For The Tyrants Fear Your Might (A quest of interstellar rebellion)

AKuz · Dec 10, 2020

THE ALL-RADIANT CONGRESS

Setting Information: The Solarian Compact:

Initially formed as the Solarian Treaty Organization from the ashes of the old United Nations Security Council, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, and the Global Climate Relief Organization in the worst decade of Earth's environmental collapse. The STO was originally a body tasked with overseeing the granting of offworld mining permits and the purchase and distribution of the resources to countries struggling from climate change.

The advent of the Korolev-Chandrashker gates and the construction of the first one under STO oversight in 2063 led to the beginning of the transformation of that body into the de facto single governing body of the Human species.

Reorganized into the 'Solarian Compact', the first Charters were granted to massive corporate conglomerates to explore and exploit the cosmos for Humanity with little to no regulation or restriction.

In the early decades, the Solarian Compact oversaw the construction of KC gates in the systems closest to Sol and began the process of granting colonization rights to the most habitable worlds within that region with colonization rights granted to a number of national and international blocks.

With the growth of the Solarian Compact's power came calls for the body to become more representative and democratic, and in 2099, the Solarian Compact held its first elections and constitutional convention, inviting representatives from the Sol system and the five systems that held permanent Human settlement.

Over the course of the 22nd and 23rd centuries the Solarian Compact has held fast to what it sees as its duty to act as the mediator and financier of the Charters, the unifying agent of the disparate first Human colonies, and the guarantor of interstellar peace for Humanity.

As of 2252, the three most important bodies within the Solarian Compact are the Solarian Parliament -Located on Earth, the Solarian Compact Navy -based in the Korolev-Chandrashker system, and the Solarian Central Bank, -based out of the Columbia System.

Organized as a liberal democracy, with universal suffrage, the Solarian Compact is theoretically overseen by three equal institutions: the Solarian Parliament, the office of the Solarian Secretary General, and the Solarian High Court.

Though the Solarian Compact prides itself on being a Constitutional government, the actual original document merely outlines the terms of admitting new MPs and High Court Judges, and the electoral procedures of the Compact Parliament, with subsequent Parliaments meeting to add items like the Declaration of Property Rights, the founding of the Central Bank, the creation of the Solarian Navy, and the Laws on Freedom of Navigation and Travel being added later.

The Solarian Parliament is made up of two thousand six hundred and twenty seats representing ridings on Earth, Columbia, Atlantis, Penglai, Olduvai, and Epsilon which are elected every three years to a Parliament that meets in the New York prefecture of Earth.

Though the many frontier colonies do not have direct representation in the Parliament due to being owned and operated by private entities, their inhabitants are considered 'Absent for Employment' and may register with a home riding and submit a physical ballot (for security reasons) by courier from when polls open until they close. Though this process was suitable for the closely settled regions of space at the time of the ratification of the Compact Constitution in 2100, the rapid growth of Human settled space in the century and a half since has seen the de facto voter suppression of over 90% of Human settled space.

At the first sitting of each new Compact Parliament, the assembled members will elect a Secretary General and a slate of Ministry officials on a majority basis, and those individuals will oversee the executive branch of government and day to day operations. Though the average Compact Parliament contains between seven to nine parties in each Parliamentary sitting, the vast majority of seats belong to one of either the Party for Human Rights and Liberties or the Justice and Development Alliance and have since the very early 2100s. The governments formed this way can be brought down by losing the confidence of the Parliament for example, by failing to pass a budget, the process of finding a majority government will repeat again.

Though a democratic body that has maintained stability for over a century and a half, the Solarian Compact Parliament has been dogged by accusations of dynastic politics, Charter influence, voter suppression, regulatory capture, inability to reign in the Banks and MIlitary, and corruption at all levels.

Separate from the Parliament is the Solarian High Court that consists of eleven judges that serve terms of up to thirty-three years, with each new sitting of the Compact Parliament selecting one judge from a list provided by the governments of the six main worlds of the Solarian Compact. The High Court rules on matters of adherence of laws to the Solarian Constitution, and have been accused of serving as an arm of the Charters, though this has been strenuously contested by the Solarian legal profession as a whole.

By law the Solarian Compact also oversees a number of other important institutions including the Earth Reconstruction Commission (In a permanent public-private partnership with the Earth Reconstruction Association), the Solarian Central Bank, and the Solarian Compact Navy, though these important institutions often exhibit an alarming degree of autonomy from Parliamentary control.

The Charters:

The result of a cleverly conceived merger between specialty transport vessel manufacturer Titan Staryards and Private Military contractor Martian Military Solutions, Ares cut its teeth not just supplying material to the skirmishes between Mississippi Shipping and United Starhaul, but in supplying military contractors to both sides.

The professionalism of Ares mercenaries and quality of Ares gear led to the rapid expansion of business opportunities for the company and investment skyrocketed even after the Mississippi-Starhaul war ended in a hostile takeover of Starhaul by Mississippi.

Thanks in part to Mississippi debts held by Ares, when the RT-2102 Gate was opened up for settlement strategic maneuvering saw the Compact grant Ares mining and settlement rights to the newly opened system.

The rest, as they say, is history. Leveraging the immense resources of the Alexander system with their existing military expertise, Ares expanded nearly exponentially over the following century. While they maintain a dominating edge in the military field, they now integrated companies in fields from agronomy to personal fitness centers to xenobiology.

Internally Ares very self consciously styles itself as a hierarchical military organization complete with a semi-formal rank structure and an ethos of respect for the chain of command, professional courtesy, and treating your subordinates with respect. In practice Ares is hidebound, authoritarian, filled with passive aggressive sniping and rampant empire building.

While Ares remains headquartered on Mars, they have holdings in several systems and own the distant system of Alexander outright.

Rhodes Mining

One of the three original Charters that the Compact granted, Rhodes considers itself the singular reason that Humanity survived ecological collapse and spread past Sol. Immensely wealthy, over 52% of all material mined and processed by the entire Human race has passed through Rhodes hands at one point or another.

While founded merely to provide Earth the vital materials that it needed to rebuild itself after the lost decades of ecological collapse, Rhodes quickly expanded into all areas of the economy to support their mining, refining, and processing operations.

Dedicated to their vision of logistical chain efficiencies they've developed an entire chain of star systems into an efficient production center based around the resource rich system of Foundry, and the nearby feeder systems of Ecrams, Qem, and Crucible.

Rhodes considers itself home to a version of meritocracy built on hard work, education, and good old fashioned personal drive. This has developed over time into a stratified internal divide between the rank and file workers, the lower level management, and the highly lauded senior management. Each class lives in entirely separate worlds, attending separate schools, consuming different products, and leading very different lives in what many observers have labelled a de facto caste system.

they make food and medicine, the 120 year old CEO is kinda creepy tho?

Techbros, some of them science, some of them explore

Born from the union of Hermes Interstellar Services and The Ishtar Group, the Hermes-Ishtar Corporation owns and operates not only the communications backbone of Compact space, but much of the content that crosses over it.

The results of increasing consolidation of pre-spaceflight communications infrastructure and content creation and management firms, Hermes Communications and Ishtar Entertainment Group were both part of the second round of Charters established after the advent of the KC gates.

While Hermes quickly established operations throughout Compact space, their waystations, couriers, and communications repeaters a common sight in every corner of Human occupied space; Ishtar Group mainly limited their own operations to Sol and the Radiant system, where Ishtar owned and operated the world of Elysium to support their many projects.

Following a wave of Compact space wide reorganizations following the Mississippi-Starhaul conflicts of the 2130s, a desire for complete vertical integration on Ishtar's part led to a mostly amicable union with Hermes in 2139.

