, might create a lot of chaos and paperwork as entire generations are shuffled around into their hopefully-proper place. Might lead to dissatisfaction if handled poorly.)
[] Set up a study and commission to try to reassign people as fairly as possible (Cost 300 Wealth, locks one slot.)
[] Ignore them: from now on you can be fair, but you can't go retroactively righting all wrongs, ultimately. (Free, opinion loss)

A Complete Set?: Now that Speaker Vorzhan has gained an advisor in monetary matters, some are wondering whether they will soon form an official governing body, or what type of government he has in mind. That perfect, flawless, brilliant mind, which has no doubt been carefully considering every last implication of all events, and might even have a full constitution pre-written, ready to spring with its joys and wonders upon the people!

Human Rights?: In other news, humans are taking to the streets after a Xvorzit soldier injured a human. It was an altercation that led to dozens of arrests, one dead Xvorzit, and thirty or so injured humans. It exploded in other words, and now humans are marching on the streets, demanding rights and a voice, those of them that have become more fully integrated. There are few humans on Gazinitah, barely over 50 million, and many are isolated in compounds or otherwise separated, but others are part of the culture. But they didn't get to vote after the revolution, things just moved too fast, and they are somewhat locked out of Gazinith society. It is a matter that bears looking into, though at the moment the Speaker can do nothing but watch and make sure that B'iyiuna doesn't say anything untoward. Humans aren't really his target demographic...

International News

War On Asurin Intensifies: The death toll has officially surpassed twenty thousand, primarily innocent civilians, but with plenty of military casualties as well, in the Asurin war. As law and order breaks down crime and murder outside of the war is becoming far more rampant, and terrorist groups have cropped up all across the planet. Many international observers fear that the death toll is only going to rise and rise and there is no end to the bloodbath in sight, as citizens of the galaxy watch in horror as footage emerges of a Capo group lining up fifty citizens suspected of disloyalty and shooting them in the head. Quietly, unknown to the rest of the galaxy, Speaker Vorzhan orders all funding and support- of which there had been plenty- cut off from that particular group.

Gazinitah Called Out: The Mercantile Republic has put forward strong evidence that Gazinitah has interfered with a station that belonged to them in a brazen act of theft. It has evinced some censure including a few minor embargos, but for the moment the balance of power, and the fact that Sol (thus far) stands stead to Gazinitah's good behavior, has kept the issue mostly off the table. Still, there are distant rumbling of incoming trouble.

Rorrox Clash with Hexamari: A military clash occurred last week with the Hexamari Theocracy. Rorrox ships attempted to use a trade zone that the Hexamari claim is theirs to patrol. They also claimed that Rorrox ships had been passing through without paying any tolls or allowing any inspections. The Rorrox have responded with force, though thus far only a single ship has been destroyed and a ceasefire is now in place.

Official Announcement on Nstra: The Ilwari Union's Department of Criminal Investigation made an official announcement of their findings today amid the start of a lockdown in Nstra City and an accompanying island-wide manhunt. They confirmed that Union N-935 was hit by a shoulder-launched surface to air missile minutes after takeoff, but that recovered flight data indicates that the the missile did not penetrate the craft's shields. Union Aerospace has not yet released any findings, but there are increasing calls for spacelines to ground their TKH-5s amid fears of a hidden flaw in the design.

Sol News:

PM Strikes Back
1d100+10=74

Recent successes in building schools and thwarting several bombing attempts on the occupied moon, combined with local victories over several corrupt practices and an economic upturn that probably isn't because of him (but doesn't stop people from giving him credit, Vorzhan knows from experience) have all given the Prime Minister additional political capital, though the signs from the Ambassador to Sol has been that internal dissent has made the Prime Minister consider just how to expend his foreign policy capital. And whether Gazinitah is a good bet, though despite this hesitation, they continue writing to Kikkizit.

Spy News:

Confusion: In far lighter news, it seems that the agents of the Mercantile Republic have been left confused by a number of strange assaults on their...dignity. It seemed that several had been outed, but not as spies, but as people with embarrassing personal habits or otherwise made to look like fools, with the implication being, obviously, 'we could do more.' Lucille is proud of the attack, and can't help beaming when they tell the Speaker about it.

Mercenary News:

Withdrawn forces: Iashec mercenaries are being seen around less and less recently, as if they have been going somewhere. There is the suspicion that they might be having internal problems but also the possibility that they are preparing for war, civil or otherwise. Some, certainly, have offered their services on Asurin, sometimes even accidentally being used by Gazinith forces as a catspaw. Certainly, though, it makes one wonder.

I'Isanah

Having completed her latest assignment at last, I'Isanah wonders what to do next. She could come home to help the Speaker with economic matters, though there is now a Financial adviser. But it'd give her a chance to be close to the Speaker again, help out, and relax a little after a year of bad food, long hours, and constant disorientation from constantly going from ship to planet and then back again. Or they could ship along and begin using their contacts to smuggle more weapons, supplies (and launder more money) for future Asurin actions.

[] Send her home: +5 to a Stewardship action next turn, she recuperates, can take Personal Actions involving her.
[] Ship the guns!: Have her smuggle guns, but also launder money and the like involving her contacts, granting a bonus to all future actions involving Asurin.

New Character Sheet

Name: Mauris Law-Caste
Occupation: Financial and Law Adviser
Age: 47

Traits:

Lawyer for the People
Clued-In
Just
Kind
Economically Inexperienced
Diligent
Patient

Stats:

Martial: 10, not much good in a fight.
Diplomacy: 25, like many high-ranking Xvorzit, they are persuasive. He has used this talent to great effect in court before.
Stewardship: 25. They are great at managing their own money, and they know the law books from back to front.
Intrigue: 17, they know something of secrecy and skullduggery, even if they don't personally have the temperament or skill for it. They tolerate the fact that Vorzhan does and are willing to help out on that end in small ways.
Learning: 22, they are very learned in the laws of Gazinitah

A/N: And that's the news for today!

The Laurent · Aug 16, 2015

Turn 6--Martial, Diplomacy, Stewardship

Sometimes it was remarkable how emotions could be so divorced from circumstances. In many ways, other than in terms of stress, the start of this year was far, far worse than the start of the previous year. While the Speaker was now more popular, there had been plenty of upsets and setbacks in the past months. Hazitean had informed him, frazzled but also with aggressive, fake cheer, that if Sol wasn't protecting Gazinitah, they'd be squashed flat by now. Everything relied now on a relationship with Sol that had led Kikkizit to get into an argument with B'iyiuna the other day. It was very heated, the sort of argument that should have sent Vorzhan up a wall, but honestly he knew it would be dealt with.

B'iyiuna was nothing like Mauris, who trooped along with all of the economic tasks that Vorzhan had shouldered before, but he was useful. Useful just as Kikkizit was, their solution having worked reasonably well for the matter of education. Some wouldn't be given a fair shake, Kikkizit had warned. While tests would help, some children had been dealt what might be crippling academic blows, often on matters as petty as their parent's former castes, and the damage would take a generation to fully heal. It was, however, a start. Which is how Vorzhan felt about everything. Three years in, and Gazintiah was coming back to life, old friends had returned and new friends found, and everyone, all across the planet--even those that they didn't like--were pulling together.

With friends, and allies, they could get through any and all problems. It was that simple of a thought, but it buoyed the Speaker to think on it at the start of a new year. Wings tilting slightly, they strode forward into an office, halfway around the world from the last place, to start afresh and work afresh, towards what the Hive needed.

Martial: Much is left to be done, and you're no closer to having complete mastery and control than before. Tank research continues under private umbrellas and Haziteans stalks from place to place, now in complete command of the Military, at least in theory. Will roll 1d100 to see if Hazitean adds bonuses to the actions you're taking. Will roll 1d100+20 (New hovertanks acquired)+5 (Enthusiasm)+5 (Foreign Examples) to see what those crazy Tankers are up to. (Pick four) (+10 to all non-naval, non research options. +5 to all Research options.)

Current Bleed: 70 Wealth per turn, will increase by 25 next turn, as the last ships come online.

A Cut Above

Fire them. Not all of them, but the worst offenders. The officer caste will just have to deal with being understaffed for a while, Hazitean decides. After all it's already too big, and an actual war is unlikely. Even if it did happen, the officers wouldn't have been any good anyway.

Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 85%+10
Reward: 50 Wealth saved a turn, officer caste annoyed, many cut and out of jobs.

Lecture Hall

Hazitean wants to go to the military academies and try to scout out prospective recruits, allies, as well as just seeing what a mess they are. Back when she was young, they'd been a shithole of backbiting, incompetence, and underaged drug-use, and she suspected it had't changed.

Cost: 10 Wealth
Probability: 70%+10
Reward: Options, knowledge, etc.

War, what is it good for? Diplomacy. Ass-covering. Many things.

Sol needs appeasing, and Hazitean has an idea. They could offer to help with the occupation of the Pirates' Moon, send all the help offered, bend over backwards, take up security tasks to free up Sol. Go all in on it. It'd be expensive and inefficient, as Hazitean has a convoluted plan involving a large drawdown of money that would then be spent until it was exhausted, ignoring the usual limits of the military budget.

Cost: 1000 Wealth
Probability: 85%
Reward: Join in on the occupation of the Pirates' Moon, potentially win brownie points with the PM, other options opened.

Colonial Police

The colonies have their own military forces, with their own (far smaller and more uneven) budget. They, even more than the army, function as police more than anything. You could make sure you have control of them and figure out what their situation is, whether there are any funds there that could be creatively transferred, and of course whether they are loyal and competent. The colonies haven't stepped out of line, but neither are they completely integrated, and the situation is still more than a little confused.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 65%+10
Reward: Options, an outlook on things.

Domo Arigato

Studies should begin on the robots and the various weapons retrieved during the ground battle. There might be interesting design principles or technologies there, though it's entirely possible that there won't be too much. It's hard to tell, now, when all that you have are the remains of a lot of combat robots, but there might be something there that can be used.

Cost: 10 Wealth
Probability: 1d100, the higher the better. +5
Reward: Study the inner workings of the robots and machines deployed by the ship.

Study the Wreck

Begin studies on the ship you recovered, the one that seemed to function most in the atmosphere but apparently, according to Hazitean, could also go into space. Safely, if only because it had no crew whose safety the ship had to take into account. It's complex, and with the controlling mind dead there's no guarantee that you'll get anything.

Cost: 25 Wealth
Probability: 60%+5
Reward: Begin research on the wreck, the abomination.

(Free) Gun it!

The Farsha Mk.2 handgun, and its long gun version, is a horrible gun. You hate that weapon with a passion. As petty a thing as that is, you hold that grudge very deeply. It's a loud, inefficient weapon, a hog of energy and bullets, and you've seen civilians that have better weapons. You could try to convince the soldier-castes to buy some of a better model and make, in fact you have some ideas already. And you're going to start by buying some on the budget you know about, maybe do some trials to show how much better they are?

Cost: 500 Wealth
Probability: 75%+5
Reward: Your defense forces start using guns that, while not cutting edge, are at least not completely and utterly out of date. Also, you're convincing the people who you might be prosecuting to arm themselves better.

War Bonds

The bonds are a huge success, but currently they are mostly enriching the main budget. Hazitean has plans and so does Bizentara, and there is still a shortfall in the budget anyway. More money is needed, a lot more, but a good start would be to divert some of the money from the bonds, sort of. Create 'peacekeeping bonds' and offer them alongside the other bonds. It's going to be a cut into the overall profits rather than something new, but it'd help divert resources towards maintaining the military which was beginning to get some focus.

Cost: 25 Wealth
Probability: 75%+10
Reward: 20% of the total Bond money goes to the Military. At this point, it'd be 170 Wealth, but it'd grow and shrink as the overall Bond total grows and shrinks. May have the chance later to do other things, though the non-martial nature of your society inhibits it.

Security or Liberty?

There have been calls to decrease the scope of the defense forces to interfere in internal affairs. The police should handle it, and the idea that there is a need for forces with special weapons or more militant tactics to deal with crime seems to many to be a sign of all that was wrong with the old order. Others have argued that in these chaotic times the need is greater than ever. Separating them and enacting laws to further this split would cost little directly, but could cause bruised egos and negative effects. The demand for this is increasing and at the moment, resting under military control, police reforms are all but impossible.

Cost: 150 wealth
Probability: 65%, +10
Reward: Separate police and defense forces, updated planet page to represent this, increased opinion with the common Xvorzit, grumblings among the defense forces, ???

Commission on Pay and Caste

Both the pay of the rank and file and their opportunities to advance are determined partially by caste. Many see this as unfair- you could begin to look into it, though it'd risk getting nowhere, being sabotaged by the officers, and will certainly raise more than a few hackles. Still, it might be worth it.

Cost: 50 Wealth.
Probability: 50%+10
Reward: Improved soldier opinion, reduced officer opinion, ???

