[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?
reasoning is good enough. Considered going for intrigue support, but they are basically agreeing to sell out their employers in exchange for our help. If anything goes wrong during one of the operations they're helping with they would no doubt do the same to us.
[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.
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.
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
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?
Light cruiser isn't something that's worth giving our enemies a casus belli. Neither is the intelligence gained. Sure we were more-or-less heading towards a conflict anyways, but this will easily speed up our conflict by years. Years we really would have liked to have to build a military. Shadow wars need to be kept in the shadows lest they spill over into a real war that we're not suited to fight.
We're going to have to spend some actions for the next few turns both making sure this blows over, and making sure the Iashec cannot realistically go to war with us. Oh, and make sure that something like this doesn't happen a second time. Also on making Sol like us more. That'll probably have to wait a few years though, for public opinion to turn towards some new scandal.
Thankfully the Iashec haven't decided to use this casus belli, and things like this have a shelf life of maybe a year - two if they really stretch it - before losing legitimacy in the eyes of the galactic community. That means we're probably in the clear for the moment. Especially with the galaxy as a whole giving a big meh towards what we're doing. We might actually be able to turn galactic opinion towards us if we spend a few intrigue actions refocusing attention onto the Iashec's evils. Transforming them from relatively low-key background stuff that everyone vaguely condems before turning back to more important things into front page news. Would need something new, but we have a large enough intrigue network that we must have something. Plus if they're busy dealing with that they'll be too busy to deal with us.
I have to say, I totally saw this coming. Unfortunately, I appear to have been doing other things during the intrigue turn, and didn't manage to get a vote/arguments in before the vote closed.
Primary goals 1, 2 and 3 were achieved, that is good and will help us to get a foot inthe door with the technocrats and lots of juicy information and grateful mercenaries eventhough I am not sure how much that is worth.
That is a shorttime success but due to the fact that we failed to keep our involvement secret we harmed our mid and longterm capabilities and that only because the Iashec didn't immediately declared war on us.
I guess they will sanction us and go for the more covert approach as we intended, for the time being.
Sol is rightfully piqued, we appear to be a loose cannon that is affiliated with them and we appear to become a burden for the administration.
Also our intelligence community reached its boundaries. We need to invest in them for a capability incrase, things like a proper archive, castleing etc. while at the same time we need to manage the Iashecs likely reprisal, hunt or at least hinder Zaeswin and we need to keep the Capo war hot.
Fun times.
Also I think we must create our independant navy next turn, together with the other armed forces/police reforms.
Also Kikkizit must get to work on our loot practically yesterday, before breakfast. We need these navy upgrades.
Also it appears we need to meet our Sol ambassador etc. to establish a raport.
As always a doubledged sword with such things and fun for the whole family.
Ok... from appearances, getting Maximum Capacitors will definitely be important soon as it means that when we build new classes they will be cutting edge (more or less) quality... As is getting our naval situation sorted...
On the diplomatic from, the next turn or two will basically consist of ensuring our diplomatic corps is clean, and getting it function, whilst making sure that our ties with Sol get stronger, and their opinion of us recovers... and that's more important than most other things, so our military will be on the defensive for a while it seems.
The intrigue front however will basically consist of making sure the Iashec are extremely busy ELSEWHERE... whilst we repair any damage they've done to our 'External Affairs' division... at least we've mostly cleaned it up now...
Ok lets see:
Pros:
-We got a completely modern ship out of this, which can be used to get our spacefleet up to date in relatively few actions
-We should have some loot out of this expeditions for small wealth gains.
-We managed to get some new diplomatic contacts out of this to encourage the Technocrats not to throw in with the Iashec.
Mixed:
-We know that the Iashec are unwilling to make a fight of it at this time, as long as we're with Sol
Cons:
-Damaged relationship with Sol
-Iashec hostility moved up on the schedule.
Mixed bag, but other than the damaged relations with Sol, we came out on top here.
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
[X] Ignore them: from now on you can be fair, but you can't go retroactively righting all wrongs, ultimately. (Free, opinion loss)
-[X] However, announce that for those who feel they have been unjustly evaluated, they may choose to retake their evaluations and transfer to the course of their choice in the first year(or whichever year the evaluation tests for) if they pass this evaluation.
Okay, the problem here is reassigning people into the courses they qualified for...is going to be expensive as hell to marginal benefits. An Engineering student who failed to get in, and is now in his third year of Accounting will not do ANY good at all from being transferred into the third year of Engineering...and if he was going to be switched to the first year of Engineering, he might as well get reevaluated. @The Laurent
Is the above vote feasible?
[X] Send her home: +5 to a Stewardship action next turn, she recuperates, can take Personal Actions involving her.
[X] Ignore them: from now on you can be fair, but you can't go retroactively righting all wrongs, ultimately. (Free, opinion loss)
-[X] However, announce that for those who feel they have been unjustly evaluated, they may choose to retake their evaluations and transfer to the course of their choice in the first year(or whichever year the evaluation tests for) if they pass this evaluation.
Okay, the problem here is reassigning people into the courses they qualified for...is going to be expensive as hell to marginal benefits. An Engineering student who failed to get in, and is now in his third year of Accounting will not do ANY good at all from being transferred into the third year of Engineering...and if he was going to be switched to the first year of Engineering, he might as well get reevaluated. @The Laurent
Is the above vote feasible?
[X] Send her home: +5 to a Stewardship action next turn, she recuperates, can take Personal Actions involving her.
One hundred opinion among the poor. Overall opinion of 93. People are overestimating Speaker Vorzhan so, so, so very much. Some people carry books of their 'sayings' of wisdom.
One hundred opinion among the poor. Overall opinion of 93. People are overestimating Speaker Vorzhan so, so, so very much. Some people carry books of their 'sayings' of wisdom.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