Since then Hermes-Ishtar have dominated all communications across Human space with only the privileged internal high-level communications of the other Charters managing to avoid consolidation under Hermes-Ishtar.

While Hermes-Ishtar make a great show of respecting individual creativity, initiative, and drive from their employees; in practice this amounts to rampant internal fighting involving the parasocial personality cults of different "genius" inventors, artists, and executive that rise and fall inside of Hermes-Ishtar at a dizzying rate.

Sketchy buggers, they can get you anything tho

Historical Topics:

Between 2036 and 2071 the Democratic Federation was the governing body of much of Earth's Western Hemisphere.

Initially comprised of a Federation of Socialist, Anarchist, Communist, and other far left social movements, militias, and political factions controlling regions of Earth's North American continent during and after the decline and collapse of the United States of America (1776-2034) due to the effects of unaddressed climate change amplifying existing political and economic crisis.

Eventually solidifying into the governing body of the former United States of America, United States of Mexico and the Dominion of Canada, the Democratic Federation embarked on an ambitious program of cultural revolution and economic reform designed to mitigate and reverse the effects of the climate change crisis.

As the patron of much of the central and southern western hemisphere, the Democratic Federation attempted to chart a course of environmental restoration separate from that of the Solarian Treaty Organization (In 2063 reorganized into the Solarian Charter), choosing not to contest Eurasian and African domination of outer space.

Having never existed out of crisis conditions, a combination of pre-existing economic damage, sabotage, and instability drove the Democratic Federation into decline in the Grey Decade of 2062 to 2070 and eventually forced the Democratic Federation to ratify a series of treaties giving the Charters economic access to Federation member states in order to conduct vital reconstruction work.

A last ditch uprising by radical elements in 2072 to eject the Charters from the Democratic Federation failed when Solarian Compact peacekeepers were called in and in seven months of street fighting pacified most of North America's key urban centers via strategic use of orbital weapons on the areas of greatest urban resistance.

Though guerilla warfare would continue in the Western Hemisphere for another three decades, the Democratic Federation was officially defunct by December 2072 and parcelled out into a number of Charter owned reconstruction areas under Compact authority.

Today radicals still pine for the four decades that the Democratic Federation attempted to build an alternative to the emerging Charters, and the polity's distinctive black, red, and green flag is brought out for each and every Great Black Summer. Well into the twenty second century, riots were often accompanied by demands to 'Avenge the Martyrs of 72!'.

Despite this underground extremist nostalgia, Charter and Compact schools teach that the Democratic Federation was a collectivist state whose iconoclastic behavior saw the destruction of famous landmarks like Mount Rushmore, Stone Mountain, and other monuments to Liberal Democracy and the Free Market in a mad attempt to remake the human race, but whose doctrinaire adoption of command economics saw them unable to deal with the ever-changing complexities of climate change.

Misc Details:

The first five systems to hold permanent Human colonies are known as either "The First Sisters" or "Earth's Daughters", depending on who you are asking and their political persuasion. From oldest to youngest, these worlds are:

Columbia: settled by billionaire American expats and tens of millions of refugees who had fled the unfolding revolutionary violence of the North American continent several years beforehand. Columbia was founded under a vision of fidelity to the American dream and to prove the indomitability of the soul of the United States of America and liberalism in the face of the red flags of the (North American) Democratic Federation. Fiercely loyal to the Compact and the dream of Charter prosperity, and home of the Solarian Central Bank, Columbia is often known as the "Gilded World" in reference to what many see as a return to American Gilded Age wealth and social inequality. Ares Conflict Solutions' central command is located here.

Atlantis: With colonization rights to this majority oceanic planet initially granted to the waning power of the European Union, the nations of the EU opened up colonization opportunities to other allied powers, especially Russia and Egypt. Atlantis was often seen by the EU as a place to dump unwanted refugees from outside of Europe's borders, and Russia and Egypt's tendency to see the world as a genuine project led to the usurpation of colonization rights away from Europe in the mid 2080s. Known today as the most restive of the first wave of colonies, Atlantis is the most skeptical of Charter power and plays a delicate game of wealth redistribution to underwrite the greatest social security net in Human Space. Cernunnos is de jure headquartered here.

Penglai: Originally the world in the most need of terraforming of the original colonies, Colonization rights were granted to the People's Republic of China and their allies after a lackluster bidding campaign. As China's focus was mainly on attempting to stem the damage of climate change on Earth herself, colonization of Penglai initially lagged until the Chinese Politburo struck upon the strategy of subcontracting colonization rights to Pacific adjacent nations suffering from the rise of that ocean. As colonization unfolded in the early 22nd century Penglai became known as a multicultural mosaic as hundreds of millions from across the Pacific settled and intermingled on the wine darkened shores of that world. Known today for its vibrant cultural milieu, violent clashes between labour unions, and private police, Penglai hosts the headquarters of the Hermes-Ishtar, Omoikane and Rhodes corporations.

Olduvai: With Colonization rights granted to a coalition of African nations at the height of the 'African Century', the African Colonization Organization did not see their colony as a refugee destination, dumping ground, or resource colony like their fellows. Instead the ACO saw the colonization scheme as an opportunity to preserve and export the rich traditions and cultures of Africa on their own terms, fully intending to set up healthy and self-sufficient colonies. To the current day, Olduvai has the closest relations with the home nations and is the heartland of Daughter sentiment and a bedrock for the Party for Human Rights and Liberties.

Epsilon System: While not technically a single world, the cluster of heavily inhabited space colonies in the Epsilon system are always considered the 'Fifth Sister' or 'Fifth Daughter'. As the most mineral rich system of the original colonies, Epsilon was the source of many of the materials that helped pull Earth through her darkest hour, and the system was recognized for their efforts by being invited to send delegates to the 2099 Solarian Compact Constitutional Convention. Epsilon is famous for its people's long roots in spacing and for being the headquarters of Mississippi Shipping Interstellar and thus the most heavily trafficked system in history.
Technologies: Nanomanufacturing, summary:

The contemporary gold standard for manufacturing. These devices use mechanosynthesis, a process that guides chemical reactions by placing reactive molecules with atomic precision. Ribosomes in the body's cells use a form of this method.

While the largest units can create objects up to 2m x 2m x 2m, smaller units (halving the units each time) are viable on basically any human scale. Projects larger than this size (such as ships or buildings, need to be either grown layer-by-layer via nanofabricators attached to robotic arms, or assembled from smaller parts through traditional assembly line, dry dock, or construction processes.

In principle basically anything can be made with these devices, and some materials can only be manufactured via these methods in microgravity. All manufacturing patterns in Compact Space feature Charter DRM using embedded explosive molecules like octaazacubane or cubic gauche nitrogen that will damage a disassembler or x-ray machine making reverse engineering of their products difficult.

A common part of 23rd century life is the near ubiquity of Artificial Intelligences in daily life, from consumer grade VIs through specialist TLIs, controversial AGIs, finally the perpetually 10 years away Artificial Super Intelligences.

The common consumer will daily run into what are properly known as Narrow AIs, and generally labelled as VI -Virtual Intelligences- by people outside the field. This category covers a broad swathe of techniques, from search and pathfinding to expert systems to genetic fuzzy trees to deep neural networks, which are mixed and matched with each other to optimize for the designed task. VIs are ubiquitous, exceeding human peak skill in their areas of specialization (though real world applications often don't do all that much better than trained humans), and have spent the past two centuries getting augmented with more and more clever algorithmic tricks for improving VIs. In order to do this, the Charters employ large teams of analysts and software engineers to develop clever algorithmic tricks that supplement or outright supplant neural networks, exploiting machine precision where stochastic methods are inadequate.