Officer Bug?

The police lack consistent procedures in a number of areas, and even more importantly some soldiers aren't adequately trained as peacekeepers, leading to plenty of troublesome incidents. You can begin to work things out by having a set of rules and structure made for the police and the soldiers for as long as they and the police are the same- to the extent that there aren't a number of alternate organizations all overlapping in this regard. Either way, it's a start.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 60%+10
Reward: Create a code of conduct and a stronger set of rules for the police, open up Police Options pathway.

Admiral Bizentara?

Captain Bizentara is a very skilled commander and holds a lot of respect from his men and the navy. It might be hasty, but you could promote them to Admiral and place them in charge of the fleet in general. They could then act towards making reform of the navy possible, to the extent that you know their opinions, goals, and ideas.

Cost: 50 Wealth a turn
Probability: 90%
Reward: New and separate Naval Options category created, has 1 action per turn.

Patrol Routes!

You could have someone set up more thorough and workable patrol routes. It'd give your ships and crews experience, if not in battle (mostly) and would make it less likely that anything goes wrong. It'd also give you a chance for small encounters and the like every so often, and would certainly be a way to exercise your flabby naval muscles.

Cost: 50 wealth, 10 Wealth a turn
Probability: 70%
Reward: Patrol routes created, chance of things happening each turn!

Bigger Lasers

The graser technology on the captured light cruiser is just not up for what will eventually be needed if a Battleship is to be made. While there are many adjustments that would have to be made, the biggest of them all is that the laser systems of a Battleship and a smaller vessel are rather different. This would be research to correct this.

Cost: 250 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Battleship lasers.

Scaling Cruisers

The Light cruiser needs to be scaled up and down, its technology translated into Battleships Heavy Cruisers, Destroyers, and frigates. It shouldn't be that hard, but it will take some time and work. The rewards, however, are quite evident.

This action can also be taken as a Learning action at -10% probability, thanks to Kikkizit's crit.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 95%
Reward: Exactly what it says on the tin.

Shipyards!

Any new construction or refitting of ships impossible while the shipyards are third rate, the contractors unknown- requiring laborious individual negotiation on a ship-by-ship-basis- and the overall situation pretty poor. Begin looking into solutions for what Naval officers you talk to refer to as their 'shipyard woes.'

Cost: 25 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Opens up shipyard/hardware upgrades, chances to eventually build newer, or more up to date ships. Might have some economic advantage for civilian ships, though not anytime soon.
(TL;DR: Unlocks naval construction & refit)

Maximum Capacity

Startlingly, this is an area where Bizentara and Hazitean have a lot of synergy. Both were excited by the technological news, and both want to jump on it. Hazitean says she's aware that early on there will be a scramble, so the chances will likely improve, but she says that ultimately if they want to have a modern navy, they need the capacitors.

There is a further point, though. Captain Bizentara points out that even if the Speaker decides not to go for modern, up to date ships (an idea they disapprove of, but the understand that money is tight and it might not seem necessary), the reduction in capacitor volumes would allow them to fit all of the obsolete ships with autoloading missile launchers, giving them rough parity with the rest of the fleet in terms of salvo weight, at least covering for that deficiency. In any case, since the upgrades will eventually be applied to the ships of any polity that can afford it, the alternative is falling behind- or even further behind.

With Gazinith advances in technology, negotiators may be able to acquire advances in computing and AGI technology at the same time.

This action can be taken as a Learning action -10% probability thanks to Kikkizit's crit.

Cost: 500 Wealth
Probability: 60% +10
Reward: Gain the new capacitors. Will be able to start upgrading ships once you get the Shipyard situation worked out. +1 ??? if taken on the same turn or after 'Admiral Bizentara.'

Diplomacy: Your adviser has been starting off somewhat slowly, easing into his job as it were. They begin working by organizing the second annual celebration of the revolution's victory, and keep going from there. (Pick 3) (+0 to Foreign Diplomacy, -5 from your adviser and his lack of foreign knowledge balanced out by the +5 bonus to Foreign diplomacy) (+5 to Internal Diplomacy)

Rulers on Welfare?

Talk to them about their spending on place fees and the like. Surely there is some sort of polite accord that can be made that maintains some of their dignity without costing the state an arm and a leg. B'iyiuna would probably not approve, but compromises are sometimes the soul of politics.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Reduced palace fees budget, ???

The Former Queen

Talking to the former Queen would be either a sign of further reforms to come, or 'capitulation' depending on who is asked, but there is much that needs to be asked, and more than that, much that needs to be decided.

Cost: Free
Probability: ???
Reward: A chat, potential opinion changes.

Possibilities: Human Powers?

One of the more obvious ways to look diplomatically is towards the various human powers in the regions. Acquire dossiers on them, learn more about their trading needs, figure out as much as you can about them for the purpose of having more complete diplomatic relationships later on.

Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 60%+5%
Reward: Options.

Possibilities: Barsamen Confederacy

Recent events in the Barsamen Confederacy have come to your attention. You have no ties with the Confederacy, or even the Xvorzith hive world that is part of it, but it's one of the most powerful and populous entities in known space, to the extent that it is a single government. You could look into learning more about them and how there might be some connections that could be made.

Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: Options, etc

Workers For Workers

Often, what a Hive needs is workers with special experience. The trade of these workers, moving from Hive to hive, migrant bugs, is well regulated and an essential part of inter-Hive relations. Entering into this 'trade' could be lucrative, but more than that, it'd be social and neighborly.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 80%
Reward: 50 Wealth a turn, improved relations with other Hives.

The Big Meeting

There's a meeting of all the Hives. Now, while one could just show up, B'iyiuna advises that preparations at least a few months before it, in selecting the right people, are very, very necessary. For all that he's not a diplomat, he knows about Xvorzit politics.

Note: Will go away after turn 7.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 80%
Reward: Prepare for the big meeting on Turn 8.

Learn the Will of the Hive

What do the people want, diplomatically? Are there any groups that haven't been heard, are there options that have been ignored because they have come from outside the usual context and the corridors of power? You should ask around, start to get to know the people's will. And of course you've been reminded that their desires are not only stellar, they also have diplomatic goals and desires here as well.

Cost: Free
Probability: 70%
Reward: Options, learn the Will of the Hive on these matters, increased popular opinion, ???

A Voice for Colonies

The colonies feel excluded, but there's a simple answer to that. Include them. You can hire some more people onto your staff, to help you better cover the colonies needs and hear their opinions, and hopefully that will keep you up to date on them.

Cost: 10 Wealth per turn.
Probabilty: 75%+10
Reward: Gain one piece of Colonial News each turn. Improved colonial opinion, unlocks/gates other stuff later.

Extending the Common Goods

The government-run holocasts and other programs are very popular and are frequently downloaded and watched by those in the colonies, but the news sections consist entirely of planetary news and contain very little pertaining to the colonies themselves. While they certainly value knowing about the home planet, but if diplomatic efforts were extended to make sure that all benefits therein came to the colonies as well, it would be appreciated.

Cost: 25 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 80%+5
Reward: Colonies mollified, can use the holocasts to disseminate opinions/information to them. Greater cultural control over the colonies established.

Re-establish all the Embassies

It's right there in the name. Establish new embassies in the Technocrat Imperium, the Incorporated Suns, the League of Free Worlds, the People's Republic of Tanara, the Republic of Deiah, Stendar, the Varalai Federation, the Transpecies Harmony Republic, The Star Kingdom of Kenoadad, the Republic of Graha, the other Xvorzith Hives, the Barsa Confederacy, the Ilwari Union, the Tawasi, the Mercantile Republic, the Rorrox Association… everyone, absolutely everyone.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: Roll for each individual state with diplomacy and modifiers and different DCs for each. Failure is a minor setback unless you crit fail.
Reward: Embassies everywhere

Political Toe-Dipping

Your ambassador to Sol would have to step lightly indeed, but they could start to try to learn more about the political situation on Sol, and transmit it back to you. Since Kikkizit has been rather quiet on their interactions with Prime Minister Mutumbo this would be a good first step, though there's some danger that, if handled poorly, it could be seen as untoward interference.

Cost: 5 Wealth
Probability: 75%
Reward: Information, options, ties.

Meet the SOLARIAN Ambassador

You've heard a lot about them, and you've sorta been busy the past while, so why not have a meeting with him...and just as importantly, bring up modifications to your existing treaties to deal with the critical 'bleed' situation, or all sorts of other matters.

Cost: Free
Probability: Roll 1d100+Diplomacy to see how it goes.
Reward: ???

Diplomacy?

How much of that huge diplomatic budget is corruption? If any of it is, can it be taken away? And is there any waste or areas where it could be trimmed down even if it isn't corrupt? You're still not at the 'belt tightening and desperate scrabbling' part...well, mostly, but surely there's a little fat there.

Cost: 25 Wealth
Probability: 65%+5
Reward: Wealth? Information? Options?

Stewardship: Now that Mauris Law-Caste is working on things, there is certainly more to be happy about. (+5 to Law actions) (Pick 3, 1 locked in. Will of the Hive currently at 2. +10 to all (Hive) rolls, must do a (Hive) action this turn to maintain.) +5 to all actions from I'isanah

Colony Administration

Try to arrange the administration of the colonies in a way that will work better. Right now there are appointed governors and small councils and the like, you could bring democracy (and people who are more surely in your pocket) to the colonies! It's probably overdue, and there are more calls for it now than there were before.

Cost: 100 Wealth, 50 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 60%
Reward: New colonial administration, stronger hold on them, options.

Private Property

Sell off the Iashec corporations. It'll be at a big loss, perhaps even a huge loss, but it'll recoup some of the money and there might be other opportunities.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: Roll to see how it goes.
Reward: 0-200 Wealth (mind, you spent over a thousand to get these companies)

Public Corporations

No, you can definitely make money. Just try to make the companies more profitable and they'll eventually gain value. That way they could be of service and they might be able to be used for other purposes, such as actions against the larger remaining Iashec corporations.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probabilty: Roll to see how it goes.
Reward: Mutually exclusive with the former. 0-100 Wealth a turn. Options.

Military Duties

You could open up some new taxes, import and export duties in order to pay for the military bleeding. In the long term, it might dampen economic growth, but it could make a quick patch for the shortfall that can then be fixed later.

Cost: Free, for now.
Probability: 100%
Reward: 250 Wealth toward the military budget. Small opinion drop across the board.

(Ongoing) Open Up Avenues

This is ongoing, and will be continued unless you vote to discontinue it. So you can ignore it, though at some later date you might decide that the markets are tapped out and that continuing to spend 100 Wealth on it will provide no bonuses. Indeed, it is possible for that to happen, eventually.

Cost: 100 Wealth a Turn
Probability: ???
Reward: Continues the program. No need for a slot.

Exemptions Must Go

The ruler caste doesn't pay taxes. The merchants don't pay import fees. The military caste have a 50% exemption on all taxes. The diplomatic caste is immune from all import and export fees, as well as any fees on gifts they receive, and there are a thousand other exemptions. Some are not entirely bad and might be turned into some sort of tax credit or reduction scheme, such as with teachers, or with builders and property taxes or so on, but a lot of it just can't be defended at all. Rip it all away and let the light of taxation finally hit them.

Cost: 250 Wealth
Probability: ???, rolling better means you get more.
Reward: 500-1000 Wealth a turn, targeted groups will like you less.

Lower Taxes

The counterpoint is that the exemptions, while unfair, are also the only thing keeping the system going. As utterly messed up as the taxation system is, if everyone was getting hit equally it'd fall apart. More efficiency, some argue, could lead to depressed economic growth. Yet at the same time lowering taxes would lead to a large shortfall, and in the long term everyone admits it isn't a solution.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: -800 Taxation income, tax burden reduced, mitigates the possible side effects of Exemptions Must Go, but might create difficulties in the future. Increased opinion of you across the board, though.

(Hive )There's Power in a Workers Association

Long hours, beatings, suppression of workers rights. You cannot accept any of this, and it has to stop now. Start by setting up some commissions. And if any of them get in your way, any of those so-called 'public corporations' that allowed this, you have no compunctions about destroying them. Patiently, slowly, justly, but if it comes down to it, destruction is better than the situation as it is now. Plus, it'd be really, really cathartic.

Cost: 25 Wealth a Turn.
Call: Medium, growing.
Time: 1d4 Turns
Probability: 100%, rolls less than 40 add another year onto the time.
Reward: You shall BREAK them. You shall make it so that the worker no longer fears those who would exploit them, and if they stand in your way it shall be the last mistake they make.

Mines of the Hive

You need to make them productive. Which means charts. Graphs. Long meetings and economists accusing each other of being literally worse than Jasirin. All in a long day's work, but it would lead to the mines you purchased out in order to reform turning some degree of profits, at least hopefully.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Wealth, options, lots of good stuff!

(Hive) Trauma Centers

Those that are hurt cannot be un-hurt. You cannot turn back the hands of time, but you can punish the guilty, prevent these things from happening, and open up psychological groups to allow them to cope with all that's happened, among other things. These abuses didn't used to be common, and they are disgusting, against everything Xvorzith culture is meant to embody, and yet you have a feeling that the disgust and rot is going to have to be cleansed, bit by bit, to restore Gazinitah to what it might have been.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Call: Low
Probability: 90%
Reward: Open up more clinics for those who have suffered abuse and rape, either at the hands of an employer or otherwise.

Talk to the Castes

These castes were the ones that ran the bureaucracy that the ruler-castes led, they organized the economy, they did much of the middle-management. And they have been cast aside for the moment. You could reach out a hand and talk to them, learn about their concerns and see what they know?

Cost: Free
Probability: 80%, roll 1d100+Stewardship+½ Diplomacy to see how they take it.
Reward: Information, more knowledge of what they think of you. Opens up options.

Judicial Activism

Judges are terrible, chosen by inter-caste mechanics, and not remotely fair. You can solve all of these, taking the selection away from the judicial caste, for the moment doing it via appointment and eliminating those judges that don't measure up. Eventually you'll have to stop doing it by hand, it's not efficient, but for the moment there's at least enough information to start throwing out the worst offenders and starting with a clean slate, however difficult in time and work (with lawyers) it would be.

Cost: 150 Wealth
Probability: 55%+10
Reward: Judicial oversight, options.

Lawyer Up

The standards for lawyers is both far too strict and far too lax. Call attention to their problems and change the standards in a way that doesn't lead to as much railroading. It'd take money, potentially money you don't have, but it'd improve standards some. Mauris is rather explicit on how much their fellow lawyers might sorta, well, suck.

Cost: 100 Wealth a turn.

Probability: 75%+10

Reward: Better lawyers and law-situation. Options might eventually open up (given time.)

Legal Reforms

Now that the obviously bad laws have been eliminated, it was time to start fresh. You can start creating laws that can more carefully target the large cartels, keeping them off balance and undermining the truly dangerous parts of drug culture and other such dangerous avenues. One has to step carefully not to repeat the mistakes of the past, but that the future might hold more than mistakes, it's something you must believe in, and so you shall have your lawyer friends and others try to craft something new, see whether it sticks.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 70%+10
Reward: Reformed laws, more weapons in the legal arsenal against large-scale crime, without targeting or weakening individual liberties more than is necessary.

(Locked in) A Survey of the Law-Books

You could hire some people to look through the entire law-literature of Gazinitah for suggestions towards tighter, more careful reforms. However, at this point with the judiciary not yet reformed, with very difficult requirements and fewer trusted members, this would take a while. But it would probably pay off. Probably. Though at the moment it'd be difficult.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 80%+5
Time: Will finish this turn.
Reward: Further legal reforms, more knowledge of your own laws, other advantages/perks.

(Hive) Palace Fees

No. Get rid of it. You cannot possibly accept this as a valid use of economic power of your country, and you have to at least reduce it. It'll be dicey, and there might be calls against it from some, while others call for its complete elimination. You'll try to balance it, reducing it greatly while not leading to protest or dislike.

Call: Medium
Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: 500-1000 Wealth, potential raised/lowered ruler/worker opinion. The rest of that money (300-800 Wealth) would have to be gotten at in the budget more subtly because it's less obviously payoffs and might cause a bigger stink.

(Hive) Caste Signifiers

It is currently legal require prospective employees to undergo genetic testing, and, more than that, one's caste or former caste can be found on most forms of identification. Thus while in theory caste prejudice is being broken down, at least at the lower levels, in practice there are many ways to detect it. While some castes don't have identifiable genetic markers, others do, and others have 'common' genetic factors, or the like. In any case, the ID tells the whole story. You could ban all testing for those certain factors, and begin actions to shut down this form of quiet discrimination.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Call: Medium
Probability: 60%+20
Reward: Improved opinion with several groups, lowered opinion with others. Other things.

Equality Division

A division could be founded, of police and other figures, specifically to deal with the rising tide of inter-caste crimes. Not just crimes, but also discrimination. Both could be covered and investigated by the police, though it'd start slow and might also target some from less fortunate castes striking upward.

Cost: 25 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 60%+5
Reward: Equality Division founded, crimes solved, opinion relatively neutral.

(Hive) Government Fooding

You could buy out the company now that it's been laid low by your lawsuits and your consumer protection, and perhaps use it as a way to get the poor subsidized food on the cheap, as well as generally win points with the populace. It wouldn't make much, if any, money as a government corporation if you used it this way, but there are things more important than wealth, at least directly

Cost: 200 Wealth (It's a big company)-50 Wealth in losses a year
Call: Medium
Probability: 100%
Reward: You now own a company! Joy. New options! Opinion of the masses increased.

(Hive) Public Transport

Public transport needs to be better, that much is rather obvious. There are some calls to do so, even though it is indeed quite expensive. It'd be best at the moment to start with the areas most complained about, a group of cities on the southern continent, solving their problems directly without going for the big, sweeping gesture… yet.

Call: Medium
Cost: 150 Weath
Probability: 85%+10
Reward: Public transportation improved in one area. Increased worker opinion. On the other hand, more graphs.

Public Parks

Recreating the entire agricultural order is not on your agenda at the moment, and so you've told Kikkizit to shelve the plans until there is less on your plate since even looking at it for too long does horrible things to you, but public parks sounds nice, safe and uncontroversial, and Kikkizit talked you through it in a way that both allowed you to understand it without creating too many difficulties. Plus, it'd improve morale.

Cost: 75 Wealth
Probability: 60%
Reward: Parks start getting built, people get happier. Maybe you can go to one of them sometime and relax away from economic duties?

*****

A/N: Ultimately the turn fiction is so short because Vorzhan is feeling good and the next round of interpersonal conflict and issues to deal with hasn't really set in for them. Also, have at ye!

The Laurent · Aug 19, 2015

Turn 6--Intrigue, Learning, Personal, Personal (Other)

Intrigue: The war in the shadows has only gotten bloodier. As Asurin burns the Speaker's networks were stretched to their limit across known space, even as Zaeswin had to be hurting. Yaziha helps out despite sickness, focusing on internal affairs rather than external. Chance he'll do one of the more sedentary actions each turn, rolling a 1d100+26 (he's not an official advisor though). (Pick 3) (+10 to all Internal security rolls, +5 to External Security rolls)

Station 57

Who comes in and out of Station 57? Perhaps there can be bugs planted on mercenaries and track kept of the movements of ships, men, and supplies. It would all be very useful information, that could be used for future operations on Station 57, as well as against and involving any of the mercenary groups present.

Cost: 50 Wealth a turn
Probability: 65%+5
Reward: Information.

The Dark Side of Reconciliation

There are enemies. They can be found, those that committed the worst crimes. Even though reconciliation has happened, accidents could be arranged. Or more honestly, they could be found to be continuing bad behavior through basic monitoring and then be hauled off, to see what to do with them from there. It might turn out badly, it might be accepted, who knows.

Time is running out on this, though information about the revolution and darker actions coming out has extended the possibilities for this.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 50% (+10)
Reward: Worst criminals still present taken in/dealt with, options.

A Traitor In the Ranks (Zaeswin)

It's a simple plan, if dangerous for many people. Plant rumors of traitors within the ranks, evidence and lies all concocted to sow discord within Zaeswin's network. But if done poorly the agents that tried it could be discovered. If done very poorly the entire inside line to Zaeswin's mid-level operations, which took a year to establish, could evaporate in a matter of days.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 50%+5, failure then rolls to see how bad this hurts you.
Reward: Dissension, further bonuses against Zaeswin, options.

En Passant

Zaeswin is canny and clever, and more importantly, brilliant. A genius who has a lot of very deep and tricky plans, and so attacking him directly could be very dangerous. So instead, your agents will attack his pawns, those Iashec and other forces that ultimately are the bread and butter of any major game he's playing. It will take them across known space, into very difficult waters, in a race against time to capture as many pieces as they can, while not letting themselves but lured into any mistakes.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 40%
Time: 2 turns.
Reward: Options, advantage gained in the game against Zaeswin.

Castling

Protection of your own assets is quite important as well. Ultimately if your assets are destroyed, or worse, you yourself, you will have little ability to harm the enemy. Shuffle around identities, create new code systems and then have them change frequently, gain and discard shell corporations, and otherwise make sure that you have the processes in place to thwart any attempts at a counter-attack.

Cost: 150 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: Protection, safety, chance to catch someone's hand in the cookie jar.

When In The Course of Events

Besides the Capos and Capas, both aligned (unknowingly) for and against Zaeswin, there are other factions. Those who speak of the corruption of the merchants, who bemoan a weak government that can do nothing to protect the people. Some favor democracy, some oligarchy, some merely a more efficient mode of the same government that currently exists, but all are fed up with the system. They could be encouraged, whether they win or lose. Funding and aid could be sent their way, information and weapons. Some are slave owners, and even those that believe in democracy don't necessarily share all the values that a Gazinith or Solarian citizen would hold, but they're at least something like good guys.

Cannot be done with 'Naught But Ash Remains.'

Cost: 100 Wealth a turn
Probability: 65%
Reward: Armed anti-establishment rebels. Scattered at this point, both physically and ideologically, but with help and support they could gather strength.

Spartacus Rising

Agents could go in to free slaves, create chaos, to make indentured servants turn against their masses, and generally cause trouble for Capo and honest (slave-owning) citizen alike. This would be somewhat risky, but would have both moral, psychological, and economic effects.

Cost: 200 Wealth.
Probability: 40%
Reward: Freed slaves, options involving that path.

Naught But Ash Remains

Or, you could watch Asurin burn. Make the war expand further, and then further still. Force the Mercantile Republic to send in troops just to keep the peace. Then, have that fail. Have the poison of civil war spread, generals assassinated in their beds, Zaeswin's agents dead in a thousand ways. Fires, destruction, the complete evaporation of anything at all like a functioning planet. Bring the entire Mercantile Republic to its knees, if you can manage it.

Cost: 500 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: Start working on burning Asurin to the ground. Options. Has...interesting synergy with Spartacus. Think slave-owner heads on spikes.

Patterns of Behavior

You can monitor the forums and online conversation in several high-traffic areas, not to catch criminals but to notice patterns of thoughts and to better be able to predict just what's coming. Are people growing angrier, is dissent rising, is there a drop in activity that might mean they've found a way around the bugs?

Cost: 80 Wealth per turn.
Probability: 65% (+10)
Reward: Information, knowledge, potential options each turn. Likely to be one or so new options each turn, slightly oddball.

A New Archive

Now that the archive has been plumbed, it needs to be rearranged in a way that allows it to both be secret, but also less confusing, and more accessible… for you, at least. This would be a difficult process, but it would further improve internal security and allow for in-depth research on both the past and previous operations that might prove very valuable for agents in the future, since accurate information and accurate simulations are a major part of how one stays alive in a galaxy of Intrigue.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Time: 1d2 turns
Probability: 60% (+10)
Reward: Improved Internal Security, data.

What are they saying?

The ruler caste were immune to at least the bugs and programs you have access to, but you could find the codes for where they are monitored and work on setting up your own spy network. You need to know what they're saying and thinking, and whether they are planning anything against you. They gave up peacefully, but they certainly didn't *choose* to give up.

Cost: 350 Wealth
Probability: 50% (+10)
Reward: Monitor the former Ruler and her children and allies, open up options.

Colonial Eyes and Ears

The colonies are a big question mark. You could rectify this through viruses, agents, and other such forms of infiltration, but it's a long journey with forces you aren't entirely sure of. But considering the dangers the colonies pose, and are in, it might just be worth it. The operations would be delicate and complicated, but you just might be able to do it.

They're not that much of a threat, and so this is now redefined as setting up a security network, the sort of thing you already do to some extent back home, only a little more built-up

Cost: 400 Wealth
Probability: 60%
Reward: Information. An option or two.

Redeeming the Aroane Special Group

The most famous special forces group is the Aroane. There are many, but you have a friend or two who used to be in that group, and former friends still in there. Their reputation was marred by their actions, including a (nonlethal) raid on the house of a protest leader and scholar, but they are useful and the largest and (though the public might not believe it) least given to brutal and repressive acts.

They could certainly free up some bug-hours if they were more fully able to help out with things, at least internally.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 55% (+10)
Reward: Aroane checked out and cleared of potential subversives, public opinion restored to 'neutral/those scary people.' Might help other options.

Open Government?

There have been calls to open the action of the government so all can see it. You could do so...at least for the nonclassified things, setting up sites and document retrieval for the non-sensitive Diplomatic, Stewardship, Martial and Learning actions, while keeping the Intrigue carefully hidden. It'd increase public trust, at the very least, though also increase public scrutiny.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Open Government holo-casts and VR/websites, increased public opinion, increased public pressure.