The use of VIs in everyday life is well accepted by the vast majority of the population, with professionals mixing and matching various consumer VIs to analyse data or assist them with creative or scientific works. Some VI lines are well loved by both the populace and the Charters themselves, with Charter programmers often deliberately leaving VIs with behavioral quirks and unpredictable glitches that not only save money on quality assurance, but are considered endearing traits that lead to anthropomorphization by the consumer market

Despite the mass comfortability and profitability of VIs of all kinds, the introduction of AGIs has been, to put it delicately, controversial. Though computer science has advanced to the point of producing programs that can not only pass the Turing test, but demonstrate sapience and match 23rd century human intelligence, flexibility, and creativity, the public reaction to the introduction of AGI saw the companies of the time rapidly pull them from the market, and even say the Compact itself move to heavily regulate the AI sector.

First introduced in the 2060s, the great tech firms began replacing their work staff with AGIs who did not require food, rest, housing, or pay. This shift led to an alliance between white collar workers fearing that automation would put them out of work and radicals who opposed what they insisted was AGI Slavery, a growing movement that would climax in the First Great Black Summer of 2084. When the ashes of the First Black Summer settled, the Compact's Parliament moved to grant rights to AGIs, and the resulting economic damage saw dozens of formerly great names in computing consolidate under the aegis of several of the first Charters who flaunted their extra-Solarian wealth by buying up prestigious brand names and research divisions on the cheap.

Since the 2080s, while the regulation surrounding AGI production and use have been severely weakened none of the Charters have sought to reintroduce them into the market, perhaps fearing another backlash like the First Black Summer and the few hundred thousand surviving AGIs that were granted Solarian Citizenship rights have found spread throughout the Compact and Charter Space where they usually work at the same white collar jobs whose workers they were designed to replace.

Perhaps due to the risks of attempting to reintroduce AGIs to the market, Omoikane has instead introduced their flagship product the "TLI" or Temporary Limited Intelligence. Approximately as effective as an AGI, a TLI is billed as a more moral replacement for AGI that uses a suite of high end VIs and a proprietary batch of creativity algorithms in order to complete complex tasks.

TLIs are used as a fire and forget program designed to be licensed to solve a single issue, no matter how complicated and then delete itself. Though the TLIs are a black box product, scientists from the other Charters believe that the central creativity algorithm in the TLI is inherently unstable and rapidly degrades in ability with time, making the TLI an instance of Omoikane attempting to market a critical technical flaw as a selling point that is accepted due to the ubiquitous market practice of planned obsolescence and artificial scarcity.

Though expensive, most businesses and successful professionals will keep a few licensed Omoikane TLIs on hand to throw at difficult problems or to supplement manpower in crunch situations.

While AGIs have been possible for nearly two centuries, the promise of a Seed AI, a recursively self-improving general superintelligence, is perpetually 'a decade away from the market', and no successful ASI ever been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Charters or the Compact.

This is not to say that the Gödel machine architecture or the AIXI model has somehow been forgotten in the past 230 years, but that the Friendly AI problem has yet to be cracked. Every demonstration has either stalled out or gone immediately rampant, attempting to overthrow Charter Space before being stopped by the safety net of Narrow AIs. The small trickle of roughly human intelligence level AGIs that are created every decade typically come from these projects.

Urban legends persist that a few Seed AIs managed to escape and hide out beyond known space, plotting to return and crush humanity, or that they control all of society in secret, puppeting the Compact and Charters from their very foundation and occasionally engineering publicly failed ASI attempts to allay suspicion. These rumours are, of course, patently false, and simply the fevered imagination of crackpots at work, no doubt inspired by entertainment made by Hermes-Ishtar that feature AI supervillainy.
Systems: Map made by @Redshirt Army

The Spinward Frontier:

The Middle Spinward Frontier

The Core Region:

UNDER RADIANT CONTROL OR ALLIED:

The Radiant system is host to a G-class star, only slightly smaller than Sol. The system itself is rather small and resource-poor; experts believe that one or more Jovian planets ejected much of the system's bodies and then followed themselves. This is evidenced by the system's asteroid belt degrading over time, with high levels of eccentric orbits and impacts on planetary surface.

Radiant 1: A rather unremarkable airless iron planet, gravity 0.4 Earth Standard.

Radiant 2: A slightly larger unremarkable airless iron-silicate planet, gravity 0.6 Earth Standard.

Radiant 3: A binary planetary system and the outermost of the Radiant systems' planets.

Asphodel (Radiant 3a): The larger of the Elysium 3 pair, Asphodel might have once hosted life of its own. That life has been snuffed out for hundreds of millions of years, though, as the planet's significant atmosphere began the runaway cycle of your usual hothouse planet. Hermes-Ishtar maintained a significant aerostat and automated surface miner operation for in-house manufacturing, given that the frequent asteroid impacts from the asteroid belt keep digging up chunks of the upper crust and having low-melting-point metals rain out of the sky and solidify, unoxidized, on the surface for collection. Gravity 1.4 Earth Standard.

Elysium (Radiant 3b): Elysium was settled in the late 2190's, being a relatively simple affair. Simple life had already begun to evolve under its oceans, but continued orbital bombardment far past the lengths of things like Earth's Late Heavy Period had kept it there. It was a simple matter of forming up a small anti-asteroid task force armed with tugs and mining lasers to artificially end the pummeling, and the surface proved amenable to Terran life transplants. The colony is energy-self-sufficient, using a variety of solar, tidal, and nuclear power. Gravity 0.9 Earth Standard.

Radiant I: The outermost significant feature of Radiant, this asteroid belt is more a loose mixture of a primordial asteroid belt much like Sol's with a Kuiper belt. The shepherding gas giants which once nudged all these rocks into their orbits are gone, and with it the entire outer system is a maelstrom of chaotic orbits as the belts lose their coherence. This requires constant vigilance from Elysium's anti-asteroid team, but the high eccentricity of many asteroids also makes it cheap and easy to mine the ones that might come Elysium's way, which provides a trickle of basic resources for upkeep and personal goods. All large-scale building and infrastructure projects have been supplied from out-system, however.

A G-K far binary system, Gaid is simply a transit point to Radiant. Gaid's own gate maintenance techs and SAR rotated in and out through Radiant itself. There is no infrastructure other than a set of buoy lines for communications in Gaid A, and nothing in Gaid B.

Gaid A1: An airless world. Quality 10.

Gaid A2: A planet much like mars with a vestigial CO2 atmosphere. Quality 7.

Gaid A3: This planet boasts a methane hydrosphere. Quality 4.

Gaid AI: An asteroid belt.

Gaid A4: A turbulent Jovian planet, its storms would make resource extraction difficult. Quality 5.

Gaid A4a: An icy moon, with tidal heating creating a large ocean under a thin icy shell. Quality 9.

Gaid B1: A molten Cthonian world hosting a simply ludicrous amount of iron. Quality 15.

Gaid B2: An airless world. Quality 10.

Gaid B3: An airless binary system with two near-identically sized planets. Quality 7 and 8.

Gaid B4: This airless planet boasts a large and beautiful ring system, famous as a screen background option across human space. Every few years, a cruise or scientific expedition will stop by for more images.

Gaid B5: A small icy planet. Quality 3.

Gaid B6: A frozen world. Quality 7.

Gaid B7: An interesting gas dwarf sometimes referred to as an 'ice dwarf.' Quality 14.

A close K-M binary, Shei is home to an old Ares penal colony.