Cyber-Agents

You need to improve agents, and just as importantly, make sure you know the access codes and shut-offs for the cybernetically enhanced agents so that you can grant more of them, deactivate them for those who leave the service, and otherwise get a handle on this security issue.

Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: Any agents that escape a purge won't have military-grade cybertech available. Can track your own agents. Can train more and give them cybernetics.

Learning: Kikkizit continues his march forward, having picked up a lot of valuable experience with a side of technical skills not usually associated with a 'Minister of education', which is really paying off in a number of ways. (Pick 3) (+10 to all education options, +5 to all options as a whole (the latter will last one more turn)

We don't need no thought control

Students' lives are monitored every second. Security guards escort them from class to class. They live in fear that their sexual hangups will be punished and that any move out of line will destroy their lives. Not everywhere, some of the poorer schools are harder hit, while others are 'unlucky' enough not to have the kind of budget for that sort of thing, but the whole situation is one you still remember. Schooling wasn't as bad for you, but it certainly isn't something you'd wish on any children you had. You can move to remove the controls and loosen restrictions.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 80%
Reward: Less control over students, increased opinion by them, ???. Might unlock to other options.

Educational Holos

So, some of the first holos didn't work. But that doesn't mean that education can't be improved with VR and three-dimensional entertainment. They just can't be improved by Willie the Wormie. God, that was a stupid idea. Who thought of that? Kikkizit just sorta shrugged when asked.

Cost: 50 Wealth, 25 Wealth a turn
Probability: 70%
Reward: Start trying to make non-crappy educational material! Might have other advantages.

Training On the Job

Military academies and other fields could also use them. Training procedures could be improved, and not just for kids. There is some question as to how useful VR simulations are compared to the real thing, but that too is something that could be investigated.

Cost: 100 Wealth, 20 Wealth per turn
Probability: 70%
Reward: Information, Options.

Games, Games, and More Games

Holo-games are an art, and they are an art that could be funded. Companies could be founded and given money to make more games for children and young teens to play. Some educational...some not so educational, with quality control standards and everything. It would see no immediate advantages, but who knows?

Cost: 100 Wealth, 25 Wealth a turn
Probability: 70%
Reward: Expanded industry, ???

Caste-based Research

Currently, research into the history and sociology of caste formation, its potential economic consequences, its validity both educationally and genetically, its social impacts, whether it's a good idea, or anything of the like is forbidden by law. Professor Kikkizit would like to change that, opening up and providing grants for research in order to prepare the ground for later reform. They urge a slow and cautious formation of policy, not giving away their hand before they are sure they have the data needed to act.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 60%
Reward: Caste-based research- historical, social and genetic- opened up for discussion, results might take a while to come in, might open up options.

Implement the Hive's Will

There are many ideas in Gazinitah. Many patents filed, or that would have been filed. You could give an opportunity for independent inventors to use your facilities, pursue their ideas, their dreams, and see what comes of it. Which could very well be nothing, a big explosion or a ruined lab, or it could be something spectacular.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: ???
Reward: Grab Bag of Mystery Shinies? Or nothing? Who knows!

Take A Pill

There are many illnesses that shouldn't exist, but do. Cured long ago, often simply and easily, their costs are yet beyond the average worker. You could tackle this problem any number of ways, but at the moment you judge opening free clinics and the like is far, far beyond you, considering at the moment you aren't entirely sure how much your budget is, what you're spending, how you are going to pay month by month, let alone the state of medical care. However, you could have scientists and doctors work on trying to reduce the cost of medical equipment and find new ways to do the same things only more cheaply.

Cost: 400 Wealth
Probability: 65%
Reward: New medical tech, health benefits start spreading slowly to the masses. Potential upswing in wealth over the next few years thanks to improved health.

Political Education

Political Science is an important discipline, and just because the former regime used political indoctrination and distorted the facts doesn't mean the new order can refrain from trying their best to educate children. This would be Kikkizit's stab at a balanced and rounded primary and secondary education guideline for Politics/History, and the first step towards them interfering in higher education in a way they've hesitated to do so far.

Cost: Free
Probability: 70%
Reward: Options, guidelines posted and start to be adopted, could have potential advantages a few turns down the line.

Maximum Capacity

See details in the Martial section.

Scaling Cruisers

See details in the Martial section.

Old Time Religion

Nobody keeps track of religion, and doing so is somewhat controversial. But the government should keep track of such things, surely? Surveys could be taken, questions could be asked, and information could be gotten. Who knows what it'd lead to, but it's certainly a matter of more than a little curiosity.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 80%
Reward: Information, options, who knows?

University or Bust

Kikkizit has been building up to this for a moment. An examination of what can be done to improve a thousand issues. Almost, to be honest, it's a matter of Kikkizit paring down their vast ambitions for Gazinitah's educational system into some managable paths towards improving things.

Cost: 20 Wealth
Probability: 90%
Reward: Start getting options involving improving universities.

Personal: There was time to do plenty besides work, fortunately.(Choose 3)

Personal Intervention

(will vote on what you Intervene on later.) Take a guiding hand in something, directing it, even more than you already are, spending a very large amount of your time and effort on it, free time as it were.

Cost: Free
Reward: Bonus equal to your stat on an action (+19% for Diplomacy, etc)

What Are Friends For?

You are part of a Workers Association. These are friends, people who cared for you and whom you still care for. You could get the gang back together, talk, de-stress, maybe get their advice. It's been so long since you've seen them, and you're really starting to miss them.

Cost: Free
Probability: 80%
Reward: Get the gang back together. Relieve some stress. Potential other benefits.

Getting in Shape

Some laugh at the idea that you'd go and do the mission, but they were wrong. But it's true you've seen better days, and want to get back to them as well. Part of it is lack of the cybernetics, yes, but more importantly you haven't had as much time to exercise, and you might have packed on a little beneath the chitin. Either way, a little bit of work would be all it'd take for you to get more in shape.

Cost: Free
Probability: 70%/30%
Reward: 70% chance of +1 Martial, 30% chance of +2 Martial.

The Past is the Past?

Hazitean is unwilling to talk about what forcered her to retire. There might be something there, and more than that, it seems like it might be important to her continued recovery. She's not likely to talk about it all at once, but perhaps a start can be made.

Cost: Free
Probability: ???
Reward: Talk to Hazitean

I'isanah's perspective

She's been to the various Xvorzit Hives, and seen much of the known galaxy. What are things like? She's given reports, but what do people say about Gazinitah? What can be done better? And...there are many other things to talk about.

Cost: Free
Probability: 100%
Reward: ???, perspective.

Among the People

You're popular. No, really, really popular. Yes, more popular than that. And them. People are literally quoting you as the authority for everything, which is rather odd. Either way, they're quite friendly and polite and you could spend some more time mingling. Talk to people, interact and befriend the common people, try to get away from it all. Not that you need a break or anything, everything's going just fine!

Cost: Free
Probability: 100%
Reward: ???, mingling, relaxation, public-opinion baths.

Lucille's Games

Apparently while on duty she's had time to play games. Lots and lots of games. Actually, how does she find the time? Either way, she apparently found some 'top shelf' games, and some of them she wants to share. She's dared you to see if you can beat her scores on some of them, and also just wants to see if you have any opinions/reviews of them. It's silly and surely it's a waste of time, but Lucille helped you out, and it couldn't hurt to try, could it?

Cost: Free
Probability: ???
Reward: You play video games, ???

Personal: Others-- You weren't the only person with free time that spent it in an interesting way. (Choose 2)

B'iyiuna's Project

B'iyiuna is working on something and won't tell anyone what it is. This is bizarre, since usually the bug is constantly talking about various plans of his. It makes one wonder, doesn't it?

Cost: Free
Probability: ???
Reward: ???

Kikkizit's Correspondence

Kikkizit has been spending more and more time working on their next reply to the Prime Minister, it seems that their replies have grown longer and longer, and also more friendly. This is a really good thing! Maybe?

Cost: Free
Probability: 85%
Reward:???

Uhan's religion?

Uhan has requested a meeting with Kikkizit, and it has been granted. Who knows what it's about, but the two of them are old friends, and rumors are it might involve religion.

Cost: Free
Probability: 90%
Reward: A meeting happens.

Yaziha's Desires

Vorzhan realizes they've been selfish. Yahiza has been helping out these past months, yet never has the Speaker directly asked them what they themselves want to do. What it is they want and dream of, other than vague mentions of retirement?

Cost: Free
Probability: 100%
Reward: Learn what Yaziha wants.

*****
A/N: Apologies for taking so long. This isn't dead, though it's now going last on the queue behind End of An Era and KCS. Hopefully those will be done fast, but it depends on my health, how distracted I get, and also how fast the words flow for those two. Still, have something to vote on!

The Laurent · Aug 23, 2015

Turn 6 Results:

Martial

Hazitean: 1d100=29, nope
Bleed: 1d100+4 (Bleed amount)+4 (Bleed time)=45, meh.
Tankers: 1d100+30=115, well holy shit.

(Free) Gun it!
Need: 25, Rolled: 89+5=94

There were demonstrations, tests, and a thousand questionnaires and surveys filled out on how much more effective the new guns were than the old Farshas. But the most effective demonstration was of why Hazitean was not an armchair general. Armed with a single one of the new guns, she mowed through squads of troops equipped with the old equipment, and then reversed it, equipped them all with it and herself with the old one, and while she still cut a swath, this time they managed to finally gun her down (well, it did fake damage that registered as enough to kill her, though Vorzhan wasn't sure whether she'd die even then).

Then she'd insulted people's brood-creators, and generally made a bit of a jerk of herself...but the overall message got through, and now the army is armed with, as their basic armament, better guns, though Hazitean is now thinking about how to improve or add things like grenade launchers and specialist weapons.

Reward: Improved army overall, a few other options.

War, what is it good for? Diplomacy. Ass-covering. Many things.
Need: 15, Rolled: 74+10=84

The guns are very useful, as soon after a large portion of two groups of the army are sent out. First, the most experienced, and second the least, in order to get them some 'blood.' Sol had agreed to accept the help after only a little negotiation, which Tezthen had overseen on her way back from the Holy Free State. A victory after a defeat. How well it would go remain to be seen, and Hazitean had decided that she'd go back and forth between the two locations every so often to check in, though she would have to delegate, something she didn't look forward to.

Reward: Options, other things, Solarian opinion improved.

War Bonds
Need: 25, Rolled: 26+10=36

With the growth of the bonds, this provides quite a lot of money, and can be easily justified as part of the pacification efforts. There are a few small protests, but for the most part, cutting through and finding some money to siphon off from the wildly popular bonds program wasn't hard at all.

Reward: +170 Wealth to the military budget

Security or Liberty?
Need: 35, Rolled: 54+10=64

This time, the police were separated from the army, at least mostly. There was a lot of overlap. Too much, honestly, especially among the special respondents and, oddly enough, the support staff. The whole divide at the moment seems artificial, and many complain about it, but the average person has noticed that, combined with the reforms to the laws in general, it is having a positive effect. Certainly, money is starting to be saved by the process, only partially done.

Reward: Options, opinion boost, +250 Wealth to the military budget

Admiral Bizentara?
Need: 10, Rolled: 40

This was one of the easier things to get solved, but Bizentara was very grateful, though Vorzhan sensed a little annoyance in the stream of notes that were sent the next day on plans they had, especially since for them it was all a little beyond their knowledge. Either way, it all looked pretty good, as did the plans for immediate expansion.

Reward: Options, naval category, new mechanic.

Naval Organization. It starts out as 1/10, and each turn it increases by one. At 10/10 it resets to 0/50, and the number of options increases from 0 to 1. The one option that Gazinitah has at all is due to Bizentara's skill. It increases by 1 each turn, but it also increases and decreases based on options taken. Building up to date ships, improving officer training, expanding the navy significantly, and other methods will provide extra points. At that first level, it's pretty much automatic, but getting it to 50 is hard because a lot of the points will reset at that 'level' development, if one doesn't maintain a consistent effort to keep up to date technologically, and also in terms of office structure, and a wide variety of other factors. Hence, only a few polities, like Ilwar and Sol, have moved onto the next category, 0/100, and have two base actions. None have gotten that third base action.

As well, winning great victories or taking losses can increase or reduce Naval Organization, as experienced officers are killed when their ships are destroyed. Currently, then, with no bonuses, by Turn 15 there will be two naval actions instead of one. Except, sitting in waiting around isn't your plan, is it?

Maximum Capacity:
Need: 50 (DC raised by 10), Rolled: 56+10=66

Kikkizit took charge here, personally, spending half of his time in the Technocrat Imperium, incidentally having the effect of all but making all but certain that the embassy was approved there. Kikkizit got dozens of interesting concessions, and though it was of course expensive, it was entirely worth it. They wrote a paper, as well, on some of the cultural mores of the Imperium, its history, and also met with some game designers and Solarian agents who were acquiring the same technology. This led to yet another interesting contact, but not in time to help with the collapse of the video game board…

Either way, it was a little startling to see just how much Kikkizit had accomplished.

Reward: Up to date hardware and software, contacts, etc. +1 to Naval Organization.

Tanks and Carriers
Need: 25/50/75/100, Rolled: 114

Every month, it seemed, they made more and more progress, breaking previous deadlines. They had the tank done within four months, all systems good, including a set of armaments that were quite excellent, and should be mass producible. It was a bit of a delicate machine in some ways, and so there would need to be some work in the factories to fix a few minor bugs, but in all honesty, it was as done as the Tankers could make it. All that remained was to implement it.

That done, they began work on APCs, the taxis of the battlefield. VTOL craft could be useful, but they had limits both for deployment and dropping soldiers off, and the sheer practicality of an APC was apparently rather established. It was most useful for a full-scale war, since on Gazinita, at least there were different vehicles used for riot control and the like (though they could certainly work on police vehicles if they ran out of fun things to do, they assured Vorzhan), but those only provided limited protection against small-arms fire. Currently they were arguing about motors and also whether the APC should have weapons of its own, and if so what they should be, but hopefully they'll figure something out soon.

Diplomacy:

Meet the Solarian Ambassador
Need: ???, Rolled: 5+19=24, not a good start.

The Speaker frowned. That meeting could have gone better. Nobody insulted anyone else, but the ambassador, a tall, thin, pale being with heavy augmentations, hadn't really warmed up to them. It was perhaps testament to the fact that Vorzhan was becoming a politician- or perhaps that Xvorzit are basically politicians in the best meaning of the word- that they didn't like not being liked. They would have to try again. They began to plan, think of new conversational strategies.

Reward: Nothing, no real contact made, Vorzhan was so distracted by the utter failure to connect that they didn't even talk much about

Re-establish all the Embassies

B'iyiuna was not an expert, but he had a huge staff of experts, and whatever else, he was full to the brim with energy, and a willingness to work night and day and night again without sleeping. Which was typical enough for Xvorzit, but he seemed able to do it for a week on end without any side effects, just plowing on, and while he wasn't so great at the foreign part, he did manage to get embassy buildings made for all of the diplomats he hoped his 'send the whole diplomatic corps all across the known galaxy' plan would result in. Tezthen apparently was a large help in every stage of this, at least according to some of the inside sources Vorzhan checked, since in the official plans her name showed up precisely nowhere.

Aamanthorat
Need: 30, Rolled: 78+20 (25-5 (penalty)=98

"..."

"Yes Speaker?" the expert on the Aamanthorat asked.

"So, getting this straight, the Aamanthorat sent a small commune of individuals to be the embassy, and they selected among each other the one of them that would be ambassador?"

"Indeed, Speaker."

"And formed a body to do so?"

"Yes, with mass gained from the others."

"Just one question," Vorzhan asked.

"Ask away."

"Why," the Speaker asked, "Does the rock look Xvorzit shaped?"

"To put you at ease."

"Oh."

Barsamen Confederacy
Need: 40, Rolled: 94+20=114

The Confederacy has apparently been waiting for some kind of diplomatic contact. They've managed to prevent the rogue member from doing anything untoward at the moment, and are now expanding their navy- a topic which leads to discussions of joint military exercises together, as well as trade and transit- and the fact that Uhan pays a visit to the Xvorzit member of the Confederacy around this time helps, as the world is able to put in a good word to the council, which grants the request almost immediately and sends as an ambassador a famous monk and scholar, experienced in several dozen forms of combat, and just as many philosophies. They are surprising energetic, and other than feeling rather short next to them, Vorzhan decides that they like them, and unlike the Sol ambassador, they get the feeling that the Barsan Ambassador, whose name can be translated as Argis-Unne-Kot, though the exact concepts conveyed in this three part phrase are apparently...obscure.

Entat Star League:
Need: 121, Rolled: 78+20=98

The Entat do not respond. According to Tezthen, when asked, they have no diplomatic contact with any other powers, and haven't for centuries, since the end of the Hexamari Wars. The polite note was for nothing, though she does say that the first broadside was rather cleverly written, but that getting any sort of open communications with the Entat is an academic thought experiment at best, a waste of time at worst.

Hexamari Heretics:
Need: 70, Rolled: 90+20=110

The heretics agree to set up an embassy, though they did make an odd request to learn more about Xvorzit chitin, because they seem to think it might have unique properties. Either way, B'iyiuna picks a diplomat with absolutely no cybernetic augmentations and sends them along. It seems that things are going well enough, though the Heretics' culture is apparently very strange indeed. Social though, and rather friendly when one gets to know them, the ambassador reports back.

Hexamari Theocracy:
Need: 50, Rolled: 31+20=51

The fact that the heretics had gotten so warm of a reception was almost enough to scuttle the agreement, but a quick thinking diplomat twitched their head-wings in a brilliant idea and began emphasizing that only by also having an embassy can any heretic actions be countered, which was enough for the Theocracy to reluctantly allow diplomats in. B'iyiuna sent the most cybernetically enhanced diplomat they could find to the Theocracy, hoping that this would be seen as a positive sign.

Holy Free State:
Need: 130, Rolled: 80+20=100

Tezthen came in one day and asked the Speaker, "If I've done anything to offend you, I am sorry. I did not mean… I am loyal, but--"

Vorzhan, who had been reading, looked up, startled, "What? Why would I be angry at you, from what I know of your record you've done good work--"

She explained that she had been told that her 'assignment' was the Holy Free State. Vorzhan, a little unsure, asked why that was a big deal, which led to her trembling and running off. When they finally get the report from her mission, well, things made sense. It read at first like an objective report on the Free State's history, but it sorta got a little bit drier and more cutting when it pointed out that the Holy Free State viewed all aliens as inferior animals to be either enslaved or wiped off the face of the galaxy, at best. It detailed how B'iyiuna had just taken the name off a list and given it to Tezthen as her assignment, and how she had only gotten a meeting with a lowly official after three weeks of work, a meeting that they arrived late to and would only say that 'We have no wish to pursue a holy war against you at the moment, lowly bugthing.' Then they left, without so much as a goodbye. This was meant to be an assurance, since few other nonhuman nations spent so much time and effort as Tezthen had been forced to, and so she had assumed that there was some reason for it.

Vorzhan didn't have a headache, per se, but they felt for Tezthen and her impossible task.

Ilwari Union:
Need: 50, Rolled: 36+20=56

The Ilwari were not easily pleased, but in this case, the same diplomat who had spent the past two years in the Union, after the failure to retrieve the Xvorzit slaves, was able to call in favors and finally establish an embassy, though at the moment they were considered rather secondary compared to other embassies. Most of all the Ilwari were strange and hairy and they smelled funny, and that was according to the sorts of Xvorzit who didn't share B'iyiuna's mindset.

Incorporated Suns:
Need: 30, Rolled: 19+20=39

Commonly cited as an example of 'Sol on a Budget' though the term was thought to be derogatory, they were somewhat reluctant to incur the expense and not entirely sure of Gazinith motives, but the relative openness of their government, and Sol's current approval meant they finally acceded to the request and sent their own ambassador as well.

Mercantile Republic:
Need: 70, Rolled: 79+20=99

Startlingly, the Iashec instantly agreed to an embassy. Vorzhan suspected it was so that they could know, or hopefully know, exactly where the spying was coming from, and hopefully do their own spying and espionage. Vorzhan decided that they would frustrate this by keeping the embassy, this one if not the others, entirely on the up and up and monitoring the Iashec embassy at all times, to the extent possible.

People's Republic of Tanara:
Need: 70, Rolled: 67+20=87

Tanara is something like the Mercantile Republic in all the wrong ways, but it was surprisingly easy to bribe one's way into an embassy, and so while expensive, there would be few problems. Though Vorzhan didn't trust the Tanaran ambassador at all.

Republic of Deiah:
Need: 70, Rolled: 16+20=36, failure.

Apparently having an Embassy with the Ilwari Union was the breaking point, and they refused to receive the credentials of the ambassador, thus the process couldn't even begin. Perhaps with time they could be won over, though Deiah was not a very importnat human polity.

Rorrox Association:
Need: 30, Rolled: 3+20=23, failure.

The embassy was almost set up when the Rorrox ambassador suffered a sudden illness and needed to be rushed home, which of course set back the construction of a pressurized compound on the Rorrox homeworld- outside of it, of course, sealed environment suits would be needed to survive. Either way, it was an annoying setback.

Star Kingdom of Kenoadad:
Need: 70, Rolled:65 +20=85

A 'Star Kingdom' that had been through half a dozen dynasties over the last century, it was unstable, and operated as much as some sort of corrupt hereditary plutocracy as an actual monarchy. In all honesty, the Gazinith ambassador said it 'felt like home' which meant that they only had to bribe the right people and the embassy was easily set up.

Stendar:
Need: 70, Rolled: 45+20=65, bare failure.

Stendar, protesting the continued illegal actions of Gazinitah, officially refused to meet the ambassador or send their own, even while drawing up plans and beginning to build an embassy, unlike one that the Xvorzit needed. Elaborate, huge, and expensive. But officially, they denied building it, and certainly haven't opened it yet.

Technocrat Imperium:
Need: 40, Rolled: 41+20+10 (Kikkizit)=71

Kikkizit certainly helped, and ultimately the Imperium is perfectly willing to open embassies, and in fact have them from almost every polity out there, though this would only be the second Xvorzit Hive World to have reached out in this way.

Transpecies Harmony Republic:
Need: 22, Rolled: 74+20=94

With a large Xvorzit population and a tendency toward openness in their foreign policy, it would have taken an idiot to screw up getting an embassy agreement through, and B'iyiuna sent one of the better diplomats to discuss it. The current President was a Xvorzit, and they had a long, interesting discussion before turning over details to the human Secretary of State. All in all, it was one of the easiest possible assignments, but was nonetheless carried out as if everything relied on it.

United Kingdoms of Thalkayr:
Need: 50, Rolled: 18+20=38, failure.

It was going so, so well, and then the ambassador had accidently addressed one of the Kings as 'ja' instead of 'na', thus somehow implying that he was an Emperor above all others, an insult that to the King storming out and the negotiations temporarily breaking down, only restarting temporarily thanks to the effort of his eldest daughter, and only then long enough for the Xvorzit ambassador to apologize and for a further meeting to be scheduled later in the year.

Varalai Federation:
Need: 30, Rolled: 26+20=46

Varalai too was an area where it was a relatively easy sell, but the diplomat assigned did a mostly workmanlike job, but that was enough to get an embassy set up in a democracy, even though it did have some objections to some of Gazinitah's actions.

Xvorzit Hives:
Need: 40, Rolled: 69+20=89

All in all, a Xvorzit Hive was a Xvorzit Hive, and good things had been heard about the way Gazinitah was treating its own citizens, and so it wasn't be hard at all to get other Hives to agree to establish embassies, and in the end it is a simple matter, and a rather pleasant one, to greet the new Xvorzit ambassadors. Vorzhan has a very nice meal with them, and it seems like this, at least, won't be a source of trouble or embarrassment.

Reward: Embassies set up, now have access to options involving them, and more. Gain relative (broad) opinions of various polities, might not be entirely accurate. Will have to work on the ones you missed later.

Diplomacy?
Need: 35, Rolled: 89+5=DIPLOMACY

It seemed that there was definitely some waste in terms of luxuries and illegal gifts, but most of all that there was inefficiency. Diplomatic efforts could be improved if things were only carefully moved around, and bribes could be turned into inducements and better facilities. It tied into B'iyiuna's interest in embassies so much that they would build an entire quarter using some of the money excised from the budget, and more properly equip foreign ambassadors.

Reward: No money saved, +2 to all (Foreign) Diplomacy rolls from here on out.

Stewardship

Public Corporations
Rolled: 59+5=64, not bad!

The decision to keep the corporations pays off somewhat, though at this rate it'll be over a decade before returns are made on the investment, and that's only if the economy keeps up at its current rate, which isn't likely. However, it makes a perfect platform for economic counter-espionage, and the profits coming in are still enough to be worthwhile.

Reward: Potential Intrigue options, +64 Wealth per turn.

Open Up Avenues
Rolled: 34+5=39, nothing

Well, at least nothing bad happened this time. Better luck next year.

(Hive) Public Transport
Need: 15, Rolled: 73+10+5=88

It wasn't hard, and the upshot was that the improved economic efficiency had been well worth it, as was the fact that the people at large grow ever more impressed. What remains now, transportation wise, is the far, far more complicated process of extending this new transportation system, carefully tested and at least viable on a smaller scale, across the whole planet and seeing if it works on a macro scale.