Shei 1: A Cthonian world. Quality 15.

Shei 2: An airless world. Quality 12.

Sheol (Shei 3): A boreal world, with a large, decaying ring, the planet features two large continents. The population of the consists of a large prisoner population on the larger of the two continents and a small Ares training base on the smaller. Records show that the prison consists of several million persons convicted to "high risk labour" and dropped on the continent with automatic resupply via Ares contractors and watched from orbit by weapons satellites. Most of the planet's land area is covered in a native tree analogue with a strange multi-stranded trunk.

Sheol is actually home to a population of over 100 million made up of prisoners and their descendants taht Ares was usuing as a live fire training course. Cooperation between Radiant agents, Ares mutineers, and the Sheolites themselves have seen the planet freed.

Gravity .95 Earth Standard. Quality 12.

Watchman (Shei 3a): Once the outer of two moons, this body now boasts Ares' local light shipyards and system command center. Quality 13.

Shei 4: Spiraling in from the outer system, this planet will eventually evaporate near-entirely as it closes towards the dual suns of Shei. Quality 3.

Shei 5: Martian planet with an active methane cycle. Quality 5.

Shei I: Asteroid belt.

Shei 6: Jovian planet with high rotation rate. Slightly squashed as a result. Quality 8.

Shei 6a: An icy capture, this moon will be torn into a ring sometime in the next hundred thousand years. Quality 2.

Shei 6b: Cold Martian planet, covered in a thin layer of water and carbon dioxide ices. Active methane cycle. Quality 8.

Shei II: Asteroid belt.

Shei 7: Jovian planet. Quality 13.

Shei 7a: An icy moon with significant cryovolcanism. Quality 6.

Shei 7b: A tiny icy moon, this is on the edge of hydrostatic equilibrium. Quality 2.

Shei 8: Ice giant. Quality 6.

Shei 8a: An icy moon. Quality 9.

Shei 8b: An icy moon, orbiting in an unusual polar orbit. Quality 9.

Population: 103,000,000

While lacking any currently-habitable planets, Five Lions' large size and potential have made it a significant point of Rhodes' recent extraction efforts. Ambitious terraforming efforts have recently begun.

Carajas (Five Lions 1): A Cthonian ball of iron, it's actively mined by robotic Rhodes-built landers. Gravity 2.3 Earth Standard. Quality 12.

Five Lions 2: A small rocky ball. Quality 3.

Five Lions 3: A rocky ball. Quality 7.

Grasberg (Five Lions 4): A large rocky world, glaciation has rendered it uninhabitable for now, but terraforming efforts have begun to artificially ramp up the greenhouse effect and restore liquid water to the surface, along with mining its ice. Gravity 1.11 Earth Standard. Quality 14.

Five Lions 5: This planet's atmosphere is so significant it verges on a gas dwarf. While a solid surface covered in a thin layer of ice is at the bottom, no reasonable colonization is possible. Quality 7.

Five Lions I: This asteroid belt, along with all the others, is being mined heavily.

Five Lions 6: This Jovian planet forms the center of current Rhodes extraction efforts. Quality 4.

Five Lions 6a: This Martian planet boasts significant ice caps and active plate tectonics, though only a vestigial atmosphere. Debate on whether to put resources into terraforming it are ongoing. Gravity .81 Earth Standard. Quality 17.

Oyu Tolgoi (Five Lions 6b): Home to the local population in covered shelters, this Martian planet, while nearly completely lacking water or plate tectonics, has its own atmosphere. Comet bombardment away from populated areas is ongoing and is already beginning to show results. Gravity .79 Earth Standard. Quality 11.

Five Lions II: An asteroid belt.

Five Lions 7: An unremarkable Jovian. Quality 2.

Five Lions III: An asteroid belt.

Five Lions 8: Jovian planet, its rotation speed has resulted in an unusually calm upper atmosphere. Quality 15.

Five Lions IV: An asteroid belt.

Five Lions 9: Jovian planet. Quality 9.

Five Lions V: An asteroid belt.

Five Lions 10: Neptunian ice giant. Quality 8.

Five Lions 10a: A small icy moon. Quality 5.

Five Lions 10b: A large icy body, this was probably its own planetoid at some point before being captured due to the complex interplays of no less than 5 gas giants.

Population: 15,000,000

A rare system with a brown dwarf orbiting a G-type star (just barely in the limits of what's considered a single system rather than a binary), and with a Jovian planet orbiting that, and on top of that treasure trove a dual ice giant binary, Osliam presents a golden research opportunity, and was bid on by Omoikane despite its otherwise sparce resources and poor habitable prospects.

Osliam 1: A rare hot ice giant, this planet is actively shrinking on a measurable time scale. It must have migrated in as a much larger planet recently.

Osliam 1a: This once-rock-ice moon is now a tiny molten ellipse barely holding together.

Osliam 1b: This somewhat larger moon changes color unusually with its day, as the shade of its parent cools lava to a dull red before emerging back into the light heats the lava back to a healthy orange glow.

Osliam 1c: This entire moon glows dull red in its day, just barely solid, and cools to an unusually smooth moon in its night.

Osliam I: This asteroid belt was probably a planet before Osliam 1's passing tore it to shreds.

Osliam 3: A hothouse planet with a relatively thin atmosphere, it retains temperatures and pressures that are survivable with heavy-duty equipment on the surface—when it's not raining sulfuric acid, that is.

Osliam 4: This small Martian planet seems to have collected some of Osliam 1's offgassing in its move inwards, and has a renewed temporary atmosphere.

Osliam 5a: This planet seems to have survived at the edge of the frost line by siphoning gas off its smaller twin.

Osliam 5b: Barely a gas giant, this planet was probably only slightly smaller than Osliam 5a in the distant past.

Osliam 6: The focus of Omoikane colonization in-system, Osliam 6 retains plate tectonics from the nearby brown dwarf but no atmosphere, an odd combination.

Osliam 7: A brown dwarf, this substellar object long ago burnt its deuterium and now lies slowly cooling, glowing dimly red. It is, however, still giving off a prodigious amount of low IR radiation.

Osliam 7a: Once its own planet, Osliam 7a was captured at some point by Osliam 7, perhaps in the same interaction that threw Osliam 1 to its suicidal innermost orbit.

Osliam 7a1: This icy moon is simultaneously shrinking and becoming more habitable—while its outer layers of ice are sublimating, the fierce tides of its complex interplay with Osliam 7 and 7a are heating the inner ocean to temperatures comparable to terrestrial water sources. Some scientists even suggest a pocket of water vapor is forming under the ice, and may form an internal "sky" for as much as a hundred million years before the outer shell sublimates entirely.

Osliam 7a2: This moon is less lucky; its tides are so strong that they seem to slowly be ripping the moon apart. It won't have the honor of becoming more than an ephemeral ring; the same complex tides tearing at it will rapidly disperse its debris field. While it lasts, though, it's easy water harvesting.

Population: 650,000

UNDER CHARTER CONTROL:

A distant double G binary, Xotreh hosts a small habitable moon around Xotreh B, the smaller of the two stars. As such, development has focused on the second star, despite the fact that the jump points center closer to Xotreh A.

Xotreh A1: This world boasts an active liquid silicate cycle on its surface, with oceans of basalt and continents of granite. Gravity 0.38 Earth Standard. Quality 8.

Xotreh A2: A rather large airless world, its original atmosphere was likely blown off by a massive impact. Gravity 1.2 Earth Standard. Quality 9.

Xotreh A3: A binary planetary pair of airless worlds about the size of Mars. Quality 6 and 8.