Reward: An option, increased public opinion.

Mines of the Hive
Need: 30, Rolled: 37+5=42

It was difficult, but the mines are currently running at a profit. A small profit, though compared to the deficit before it is impressive, all the more so because it was done without the cost cutting, poor safety standards and low pay that accompanied the mines previously. There would need to be an expansion of operations or the creation of new equipment, or even new purposes for the space of the mine if profits were to increase further, but even this at least keeps the Mines from being a drain.

Reward: -50 Wealth a turn because +5 Wealth a turn. Options.

A Study of the Law Books
Need: 20, Rolled: 29+5=34

Finally, it is done. Now that all of the laws are clearly understood and have been put together into a single online document, not only will it be easier to search them, but now contradictions should stand out, and reforms can be begun, especially on governmental matters, the government, legally at least, having existed somewhere halfway between functional and not these last three years.

Reward: Options, +5 to all options that involve the law books (doesn't help for Lawyer/Judge reforms.)

Intrigue
Yaziha: 1d100+27=45, nope.

Castling:
Need: 50, Rolled: 70

It was quite needed, and Vorzhan was surprised at how many identities might have been undermined. In fact, the timing seemed to have been quite fortuitous, as many forces were moving in to exploit weaknesses discovered several months prior, only to have the rug pulled out from under them, dozens of counterattacks and intrusion attempts from a number of polities, including the Iashec, were thwarted. The only odd thing is that Zaeswin had been quiet as of late, his agents working more subtly. Something is being planned, something big, but at least Gazinitah is preparing for it.

Reward: Preparation done, enemies caught.

Redeeming the Aroane Special Group
Need: 45, Rolled: 55+10+32=97

To begin the process of redemption is easy enough. What's more difficult is to find exact roles for them. For the moment they act against criminal and foreign elements, but eventually their purpose will need to be more specific and their limits more defined if Vorzhan doesn't want there to be more overreach. What reaching out to them does do is increase what Vorzhan can do in terms of internal security, as well as free up some manpower.

Reward: Options, expanded manpower.

When In the Course of Events
Need: 35, Rolled: 94

The factions could unite on many issues, even if they couldn't unite on all of them. Not all were heroes, not all of them were even nice, and many believed in slavery and corporate power, just as long as it was handled more efficiently. But all across Asurin they began acting against all of the other factions. With the support of Gazinitah, they had an advantage over the anti-Zaeswin forces which were supplied by Gazinitah, and thus tracked by Gazinitah, and so began to gain some notable victories, though at the moment the antigovernmental forces are still undecided as to their goals and weaker than the other two. But they are growing stronger, and perhaps soon they will surpass the other factions.

Reward: 'Asurin Democracy?' Option line begun. 'Naught But Ash' option line locked.

Learning:

Games, Games, and More Games
Need: 30, Rolled: 24+5=29, no penalty, can try again.

In the end, there are disagreements involving the content of the games, the nature of the games, how best to organize 'gaming groups' and a thousand other minor disagreements that add up to it not getting done in the time that they'd prefer.

Reward: Nothing, can try again next turn.

Take A Pill
Need: 35, Rolled: 67

This time, at least, it works. It's expensive, but the benefits are immediately seen, especially in the poorest regions. Endemic illnesses are lowering, and with it medical based poverty, which is having a small but meaningful impact on both poverty and crime, not all that surprisingly. The greatest advantages are long term and subtle, not the sort of thing that can be instantly recognized by the media. The first real benefits will start to show themselves over the next few years.

Reward: Improved health and public safety, long-term advantages.

Personal:

The Past Is the Past
Need: ???, Rolled: 9+10 (Trait bonus)=19, Hazitean is annoyed, closes up, can try again...the turn after next.
Vorzhan sat in a dark room for a while before they were feeling comfortable enough to turn on the light. Darkness wasn't an enemy. What *was* an enemy was the fact that next time they should try to talk to Hazitean with more tact. Next time...but not any time soon. Bringing it up again so soon would be foolish.

Reward: Nothing, can't try it again until the turn after next.

What Are Friends For?
Need: 10, Rolled: 17

Just talking takes time out of Vorzhan's busy schedule, but their old friends are maintained, and more than that, they have contacts in a wide variety of fields. Primarily military, but they range the gamut, and Vorzhan can rely on them for help.

Reward: +5 to any one borderline action each turn. That is to say, one action that has (barely) failed or might be brought into a crit with a plus 5 is given some love.

Personal (Others):

Kikkizit's Correspondance
Need: 15, Rolled: 48

Their communication has entered a delicate stage, Kikkizit said, but they suspect that they are friends, and that furthermore the Prime Minister is probably willing to expend more capital in maintaining the alliance. However, Kikkizit urges, they will not use their private correspondence as a means of diplomacy, and they cannot and will not reveal the full contents of these communications, and if they are hacked, they will figure it out, unless Vorzhan is behind it. They respectfully implore Vorzhan not to violate their privacy.

The things one does for friends, Vorzhan thinks, but agrees.

Reward: The Prime Minister and Kikkizit are now friends, have a regular correspondence. Currently Vorzhan is *not* monitoring this or using it as a 'private line' for information and negotiation.

Uhan's Religion:
Rolled: 45

Kikkizit and Uhan talk for a while, and this time it is recorded. Uhan explains his religion and asks for permission to further proselytize , not wanting to step on any toes, and also offers additional information on exactly what the religion entails. It's pretty interesting, the packet, though Vorzhan hasn't been able to read it yet. Either way, they seemed to part on good terms, and Uhan was going to be travelling to the Xvorzit member world in the Confederacy to learn more. Interesting.

Reward: Options.

*****

A/N: So, sorry this took a while to get out. Pretty good rolls.

The Laurent · Aug 26, 2015

Turn 6 News/Votes

Economy News:

Economy Roll--1d100+30 (Roll over 110)+12 (Half adviser's stewardship)+20 (Will of the Hive)-15 (War)-4 (War Bonds)+1 (Security)+1 (Admiral)+5 (Embassies)+2 (Public Corporations)+3 (Public transport)+3 (Mines of the Hive)-5 (Games failure)+5 (Take a Pill)=1d100+58=92, economy keeps on advancing, but this time fully within expected bounds. Bonds increase to 900, 200 of that being War Bonds. 25 Wealth increase in economic growth.

Budgetary Results--

Starting Budget: 6993

Expenses: 2335+70 (Bleed)+1000 (What is it good for?)+500 (Gun It)+25 (War Bonds)+150 (Security of Liberty)+50 (Admiral, Ongoing)+500 (Maximum)+25 (Diplomacy)+100 (Embassies)4+50 (Public Corporations)+50 (Mines)+150 (Transportation)+150 (Castling)+100 (When in the Course, ongoing)+100 (Redeeming)+500 (Learning Options)=5855 Wealth
Income: 2900+75 (50+25 Wealth gained)+900 (Bonds)+20d100+64 (Public)+5 (Mines)=3875+69+20d100=3944+20d100=3944+1164=5108 Wealth

Ending Budget: 6993-747=6246 Wealth

Rolling over Expenses: 2335+50+100+0-23 (Debt servicing reduced) (Bleed gone!)=2462 Wealth
Rolling over Income: 2975+69+900 (Bonds)=3044+900 (Bonds)+20d100

Debt Servicing Math--
Debt reduced by 150 Wealth
Total meaningful debt: 36,658.
Debt servicing now: 1832, savings of 23 Wealth.

Local News

A Culture of Violence?: Many teachers and concerned citizens are decrying the way the kids these days are acting towards the military. The exploits of the Tankers, the occupation force sent out which is the topic of much media scrutiny, positive and negative, and all of the reforms and technological advances which seem to be coming out have convinced some kids that the military is 'hip' and thus recruitment has spiked a little, though mostly this is represented by increasing media portrayals more than anything else. Just because something's popular doesn't mean you join in, after all.

Spending Time: Many were aware of the sheer amount of money spend this year by the government, as well as the fact that the outcomes were generally positive, depending on how one measured things. This seemed to stimulate the economy in general, and there is definitely a consumer culture growing as well. In fact, this season seems to be the era of cultures, as one newscaster puts it. New clothing is coming out, new games--though many are delayed to try to work out some kinks--and a new emphasis on personal spending that in some ways imitates its government's turn to excessive consumption.

Religious Growth: Though there is no way to monitor it, it seems that religion has become popular, and even culturally thought of as 'interesting' considering how many tens of millions are converting to one religion or another. Uhan's Xvorzit-Barsa religion (though they do not claim leadership as a Guru, merely as a follower) has gained the most, but the others have made significant strides as well, and this has spurred missionaries from across the known galaxy to take up residents, including several Barsa scholars and monks, coming with the embassies but staying for their honored cultural-religious role in ceremonies and teaching. At the moment, the Barsa and other aliens don't stick out much, and Xvorzit aren't particularly given to xenophobia anyways.

Galactic News

Dread Not, Brave Barsa: The central council for the Barsamen Confederacy has announced the construction of four new dreadnoughts, as part of an ambitious program to centralize power and security with the state itself. These ships will be constructed using the latest technology, including the new capacitors, as soon as the designs have been proven to be both auspicious and wise in a variety of tests. Not content with their naval weakness, the honorable and wise leaders seek greatness for the Barsa and for the galaxy. Many of the member states of the Confederacy are wary and fear that their rights might be weakened by this development.

Republic Deploys Forces: Fearing societal collapse as the casualties on Asurin mount to over twenty thousand thus far, the Republic has deployed some of its defense forces, as well as hired some mercenaries, but it faces trouble on all sides. Those forces loyal to them are outnumbered by rebels, and by both of the two competing factions of Capos, neither of which seem to like the central Iashec authority either. Unnervingly, all sides seem willing and very capable of thwarting the Mercantile Republic, and so the war has become a brutal, four way contest, each side despising the other and yet teaming up to attack another faction briefly, before the alliance inevitably dissolves. The death rate skyrockets, as millions are displaced all across the world to less war-torn portions of it as crime also rises considerably. Amid this turmoil, the security forces are found to commit as many atrocities as their enemies, and Sol has proposed a resolution condemning their actions. Gazinitah could sign on, or it could carefully avoid going that far.

[] Sign the resolution. If it's found out that Gazinitah is funding two of the factions and causing a good deal (though hardly all, but the court of public opinion wouldn't be nuanced) of the harm, it'd be...very embarrassing for your name to be on the 'stop the violence, please' resolution.
[] Don't sign it, though doing so in a way that doesn't draw attention to the lack of signature. Might disappoint Sol some.

Union Aerospace Releases Findings: Union Aerospace today released its report into the crash of Union N-935. 'Put simply,' a UA representative said at a press conference, 'If the auxiliary power units connected to each of the fusion reactor's eight containment generators are all in a back cycle at the same instant that the reactor is at peak draw, the containment shield will be interrupted for a fraction of a second.' This fraction of a second is still enough to superheat the air within the craft's forward engineering spaces and cause catastrophic failures in vital systems. 'When exposed to the kinds of temperatures you see within a reactor's core,' the representative commented, 'many materials ignite that you wouldn't consider combustible under normal conditions.' The rupture of the craft's hydrogen fuel tanks shortly after provided extra fuel for the flames- with the gravitic drive already inactive due to heavy damage to the forward node, the craft's antigravity panels failed shortly after due to the fire, despite the aft reactor still being in good working order, and at that point it became uncontrollable. 'Union Aerospace takes the issue of safety very seriously,' said their representative. 'We have already developed a modification that will entirely eliminate this failure mode, unlikely though it is, and we are already working with carriers who operate the TKH-5 to implement it."

Sol News

1d100+10+5 (Previous success)+10 (Gazinith Help)=1d100+25=28

Lunar Occupation Explodes Into Violence: While some good was done these past few months, Hazitean reports that there is plenty of evidence that outside mercenaries, perhaps working for the Mercantile Republic, are funding and flaring up a large ground war, complete with bombings, murders, widespread arson and chaos. Buses full of children are being destroyed in midair, tumbling to the ground. The Solarian public, after months of feel good stories and progress, is horrified, though the Prime Minister is currently staying the course and trying to coordinate with his Gazinith allies as to how better to deal with 'outside agitators' that were ruining what had finally seemed to be turning around, even if there wasn't a endpoint in sight.

Spy News

A Project: Hints have been made among some circles that the Iashec have a vitally important project going on, one involving military hardware. A different one, most likely, than whatever that was on the Pirates' Moon, which still hasn't been investigated. However, it could be related, it's hard to tell. The question is whether to extend the network in an attempt to ferret out more rumors of what it could be.

[] Yes, send spies.
[] No, it's too risky.