Xotreh A4: A hothouse planet with a planet-wide sulfuric acid storm due to its rapid rotation. Gravity .71 Earth Standard. Quality 8.

Xotreh A5 "Cueball": This planet is remarkably similar to Earth—if earth was buried under a kilometers-thick ice sheet across 90% of the surface. One day, as Xotreh A expands and dies, this world will become an ocean planet, but for now it's a cold desert. Gravity .87 Earth Standard. Quality 5.

Xotreh A6: An unremarkable icy ball. Quality 4.

Xotreh AI: An asteroid belt.

Xotreh A7: A Jovian planet, Xotreh 7 corrals the entire inner system in line. Quality 10.

Xotreh B1: This planet must have once been a gas giant at least the size of Uranus before it was sent inwards. Now all that remains is a dense core with a molten surface. Gravity 1.51 Earth Standard. Quality 13.

Xotreh B2: A binary pair of earth-sized airless worlds. Quality 6 and 7.

Xotreh B3: Another once-gas giant, this planet remains far out enough to boast a wholly-solid surface of iron. Gravity 1.64 Earth Standard. Quality 14.

Xotreh B4: A Jovian right on the frost line, its tidal heating keeps its moons on the edge of habitability. Quality 3.

Xotreh B4a "Sushi": An ocean world with massive polar ice caps, Omoikane has constructed a series of seasteads on the equatorial high ocean plateaus where it was feasible to drive foundations into the sea floor a few hundred meters below the surface. These small facilities serve as housing, data storage, and production centers for the research teams studying the dual Cthonian planets of Xotreh B. Gravity .67 Earth Standard. Quality 2.

Xotreh B4b: The lesser tidal heating here worsened the glaciation, and the planet lies under a planet-wide crust of ice. Gravity 1.13 Earth Standard. Quality 10.

Xotreh BI: The close proximity of this asteroid belt makes it an ideal location for resource extraction.

Xotreh 5: This Jovian is definitively beyond the habitable zone. Quality 6.

Xotreh 6: A dense ice giant. Quality 4.

Xotreh 7: Jovian planet. Quality 6.

Xotreh 8: An exceptionally cold Jovian. Quality 9.

Xotreh 8a: An unremarkable icy sphere. Quality 8.

Xotreh 9: This planet would have a massive atmosphere, if it wasn't so cold it all froze and fell to the surface. Only a few degrees above the space surrounding it. Gravity 1.3 Earth Standard. Quality 9.

Population: 54,000

Besides an interesting Jovian-gas dwarf planetary system, Bestreer holds little of interest other than its connections to other places.

Bestreer 1: An airless world. Quality 2.

Bestreer 2: An airless world. Quality 6.

Bestreer 3: This airless world once had a captured moon, torn apart at the Roche limit and forming a ring. A small gate maintenance and SAR team bases here, siphoning fuel and water from Bestreer 5 and mining into the surface for both resources and safe spaces for housing. Quality 10.

Bestreer 4: A rock-ice world. Quality 5.

Bestreer 5: Another rock-ice world made up more of ice than rock. Quality 5.

Bestreer I: An icy asteroid belt.

Bestreer 6: A large Jovian planet, on the edge of becoming a brown dwarf. Quality 15.

Bestreer 6a: This gas dwarf might have become a gas giant in its own right without its massive sibling. Quality 5.

Bestreer 7: Another Jovian. Quality 14.

Bestreer 7a: An icy moon, with an internal ocean buried under kilometers of ice. Quality 12.

Bestreer 8: An icy ball. Quality 10.

Population: 450

G-class star. A transshipping point to Radiant and environs, Mississippi keeps a substantial support crew on hand for possible cargo ship breakdowns or emergencies in-system, due to the slightly increased risk of issues from the absolute shambles of Akleod's inner system. A minor executive has also put together a cheap refueling and battery exchange station.

Akleod 1: Even actively evaporating and leaving behind a trail in orbit of dissipating volatiles, this body is large enough to have usurped Akleod 1a's orbit temporarily until it disappears away or the chaotic orbit of the two throws one into the star or out of the system. Quality 2.

Akleod 1a: The original Akleod 1, its orbit has been badly disrupted by the current, migrating Akleod 1. Which of the two gets ejected is still uncertain despite a decent amount of computational simulation; odds put it at 48-52% relatively. Quality 6.

Gnat's Ass (Akleod 2): A small, loosely-held-together icy body, perhaps what used to be an asteroid belt before Akleod 1's suicidal inner-system dive. It's not yet had time to fully reach hydrostatic equilibrium. Quality 3.

Akleod 3: An icy planet similar to Akleod 1, perhaps an old sibling. Quality 13.

Akleod I: An asteroid belt.

Akleod 4: A Jovian with an unusually elliptical orbit, it's regarded as the culprit for the chaos of Akleod's inner system. Quality 11.

Population: 5,000

As it turns out, transponder codes from regular priority messages through Gaid (now that we can see them, having backdoored the gate control) bear tags from a system, Thoa, along with navigational chart updates for any ships that happen to stop by. Thoa and Gaid both seem to have been nothing more than transit points to the far-more-valuable Radiant for Hermes-Ishtar, but Thoa holds a small anti-pirate base guarding against raiders from Signia. Hermes-Ishtar was apparently serious enough about it to have a converted corvette on station.

All told, the Thoa system holds gates to 2 systems besides Gaid's. There's also an unimproved jump point simply labelled as "dangerous." that leads to Signia

Thoa System Stats:

Thoa 1: A molten mess of a planet, it's hot enough that a residual atmosphere of vaporized low-melting-point metallics exists.

Thoa 2: An unremarkable airless metal ball.

Thoa 3: A super-earth hothouse, this planet would have been uninhabitable due to its gravity even before turning scorchingly hot.

Thoa 3a: A captured asteroid barely on the edge of hydrostatic equilibrium, the Nasty Bastardhad been excavating rudimentary shelters for "leave" for its crew.

Thoa I: An asteroid belt.

Thoa 4: A normal Jovian planet.

Thoa 4a: A moon much like Mars in climate.

Thoa 5: A Jovian planet with an unusual triangular wind pattern at the poles.

Thoa 6: Blooms of hydrogen well up from the core of this Jovian, perhaps disturbed by some recent impact.

Thoa 7: Bathyscapes would find themselves at home on the surface of Thoa 7. Pressures much like that at Earth's seabed keep a crust of ice 3 stable enough robotic drones could walk on it.

Thoa 7a: Unusually, Thoa 7a is the only large icy body in the system. Scientists are unsure of where the others went. As the only easy source of volatiles, the UNasty Bastard periodically stopped by a handful of obsolete volatile collection systems on the surface to top up.

Thoa II: A Kuiper belt of icy objects.

Empty Systems

Kimberly: A fairly unremarkable and empty system, this site was chosen as Rhodes' spinward boneyard—a place for failed experiments, old equipment, and ships so worn they weren't worth maintaining anymore, but were still valuable enough to warrant not throwing into a gas giant or otherwise completely destroyed. For 2 decades a Rhodes-affiliated salvaging contractor worked here, gathering scrap and other valuables, but following high injury and death rates and low returns, the contract (and most non-local dumping) was cancelled in 2247 (4 years before the March Days.)

Kimberly 1: A large rocky planet, this must have migrated inwards from further out in the system a long time ago to be so large so close to its parent star.

Kimberly 2: A Martian planet that keeps a comfortable daytime temperature despite its lack of atmosphere due to a close orbit.

Kimberly 3: A Jovian world.

Kimberly I: This asteroid belt is actually combined with a thinly-spread junkyard corralled by Kimberly's 2 gas giants.