Mercenary News

Prices Rising: As more mercenaries withdraw from the market, prices are rising, which is good for Phoenix Wing, which is still struggling to- everyone in the known galaxy uses this pun, don't worry- soar again after its defeat. It does mean that using mercenaries will be somewhat dearer, if any ideas to that effect are gained. And in fact, Hazitean had been thinking about it, though it hadn't yet translated into a policy idea to pursue.

I'Isanah

[] Have her stay here one more turn (+5 to Stewardship actions, will leave next turn)
[] Have her get involved in the Asurin War.

A/N: Next update will take a while, because my valued co-QM is going out of town for the next few days to LARP. I'll be working on the Turn 7 options and opening fiction in the meantime, but there will be on Updates before Monday, and quite possibly Tuesday of next week.

The Laurent · Sep 2, 2015

Turn 7 2430 (A)--Martial, Naval Diplomacy, and Stewardship

The world was changing, the Speaker realized, as they wrote down the text for another small speech they were giving. Xvorzit were naturally good at talking, but sometimes it paid off to plan ahead. It was something they'd never had to do before, but now they were a statesbug. Nearly four years in their office, they had somehow become a fixture. People turned and pointed as they passed the street, and a large portion of the news was dedicated to discussing what they had done, what they might do, and how they might do it. Kikkizit had said that childhood education didn't quite reflect this newfound importance, politically, but that apparently youth culture too was taking on stunning new dimensions.

People remembered the revolution, of course, and most everyone had spent their entire adult lives under the old regime, yet in three years they had also grown used to the current prosperity, and laid more and more of the credit (and thus more and more of the blame if things truly went wrong) entirely at Vorzhan's feet.

Yet even as the economy grew, more and more actors took the stage. Vorzhan got all of the credit, and yet, while the first year had been Vorzhan at the head of a broken, shattered people, tens of thousands of civil servants and functionaries, none of whom stood out, now they were the first among equals of what was almost a 'real' body of leadership. B'iyiuna had been talking about how they could formalize this fact. It would not be a constitution- B'iyiuna didn't even use that word yet, for some reason- but it would be the first step towards a more concrete government. Still, it hadn't yet been proposed or even called for.

There was still time, and still much to do. Spies had been sent out, and halfway across the known galaxy a war raged, fueled by Vorzhan's desire to destroy Zaeswin. Zaeswin who was hiding, who was planning and scheming, strengthening their control over their operations, which had pulled into themselves somewhat. Who knows why, but Vorzhan doubted it was a good thing at all.

It wasn't the Gazinitah of their youth, for all that they knew this world better now than before. But certain things, like how they saw kids running around in knockoff military uniforms and how people were dressing in elaborate clothes, or even adorning each of their four legs with a different style of clothing entirely, or the way religious mania was in...all of it gave the crowds Vorzhan moved among a different feeling.

But they're needs and desires remained fundamentally the same, and Vorzhan definitely wasn't feeling old just yet. They were young, they were in charge, and they had a lot to do. The early reports from their agents hinted at just how foundational this year would be, in addition to the big Xvorzit meeting.

Kikkizit was excited, Hazitean was bouncing back and forth from the Pirates' Moon to Gazinitah, and Admiral Bizentara hoped that by the end of the year, designs might be begun on the latest and greatest Navy, one to match the best Hives, and other polities as well. B'iyiuna had their own struggles, and Mauris, while acting oddly, was as friendly and reasonable as ever. Yaziha continued their solitary work, and I'isanah shipped out for Asurin with a dozen plans and a rather large amount of money. Ready for sabotage.

Another year of progress began today!

Martial: Much is left to be done, and you're no closer to having complete mastery and control than before. Tank research continues under private umbrellas and Haziteans stalks from place to place, now in complete command of the Military, at least in theory. Will roll 1d100 to see if Hazitean adds bonuses to the actions you're taking. Will roll 1d100+10 (New hovertanks acquired)+5 (Enthusiasm)to see what those crazy Tankers are up to. (Pick four) (+10 to all non-naval, non research options. +5 to all Research options.)

Current Yearly Excess: 355, if reduced below 0, this becomes a bleed.

A Cut Above

Fire them. Not all of them, but the worst offenders. The officer caste will just have to deal with being understaffed for a while, Hazitean decides. After all it's already too big, and an actual war is unlikely. Even if it did happen, the officers wouldn't have been any good anyway.

Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 85%+10
Reward: 50 Wealth saved a turn, officer caste annoyed, many cut and out of jobs.

Lecture Hall

Hazitean wants to go to the military academies and try to scout out prospective recruits, allies, as well as just seeing what a mess they are. Back when she was young, they'd been a shithole of backbiting, incompetence, and underage drug use, and she suspected it hasn't changed.

Cost: 10 Wealth
Probability: 70%+10
Reward: Options, knowledge, etc.

Training On the Job

The normal business of occupation and defense and building roads and skyways and buildings could be a great way to season rookies. Hazitean claims that there is more than enough action to give them combat experience, and that there was far more to war than combat anyway. It could also be a testing ground for new designs, like the tanks if they're made in time, and the new guns.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 70%+10
Reward: Begin using the Pirates' Moon as a training ground.

Terrorist Hunt

Have the special forces and the elites hunt after the terrorists any way possible. It'd be good training, perhaps, but this is more a matter of getting the job done. Rather than focusing on the overall mission, this is merely an attempt to use the special forces to their best extent. And if it wins some headlines and perhaps popular approval of them...what's the harm in having two missions?

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: ???
Reward: Dead terrorists, special forces get to stretch their legs.

Colonial Police

The colonies have their own military forces, with their own (far smaller and more uneven) budget. They, even more than the army, function as police more than anything. You could make sure you have control of them and figure out what their situation is, whether there are any funds there that could be creatively transferred, and of course whether they are loyal and competent. The colonies haven't stepped out of line, but neither are they completely integrated, and the situation is still more than a little confused.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 65%+10
Reward: Options, an outlook on things.

Domo Arigato

Studies should begin on the robots and the various weapons retrieved during the ground battle. There might be interesting design principles or technologies there, though it's entirely possible that there won't be too much. It's hard to tell, now, when all that you have are the remains of a lot of combat robots, but there might be something there that can be used.

Cost: 10 Wealth
Probability: 1d100, the higher the better. +5
Reward: Study the inner workings of the robots and machines deployed by the ship.

Study the Wreck

Begin studies on the ship you recovered, the one that seemed to function most in the atmosphere but apparently, according to Hazitean, could also go into space. Safely, if only because it had no crew whose safety the ship had to take into account. It's complex, and with the controlling mind dead there's no guarantee that you'll get anything.

Cost: 25 Wealth
Probability: 60%+5
Reward: Begin research on the wreck, the abomination.

Tanks, Tanks, and More Tanks

Now that the design is done, the kinks need to be hammered out, and then it can be mass produced. All outdated tanks will be scrapped and replaced with these new tanks, which should be easier to maintain, for some savings, though it will take years for that to exceed the amount that they cost to make. Still, better tanks all around!

Cost: 400 Wealth
Probability: 80%+5
Reward: 50-100 Wealth in scrap, 25-50 Wealth a turn in savings.

Set Phasers

Better nonlethal technology would be greatly appreciated for the new, separate police force. Currently they are armed with military issue sidearms and longarms, leaving the possibility that at any time they could open up and kill dozens, and if a criminal got their hands on one- well, they lack the ID locking that would be very useful. Instead, the police could be armed with stasis weaponry- proven technology, and reliably nonlethal. The change in equipment would assuage many of the new purposes of this separate police force.

Cost: 300 Wealth
Probability: 80%+5
Reward: New guns for police, increased opinion, ???

Commission on Pay and Caste

Both the pay of the rank and file and their opportunities to advance are determined partially by caste. Many see this as unfair- you could begin to look into it, though it'd risk getting nowhere, being sabotaged by the officers, and will certainly raise more than a few hackles. Still, it might be worth it.

Cost: 50 Wealth.
Probability: 50%+10
Reward: Improved soldier opinion, reduced officer opinion, ???

Officer Bug?

The police lack consistent procedures in a number of areas, and even more importantly some soldiers aren't adequately trained as peacekeepers, leading to plenty of troublesome incidents. You can begin to work things out by having a set of rules and structure made for the police and the soldiers for as long as they and the police are the same- to the extent that there aren't a number of alternate organizations all overlapping in this regard. Either way, it's a start.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 60%+10
Reward: Create a code of conduct and a stronger set of rules for the police, open up Police Options pathway.

Naval: Admiral Bizentara has gotten off to a running start, but there's a lot more they're going to have to do if they want to be head of a truly powerful Navy. There is a lot to handle, and only so much time in the day. (Naval Organization: 2/10) (Pick 1)

Patrol Routes!

You could have someone set up more thorough and workable patrol routes. It'd give your ships and crews experience, if not in battle (mostly) and would make it less likely that anything goes wrong. It'd also give you a chance for small encounters and the like every so often, and would certainly be a way to exercise your flabby naval muscles.

Cost: 50 wealth, 10 Wealth a turn
Probability: 70%
Reward: Patrol routes created, chance of things happening each turn!

Bigger Lasers

The weapons technology on the captured light cruiser is just not up for what will eventually be needed if a battleship is to be constructed. While there are many adjustments that would have to be made, the biggest of them all is that a battleship's weapons are individually much more powerful than a cruisers. This would be research to correct this. Given that the Iashec light cruiser mounts particle beams instead of grasers it would mean your next generation of warships would also be armed with such- the difference is capabilities is largely a matter for academic debate, however.

Cost: 250 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Battleship lasers.

Scaling Cruisers

The light cruiser needs to be scaled up and down, its technology and design translated into battleships, heavy cruisers, destroyers, and frigates. It shouldn't be that hard, but it will take some time and work. The rewards, however, are quite evident.

This action can also be taken as a Learning action at -10% probability, thanks to Kikkizit's crit.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 90%
Reward: Exactly what it says on the tin.

Shipyards!

Any new construction or refitting of ships impossible while the shipyards are third rate, the contractors unknown- requiring laborious individual negotiation on a ship-by-ship-basis- and the overall situation pretty poor. Begin looking into solutions for what Naval officers you talk to refer to as their 'shipyard woes.'

Cost: 25 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Opens up shipyard/hardware upgrades, chances to eventually build newer, or more up to date ships. Might have some economic advantage for civilian ships, though not anytime soon.
(TL;DR: Unlocks naval construction & refit)

Diplomacy: B'iyiuna has been working even more on whatever they are doing, and still they have not revealed it. They have, however, said that there should be some changes come the start of the fourth year in office, towards crystalizing the government. They are also excited about the meeting next year. (Pick 3) (+2 to Foreign Diplomacy) (+5 to Internal Diplomacy)

Rulers on Welfare?

Talk to them about their spending on place fees and the like. Surely there is some sort of polite accord that can be made that maintains some of their dignity without costing the state an arm and a leg. B'iyiuna would probably not approve, but compromises are sometimes the soul of politics.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Reduced palace fees budget, ???

The Former Queen

Talking to the former Queen would be either a sign of further reforms to come, or capitulation, depending on who is asked, but there is much that needs to be asked, and more than that, much that needs to be decided.

Cost: Free
Probability: ???
Reward: A chat, potential opinion changes.

Possibilities: Human Powers?

One of the more obvious ways to look diplomatically is towards the various human powers in the regions. Acquire dossiers on them, learn more about their trading needs, figure out as much as you can about them for the purpose of having more complete diplomatic relationships later on.

Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 60%+2%
Reward: Options.

Possibilities: Barsamen Confederacy

Recent events in the Barsamen Confederacy have come to your attention. You have no ties with the Confederacy, or even the Xvorzith hive world that is part of it, but it's one of the most powerful and populous entities in known space, to the extent that it is a single government. You could look into learning more about them and how there might be some connections that could be made.

Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 50%+2
Reward: Options, etc

Workers For Workers

Often, what a Hive needs is workers with special experience. The trade of these workers, moving from hive to hive, migrant bugs, is well regulated and an essential part of inter-Hive relations. Entering into this trade could be lucrative, but more than that, it'd be social and neighborly.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 80%
Reward: 15 Wealth a turn, improved relations with other Hives.

The Big Meeting

There's a meeting of all the Hives. Now, while one could just show up, B'iyiuna advises that preparations at least a few months before it, in selecting the right people, are very, very necessary. For all that he's not a diplomat, he knows about Xvorzit politics.

Note: Will go away after turn 7.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 80%
Reward: Prepare for the big meeting on Turn 8.

Learn the Will of the Hive

What do the people want, diplomatically? Are there any groups that haven't been heard, are there options that have been ignored because they have come from outside the usual context and the corridors of power? You should ask around, start to get to know the people's will. And of course you've been reminded that their desires are not only stellar, they also have diplomatic goals and desires here as well.

Cost: Free
Probability: 70%
Reward: Options, learn the Will of the Hive on these matters, increased popular opinion, ???