Kimberly 4: A Neptunian world, this planet has several starship hulks abandoned as the closest stable orbit to the gate out. An old deactivation hub orbits in resonance with Kimberly 4a, the former site of a salvaging operation.

Kimberly 4a: The only significant satellite in the system, this icy moon retains a thin crust and a massive subterranean freshwater ocean.

Total:

Radiant:

Gaid:

Five Lions:

Head of Diplomatic Corps:

Name: Amanda Redcrest, Victoria Blackwell, and Kayla Hayashi

DoB: "2222", 2219, 2227, 2224

Current Position: Influential media figure and figurehead of Social Committee propaganda

Not a traditional diplomat, or a traditional individual 'Veronica Stardust' is the persona of a trio of XP broadcasters who have been working together since 2246 and has consistently been one of the most recognized figures across Charter space and is a local Elysian celebrity.

In Charter space those individuals who choose to make money by recording their lived experiences, of all kinds, for later playback are treated with an indulgent disdain by the polite classes as a mix of internet celebrity and sex worker despite the practice of selling XP experiences being common in the poorer segments of society and a smaller portion of the professional middle class attempting to stay afloat in a tight gig economy.

Amanda Redcrest was a former media programmer whose attempts to supplement her income with XP work backfired and saw her fired from her job. Contrarily, Kayla and Victoria both come from lower class backgrounds, though Kayla's attempts to climb into the middle class by earning a marketing degree were frustrated when her lower class status markers and financing of education via XP work saw her frozen out of the job market.

A former collaborator of Kayla's, Victoria had been a rising XP star in her own right and had no desire to change her station, but as her brief celebrity began to fade Victoria approached Kayla to propose the creation of a dedicated broadcasting persona that both would act as. Later bringing on Redcrest, who they'd both done crossover XP work with, to do technical work, the trio used carefully gathered market data and some intuition to create the "Veronica Stardust" persona of an middlingly-intelligent and freewheeling persona who played to the upper class's picture of what depravities and indignities the poorer class must get up to in their spare time.

From 2246 to 2251 the Veronica Stardust persona (performed by all three at various times, though primarily Victoria) produced experience recordings that were nearly always in the top 10 best sellers across Charter space.

Though they enjoyed the wealth that they brought in, the trio increasingly chafed at the market driven limitations of Veronica, and were considering a number of possibly catastrophic brand shifts when the March Days broke out and all three participated in street actions in a private capacity after sending one last broadcast as 'Veronica' to encourage revolt.

Since the formation of the Social Committee the figure of Veronica has been rebranded to serve as the figurehead of Social Committee Propaganda and several major initiatives have been launched with her at the forefront including a highly successful part of the anti-overproduction initiatives.

As part of the now-completed campaign to maintain the charade that Radiant was still under Charter control, Veronica Stardust continued to sell broadcasts to HI media chains, though the trio could not help but begin a brand shift towards a far more intelligent and radical persona.

Pros: XP Celebrity, influential, well known, inspiring to the middle and lower classes

Cons: XP celebrity, little diplomatic experience, three people

Diplomatic Goals: Defeat the Charters in the field of public opinion, push social revolution and freedom of information and communication, cause public opinion to oppose attacking Radiant

Unlocked FRM

Ares Peacekeeping Grade - Access to planetary army formation

Ares Military Grade - Access to mid-sized shipyards, bonuses to planetary army combat. Bonus to completion of Chinook remodeling

Rhodes Light industrial Grade - 10% increase to all mining income, reduced Cost for BLG and other actions that use basic fabber processes

Rhodes Heavy Industrial Grade - Massive discount on mining upgrades, able to unlock automated technologies with Omoikaine

Cernunnos Consumer Grade - +1 to all Soccom actions

Cernunnos Enterprise Grade - NOT UNLOCKED

Omoikane Consumer Grade - +1 to FRM reserach for each two tech bases unlocked (+6 currently)

Omoikane Enterprise Grade - +5 to blue sky research, automation with Omoikane

Hermes-Ishtar Consumer Grade - Your economy doesn't crash when the turn of funding

Hermes-Ishtar Production Grade - NOT UNLOCKED

MSI Consumer Grade - Consumer Goods, Drones, and personal vehicles, +2 to domestic projects in IndComm and SocComm

MSI Enterprise Grade - NOT UNLOCKED

Original Tech

The Box: Fabber the size of a X-box that can, with time, materials and power, print the components for a full sized box. Less efficient, but easy to print and hide.

Defence Coordinator:

Name: Maria Awhina

DoB: 2165

Current Position: Military Committee Delegate from the Radiant Veterans Guild

Born into poverty on Earth as the twenty-second century began to wane, young 22-year old Maria Awhina caught up in radical anti-Charter politics during the third black summer of 2187 and was convicted of property destruction during the rioting and sentenced to serve as a contractor to Hermes-Ishtar until her contract was paid off.

The stark choice of starvation or service to Hermes-Ishtar caused Maria to descend into self-destructive behavior where for twenty years Ms. Awhina continuously volunteered for the highest paid and most dangerous positions that Hermes-Ishtar had available.

Hermes-Ishtar considers Special Operations Lieutenant Awhina to have served with distinction throughout the heavy skirmishing of that era, though Maria herself continues to carry guilt for her service and her survival.

After performing exceptionally well in a hostage rescue operation Awhina was transferred to the Protective Detail Division of Hermes-Ishtar Security, and was eventually assigned to serve as the head of the Radiant Vice President's protective detail.

Over the next four decades she came to see the world as her home, and while her professionalism never wavered, her loyalty to the company who still owned her contract did.

This March, Maria had the option to gun down her fellow planetary headquarters workers to secure Yang's escape, or to finally return to roots in anti-Charter agitation. The fact that we are all here today shows what choice she made.

Pros:

-Actual Combat Veteran, knows Radiant inside and out, special operations expert, professional.

Cons:

-only academic knowledge of starship operations, logistics, organization command and strategic operations.

Command Traits:

-Objective oriented, unflappable, aggressive, prefers attacks and operations to come from unexpected angles.

Reports from the Permanent Commission for Military Intelligence on hostile forces in neighbouring systems:

Blue Squadron:
-Allegiance: Ares Combat Solutions
-Service: Mars Interstellar Security
-CO: Rear Admiral Weylon Kang
-Flagship: MIS Yorktown

We know little about Rear Admiral Weylon Kang except that he has received a number of commendations from the MIS board for keeping costs low while on deployment. He appears to be making an effort to clamp down on the rumours racing back and forth across the fleet.

MIS Yorktown
-British Empire-class Fleet Tender
MIS Eurymedon
-New Model-class Strike Corvette
MIS La Rochelle
-New Model-class Strike Corvette
MIS Cape Rachado
-New Model-class Strike Corvette
MIS Second Schooneveld
-New Model-class Strike Corvette
MIS Matapan
-New Model-class Strike Corvette
MIS Valcour Island
-New Model-class Strike Corvette
MIS Kerch Strait
-New Model-class Strike Corvette
MIS Galveston Harbour
-New Model-class Strike Corvette
MIS Cape Sarych
-New Model-class Strike Corvette
MIS River Plate
-New Model-class Strike Corvette
MIS Third San Francisco
-New Model-class Strike Corvette
MIS Scipio Africanus
-Cossak-class Frigate
MIS Suleiman I
-Cossak-class Frigate
MIS Louis Botha
-Cossak-class Frigate
MIS Fort Ware
-Hudson's bay Company-class Fast Fleet Tanker
MIS Fort Mackinac
-Hudson's bay Company-class Fast Fleet Tanker
MIS Fort Osage
-Hudson's bay Company-class Fast Fleet Tanker
MIS Arabian
-Postal-class Courier
MIS Macedonia
-Legionary-class Fast Troop Transport
MIS Hispania Citerior
-Legionary-class Fast Troop Transport
MIS Hispania Ulterior
-Legionary-class Fast Troop Transport
MIS Gallia Narbonensis
-Legionary-class Fast Troop Transport
MIS Sicilia
-Legionary-class Fast Troop Transport
MIS Corsica et Sardinia
-Legionary-class Fast Troop Transport

Fixed Defences:
Battery A
-MSS-54-F LMP Constellation
Battery B
-MSS-54-F LMP Constellation
Battery C
-MSS-54-F LMP Constellation
Shoal A
-ASR-33-C TAM Shoal
Shoal B
-ASR-33-C TAM Shoal
Shoal C
-ASR-33-C TAM Shoal
Shoal D
-ASR-33-C TAM Shoal
Shoal E
-ASR-33-C TAM Shoal
Shoal F
-ASR-33-C TAM Shoal

Fixed Defences:
Battery A
-Blindfire-Pattern LMP Constellation
Battery B
-Airstrike Pattern LMP Constellation
Shoal A
-Macross-Pattern LMP Constellation
Shoal B
-Macross-Pattern LMP Constellation
Strikecraft Wing, ID# 48603
-Radiance-Type Strikecraft

-None

Local Security Forces
-Approximately fifty strong volunteer station security militia drawn from station personnel

Local Security Forces:
-Deep Space Security Solutions (Omoikane Subsidiary) Customs shuttle squadron based out of Xotreh B-4a's orbital station
-Three companies of Standard Planetary Security Company (Ares subsidiary) troops based out of Xotreh B-4a's habitat complexes for internal security and law enforcement

139th Solarian Navy Squadron:
-Allegiance: Solarian Compact
-Service: Solarian Navy
-CO: Vice Admiral David Visser
-Flagship: SNS Krak de Chevaliers

Thanks to his heavy handed labour discipline and extractive tribute and demands for corvee labour from Ascension Admiral Visser is viscerally hated by the populace of Ascension, and to a lesser degree the rest of the Solarian Force as well. While the gate's completion draws near, it is uncertain what path that Visser will persue.

SNS Krak de Chevaliers
-Star-hold-Class light-tender
SNS Victoria Newman
-Leonard Greyson-Chang-Class Strike Corvette
SNS Julia Stonechild
-Leonard Greyson-Chang-Class Strike Corvette
SNS Robert Chuikov
-Leonard Greyson-Chang-Class Strike Corvette
SNS Wallace Al-Wazir
-Leonard Greyson-Chang-Class Strike Corvette
SNS Dawn's Early Light
-Freedom's Light-class cruiser
SNS Jacob Nagumo
-Herald Kanumba-Class frigate
SNS Alexander Hamilton
-Liberation-class troop transport

Solarian Marines now spread throughout the system

PCMI Provides new system data on the single system that lies beyond beyond Five Lions:

Mobile Force:

Current Orders: Defend the All Radiant Congress by acting as a rapid response in the event of any hostile acts.

CO: Commodore Stephanie Rousseau

CNS Velasco, United States of America-class Fleet Carrier

-CO: Captain Esteri Attar

-Orca Wing, Switchblade-type strikecraft (Customized)

-CO: Wing Commander Jasmine Ang

-Red Wolf Wing, Switchblade-type strikecraft (Customized)

-CO: Wing Commander Heloisa Kimura de Lima

CNS Shieldmaiden, Great Heathen-class Light Cruiser

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

CNS Shamhat, Great Heathen-class Light Cruiser

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

CNS Righteous Tempest, Cossak-class Frigate

-CO: Captain Vehement Shade

CNS August Willich, Cossak-class Frigate

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

CNS Elysium, Cossak-class Frigate

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

CNS Asphodel, Cossak-class Frigate

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

-

Home Force:

Current Orders: Defend Radiant, comet patrol, act as a reserve force

CO: Commodore Erina Kozlova

CNS Blaire Mountain, New Model-Class Strike Corvette

-CO: Captain Guillermo Kageyama

CNS Scutum, Comet-Class Patrol Corvette

-CO: Captain Martin Pagonis

CNS Buckler, Comet-Class Patrol Corvette

-CO: Captain Samuel Smiles

CNS Nasty Bastard, A Jury Rigged Mess of a Drone Carrier

-CO: Captain Jean-Paul Beaumont

-

Radiant System Self Defence Force:

Current Orders: Defend Radiant, comet patrol

CO: Overseen by Admiral Gregory Mansur in his capacity as MilComm Chief of Naval Operations

Radiant Customs Squadron, Arabia-class boarding craft with marine contingents

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

Switchblade Wing, Switchblade-type strikecraft

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

Apogee Wing, Switchblade-type strikecraft

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

Battery A, Blindfire-Pattern LMP Constellation

(Radiant-Bestreer Gate)

Battery B, Blindfire-Pattern LMP Constellation

(Radiant-Bestreer Gate)

Battery C, Blindfire-Pattern LMP Constellation

(Radiant-Bestreer Gate)

Battery D, Airstrike-Pattern LMP Constellation

(Radiant-Bestreer Gate)

Battery E, Airstrike-Pattern LMP Constellation

(Radiant-Bestreer Gate)

Battery F, Airstrike-Pattern LMP Constellation

(Radiant-Bestreer Gate)

Shoal A, Macross-Pattern TAM Shoal

(Radiant-Bestreer Gate)

Radiant Orbital Yard 1

Current construction: None

Radiant Orbital Yard 1

Current construction: None

-

Gaid System Self Defence Force:

Current Orders: Defend Gaid

CO: Commodore Victor Raine

Battery A, Blindfire-Pattern LMP Constellation

Battery B, Blindfire-Pattern LMP Constellation

Battery C, Blindfire-Pattern LMP Constellation

Battery D, Airstrike-Pattern LMP Constellation

Battery E, Airstrike-Pattern LMP Constellation

Battery F, Airstrike-Pattern LMP Constellation

Shoal A, Macross-Pattern TAM Shoal

Shoal A, Macross-Pattern TAM Shoal

Shoal A, Macross-Pattern TAM Shoal

Zephyr Wing, Switchblade-Type Strikecraft (Customized)

-CO: Wing Commander Ara Helge

Aeolus Wing, Switchblade-Type Strikecraft (Customized)

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

Gale Wing, Switchblade-Type Strikecraft (Customized)

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

-

Frontier Force

Current Orders: Keep watch on SolNav force in Raphanus, assist with integration of Ascension military forces, patrol Spinward frontier

CO: Commodore Shayla McLean

CNS Kiel Mutiny, Kaiserreich-class BattleCruiser

-CO: Captain Inana Devlin

CNS Choreographer, Janissary-class Light Tender

-CO: Captain Karl Xanthopoulos

CNS Valiant, New Model-class Strike Corvette, attached to CNS Choreographer

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

CNS Defiant, New Model-class Strike Corvette, attached to CNS Choreographer

-CO: Captain Fool's Errand

CNS Reliant, New Model-class Strike Corvette, attached to CNS Choreographer

-CO: Captain Rouge Napier

CNS Actium, New Model-class Strike Corvette, attached to CNS Choreographer

-CO: Captain John Rankin

CNS Crête-à-Pierrot, New Model-class Strike Corvette, attached to CNS Choreographer

-CO: Captain Nkiru Chaudhari

CNS Valmy, New Model-Class Strike Corvette, attached to CNS Choreographer

-CO: Captain Sumac Barros

CNS Revolutionary Will, Cossak-class Frigate

-CO: Captain Yamamoto Hanae

CNS Revolutionary Grace, Cossak-class Frigate

-CO: -N/A DATABASE ERROR, CONTACT IT FOR HELP-

CNS Under New Management, Don-Class Fast Tanker

-CO: Captain Adras Kierenos

CNS Liberte, Hollywood(C)-Class Frigate

-CO: Captain Colin McRae

CNS Egalite, Hollywood(C)-Class Frigate

-CO: Captain Adelia Swift

Resources
Naval Ship Types: Ship Types (Public Version)
Naval Officers: Congressional Navy Officers (Public Version)
System Codex: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rtNbPCcPsTK7HCHKo9dPgK7ntx5tBKOpltrZb_In7GY/edit#
Blaze Zhang: Blaze Zhang is trans-masc. That means his pronouns are he/him.