A Voice for Colonies

The colonies feel excluded, but there's a simple answer to that. Include them. You can hire some more people onto your staff, to help you better cover the colonies needs and hear their opinions, and hopefully that will keep you up to date on them.

Cost: 10 Wealth per turn.
Probabilty: 75%+10
Reward: Gain one piece of Colonial News each turn. Improved colonial opinion, unlocks/gates other stuff later.

Extending the Common Goods

The government-run holocasts and other programs are very popular and are frequently downloaded and watched by those in the colonies, but the news sections consist entirely of planetary news and contain very little pertaining to the colonies themselves. While they certainly value knowing about the home planet, but if diplomatic efforts were extended to make sure that all benefits therein came to the colonies as well, it would be appreciated.

Cost: 25 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 80%+5
Reward: Colonies mollified, can use the holocasts to disseminate opinions/information to them. Greater cultural control over the colonies established.

Alien Ties

Both the Rorrox and the Tawasi have thus far refused to open up embassies, work could be done to bring them round. B'iyiuna has been convinced not to try again with the Entat and the Holy Free State, the latter with conviction, the former reluctantly.

Cost: 10 Wealth
Probability: roll 1d100+Diplomacy to see how it goes.
Reward: Open up embassies.

A Less Perfect Union

Stendar and Deiah can both be reached out to as well. While allies of the Mercantile Republic, or at least on good terms with them, that doesn't mean they don't deserve their own embassies for numerous reasons.

Cost: 20 Wealth
Probability: Roll 1d100+Diplomacy
Reward: Open up Embassies.

Friends in Heretical Places

The Hexamari Heretics sure are friendly. Perhaps they could be talked into teaching more about their technology. While much of their stuff goes a little too far, by Xvorzit standards, surely there is more that each culture could learn about each other.

Cost: 25 Wealth
Probability: 60%+2
Reward: Learning options involving Heretic biotech opened up. Potentially other things.

Barsa Gurus

Well, if Gurus are what the people want, they can be subsidized and learnt from. A few could be placed on the payrolls, and more importantly they could be quizzed to learn more about Barsan ways and mores.

Cost: 20 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 70%
Reward: ???, Learn more about Barsamen and the 'Jedi Knights.' As a human once called the Harmonious Order.

Political Toe-Dipping

Your ambassador to Sol would have to step lightly indeed, but they could start to try to learn more about the political situation on Sol, and transmit it back to you. Since Kikkizit has been rather quiet on their interactions with Prime Minister Mutumbo this would be a good first step, though there's some danger that, if handled poorly, it could be seen as untoward interference.

Cost: 5 Wealth
Probability: 75%
Reward: Information, options, ties.

Meet the Solarian Ambassador

Vorzhan is determined to have a second chance at a good impression! They will not accept their relatively mediocre showing!

Cost: Free
Probability: Roll 1d100+Diplomacy to see how it goes.
Reward: ???

Stewardship: Mauris Law-Caste has been taking more time off with their mate, (+5 to Law actions) (Pick 4) Will of the Hive currently at 2. +10 to all (Hive) rolls, must do a (Hive) action this turn to maintain.)

Colony Administration

Try to arrange the administration of the colonies in a way that will work better. Right now there are appointed governors and small councils and the like, you could bring democracy (and people who are more surely in your pocket) to the colonies! It's probably overdue, and there are more calls for it now than there were before.

Cost: 100 Wealth, 50 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 60%
Reward: New colonial administration, stronger hold on them, options.

Military Duties

You could open up some new taxes, import and export duties in order to pay for the military bleeding. In the long term, it might dampen economic growth, but it could make a quick patch for the shortfall that can then be fixed later.

Cost: Free, for now.
Probability: 100%
Reward: 250 Wealth toward the military budget. Small opinion drop across the board.

(Ongoing) Open Up Avenues

This is ongoing, and will be continued unless you vote to discontinue it. So you can ignore it, though at some later date you might decide that the markets are tapped out and that continuing to spend 100 Wealth on it will provide no bonuses. Indeed, it is possible for that to happen, eventually.

Cost: 100 Wealth a Turn
Probability: ???
Reward: Continues the program. No need for a slot.

Exemptions Must Go

The ruler caste doesn't pay taxes. The merchants don't pay import fees. The military caste have a 50% exemption on all taxes. The diplomatic caste is immune from all import and export fees, as well as any fees on gifts they receive, and there are a thousand other exemptions. Some are not entirely bad and might be turned into some sort of tax credit or reduction scheme, such as with teachers, or with builders and property taxes or so on, but a lot of it just can't be defended at all. Rip it all away and let the light of taxation finally hit them.

Cost: 250 Wealth
Probability: ???, rolling better means you get more.
Reward: 500-1000 Wealth a turn, targeted groups will like you less.

Lower Taxes

The counterpoint is that the exemptions, while unfair, are also the only thing keeping the system going. As utterly messed up as the taxation system is, if everyone was getting hit equally it'd fall apart. More efficiency, some argue, could lead to depressed economic growth. Yet at the same time lowering taxes would lead to a large shortfall, and in the long term everyone admits it isn't a solution.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: -800 Taxation income, tax burden reduced, mitigates the possible side effects of Exemptions Must Go, but might create difficulties in the future. Increased opinion of you across the board, though.

(Hive )There's Power in a Workers Association

Long hours, beatings, suppression of workers rights. You cannot accept any of this, and it has to stop now. Start by setting up some commissions. And if any of them get in your way, any of those so-called 'public corporations' that allowed this, you have no compunctions about destroying them. Patiently, slowly, justly, but if it comes down to it, destruction is better than the situation as it is now. Plus, it'd be really, really cathartic.

Cost: 25 Wealth a Turn.
Call: Medium, growing.
Time: 1d4 Turns
Probability: 100%, rolls less than 40 add another year onto the time.
Reward: You shall BREAK them. You shall make it so that the worker no longer fears those who would exploit them, and if they stand in your way it shall be the last mistake they make.

Touristy Mines?

It seems like a silly idea, but Kikkizit says it might work. The mines often have deep historical significance, and they are around some formerly nice wilderness area. Work, time, and effort could be put in to restore these areas as a test for future, more extensive, work in land management, and they could become a tourist attraction.

Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: 10-20 Wealth a turn, start a fledgling tourist industry, might unlock some Learning options.

(Hive) Trauma Centers

Those that are hurt cannot be un-hurt. You cannot turn back the hands of time, but you can punish the guilty, prevent these things from happening, and open up psychological groups to allow them to cope with all that's happened, among other things. These abuses didn't used to be common, and they are disgusting, against everything Xvorzith culture is meant to embody, and yet you have a feeling that the disgust and rot is going to have to be cleansed, bit by bit, to restore Gazinitah to what it might have been.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Call: Medium
Probability: 90%
Reward: Open up more clinics for those who have suffered abuse and rape, either at the hands of an employer or otherwise.

Talk to the Castes

These castes were the ones that ran the bureaucracy that the ruler-castes led, they organized the economy, they did much of the middle-management. And they have been cast aside for the moment. You could reach out a hand and talk to them, learn about their concerns and see what they know?

Cost: Free
Probability: 80%, roll 1d100+Stewardship+½ Diplomacy to see how they take it.
Reward: Information, more knowledge of what they think of you. Opens up options.

Judicial Activism

Judges are terrible, chosen by inter-caste mechanics, and not remotely fair. You can solve all of these, taking the selection away from the judicial caste, for the moment doing it via appointment and eliminating those judges that don't measure up. Eventually you'll have to stop doing it by hand, it's not efficient, but for the moment there's at least enough information to start throwing out the worst offenders and starting with a clean slate, however difficult in time and work (with lawyers) it would be.

Cost: 150 Wealth
Probability: 55%+10
Reward: Judicial oversight, options.

Lawyer Up

The standards for lawyers is both far too strict and far too lax. Call attention to their problems and change the standards in a way that doesn't lead to as much railroading. It'd take money, potentially money you don't have, but it'd improve standards some. Mauris is rather explicit on how much their fellow lawyers might sorta, well, suck.

Cost: 100 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 75%+10
Reward: Better lawyers and law-situation. Options might eventually open up (given time.)

Legal Reforms

Now that the obviously bad laws have been eliminated, it was time to start fresh. You can start creating laws that can more carefully target the large cartels, keeping them off balance and undermining the truly dangerous parts of drug culture and other such dangerous avenues. One has to step carefully not to repeat the mistakes of the past, but that the future might hold more than mistakes, it's something you must believe in, and so you shall have your lawyer friends and others try to craft something new, see whether it sticks.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 70%+10
Reward: Reformed laws, more weapons in the legal arsenal against large-scale crime, without targeting or weakening individual liberties more than is necessary.

Equal Rights for Equal Laws

So, humans have been protesting, Barsans are moving in, why not make it so that the laws apply equally to everyone in such a way that nobody is discriminated against? At the moment there might be a few controversies and uncertainties, and the number of sentients impacted is low, but still!

Cost: 75 Wealth
Probability: 60%+5
Reward: ???, equality of laws.

(Hive) Out With The Old

This one is simple compared to the other, and easy as heck. Chop through all of the old, outdated laws in order to make a slimmer, more accessible law book, and then make it available for the public. Sure, most of the public *won't* read it, but they could if they wanted to, which is what matters.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 90%+5
Reward: Opinion increase, laws start to make a little more sense.

(Hive) Palace Fees

No. Get rid of it. You cannot possibly accept this as a valid use of economic power of your country, and you have to at least reduce it. It'll be dicey, and there might be calls against it from some, while others call for its complete elimination. You'll try to balance it, reducing it greatly while not leading to protest or dislike.

Call: Medium
Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: 500-1000 Wealth, potential raised/lowered ruler/worker opinion. The rest of that money (300-800 Wealth) would have to be gotten at in the budget more subtly because it's less obviously payoffs and might cause a bigger stink.

(Hive) Caste Signifiers

It is currently legal to require prospective employees to undergo genetic testing, and, more than that, one's caste or former caste can be found on most forms of identification. Thus while in theory caste prejudice is being broken down, at least at the lower levels, in practice there are many ways to detect it. While some castes don't have identifiable genetic markers, others do, and others have 'common' genetic factors, or the like. In any case, the ID tells the whole story. You could ban all testing for those certain factors, and begin actions to shut down this form of quiet discrimination.

Cost: 50 Wealth
Call: Medium
Probability: 60%+20
Reward: Improved opinion with several groups, lowered opinion with others. Other things.

Equality Division

A division could be founded, of police and other figures, specifically to deal with the rising tide of inter-caste crimes. Not just crimes, but also discrimination. Both could be covered and investigated by the police, though it'd start slow and might also target some from less fortunate castes striking upward.

Cost: 25 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 60%+5
Reward: Equality Division founded, crimes solved, opinion relatively neutral.

(Hive) Government Fooding

You could buy out the company now that it's been laid low by your lawsuits and your consumer protection, and perhaps use it as a way to get the poor subsidized food on the cheap, as well as generally win points with the populace. It wouldn't make much, if any, money as a government corporation if you used it this way, but there are things more important than wealth, at least directly

Cost: 200 Wealth (It's a big company)-50 Wealth in losses a year
Call: Medium
Probability: 100%
Reward: You now own (yet another) company! Joy. New options! Opinion of the masses increased.

Expand the Grid, Part 1

Studies could be done to carefully arrange things so that several different segments of Gazinitah, each with wildly different economic issues and congestion problems could all try the grid. If it can't work everywhere, it can't work anywhere. This would be a careful, slow, deliberate gesture, and most of 'the Hive' wouldn't see the benefits yet.

Cost: 500 Wealth
Probability: 65%
Reward: ???, Expand the Grid, Part 2 unlocked

(Hive) The Grid Is All

Or you could do all of it at once! No trials, no waiting, the time is now and the word is 'go!'

Cost: 5000 Wealth
Probability: 30%
Reward: Entire planet is now in a transportation grid. The chance of this will increase and the cost decrease as you do component parts, but if you REALLY want to spend 5000 Wealth and take a ⅓ chance right now, nobody's going to stop you, are they? It's the sort of ambitious thing that the Hive would love...if it worked and didn't bankrupt everyone.

Public Parks

Recreating the entire agricultural order is not on your agenda at the moment, and so you've told Kikkizit to shelve the plans until there is less on your plate since even looking at it for too long does horrible things to you, but public parks sounds nice, safe and uncontroversial, and Kikkizit talked you through it in a way that both allowed you to understand it without creating too many difficulties. Plus, it'd improve morale.

Cost: 75 Wealth
Probability: 60%
Reward: Parks start getting built, people get happier. Maybe you can go to one of them sometime and relax away from economic duties?

******

A/N: And we're back, baby!

A Hive for The Galaxy (Sci-Fi CK2-style Quest)

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