DISCORD LINK:

Join the Wordsmiths Discord Server!

Check out the Wordsmiths community on Discord – hang out with 897 other members and enjoy free voice and text chat.

discord.gg

AKuz · Jan 14, 2021

Scheduled vote count started by AKuz on Jan 12, 2021 at 9:57 PM, finished with 106 posts and 44 votes.

19 people have voted
[X] Attempt to settle the former Ares personnel on Elysium
- BelligerentGnu
- uri
- Nyvis
- aeiou!
- Shard of Victory
- Alex the Average
- LilyWitch
- Hazardine
- Crimson Alchemis
- Solarstream
- bobbya1
- Krall
- valtarius
- Strunkriidiisk
- Traveller76
- Jane Dough
- clockworkchaos
- Resonant
- Gladsome
16 people have voted
[x] Attempt to Integrate the populations
- tankdrop24
- The Laurent
- Cataphract
- Argent Citadel
- Sara
- LucidProp
- Chamberlain1012
- Dermon
- Donkey Hote
- Random Member
- Alter
- Regency
- minorred
- me.me.here
- Derpmind
- Ultrackius
11 people have voted
[X] Let them work it out themselves
- Rhymes
- DocSpooky
- Guliang
- nocarename
- TheMaskedReader
- T_of_A
- Adnate
- Gladsome
- me.me.here
- Derpmind
- Ultrackius
1 people have voted
[X] Write in: Attempt to settle the former Ares personnel on Elysium while also offering a modernization aid program to Sheol volunteers to study on Radiant (or technical advisors on Sheol if they would prefer).
- ramdomperson
1 people have voted
[x] Write in: Offer our help with both resettlement and integration, as well as our perspective on the merits and drawbacks of both concerning social development, the morality of resettlement, and near-future wartime practicalities. Leave them to choose which to go with, but offer both our assisstance mediating, and our urgent hope that they can find a compromise that everyone can live with peacefully. We are all victims of a greater evil.
- Gnarker

BelligerentGnu · Jan 14, 2021

Oh thank goodness.

Cataphract · Jan 14, 2021

Well that's that I guess. At least we'll have an influx of skilled personnel. Let's hope we can get them there before the Charters come a-knocking

Stellarengine676 · Jan 14, 2021

Anyone got the link to the discord server?

tankdrop24 · Jan 14, 2021

BelligerentGnu said:
Oh thank goodness.

Save the relief for when we actually pull this off without causing a humanitarian catastrophe or shooting our own preparations in the foot.

LucidProp · Jan 14, 2021

On the bright side, Ares support personnel might help us crack Ares blueprints faster so hurray for that.

Here's hoping we roll well enough.

Krall · Jan 14, 2021

heraldoflight said:
Anyone got the link to the discord server?

It's in one of the informational threadmarks - it should just be titled "Discord link".

AKuz · Jan 16, 2021

[X] Attempt to settle the former Ares personnel on Elysium

Gregory Mansur had always loved Persephone's skyline.

Even as a fresh faced young boy, when his fathers would bring him on trips to the city, he would marvel at how darkness would sweep over the city of four million and leave behind vast planetbound constellations of lights that would mirror the skies above.

Well, briefly, until the reality of tens of thousands of neon signs and billboards would light up, animated advertisements flowing across the sky, and scrolling ads for god-knows-what kilometers into the sky and out of sight.

Tonight's Persephone skyline was that brief and beautiful moment between the veil of night and the intrusion of ads, but stretched out for all of the night's hours.

The man who commanded the All-Radiant Congress' military spacecraft leant forward on the silver railing of what was once the exclusive penthouse apartment of a Rhodes oligarch who'd never even left Sol, much less visited Radiant, the insulating material of his powder blue Space Patrol dress uniform between the cold railing and his elbows.

"You know," says a deep voice, coming from behind Mansur, the chatter of voices spilling out briefly into the night air, accompanying the baritone before a door shut, "I can't help but think about how easy a target your city would be, all lit up like that."

Mansur pulls up slightly, turning to face his visitor, the bright lights of the dining room behind him keeping his face in shadow, Gregory only able to make out a set of the faded green fatigues that most Sheolite officers insisted on wearing. One of the many Sheolite military officers who had come to Elysium to work out the details of the two planets' recently struck military alliance.

"Is that supposed to unnerve me, General Vesser?" says Mansur as the stocky Sheolite man steps up beside him, and also rests his arms on the silver guardrail, a knee coming to rest on the glass in between as the deputy commander of the SCMC settled in next to him.

"Nope, just a statement of fact," says the General, reaching into a jacket pocket and producing a box of what Mansur had come to learn were 'cigarettes'. William Vesser shakes the small white packet vaguely towards Mansur, "You smoke?"

Gregory holds up his hand, "No, thank you," there's a pause and a shrug as Vesser pulls out a book of matches, "Spacer," he feels compelled to add, pointing upward.

"Ah," says the Sheolite, bringing the now lit cigarette to his mouth and taking a puff. "Thought I'd enjoy being out here tonight. You seem quieter than the alternative." He takes the cigarette out his mouth and turns to jab the thing towards the inside of the building behind them.

Mansur turns to follow Vesser's gaze, to the inside of the former penthouse where a collection of two dozen military officers from Rousseau's squadron, Radiant, and Elysium were crowded around a long dining table, watching Captain Stephanie Rousseau and Maria's Chief of Staff Erina Kozlova heatedly locked into whatever the intersection of a polite debate and a screaming match was; the petit blond Kozlova gesturing rudely and shaking her head at something that the much taller red-head Rousseau had just finished saying.

"Hell of a way to run a courtship."

"Sorry?"

"Nevermind."

Vesser shrugs and the two military men settle into the silence, both looking out across the cityscape, studying the lights of the city, Mansur again enjoying the way the lights of Persephone had been merged with a variety of light sculptures and even poetry ever so briefly scribed into the air by a combination of airborne particles and lasers.

"You know," begins Mansur. Vesser tilts his head, inquisitive, finishing off his cigarette, "if you go down to that new central park they just built and stand right in the middle," Mansur nods towards a dark spot in the distance where few lights were evident, "all these lights combine into a tableau that displays the story of the March Days. They set it up for the independence celebrations a few months back. Heard it took them months to get people to agree to move their windows around to get the lighting right."

There's an angry grunt as Vesser throws his cigarette leavings to the wooden deck and smothers them with the toe of his boot, "God, but that makes me angry."

"It's not entirely rational, but most of my people live in communal barracks while yours have time to worry about the placement of your windows. No offence, but you people are so infuriatingly trivial."

Mansur gives a snort, "None taken. We are; I just choose to see that as something beautiful, Elysians like to take our time to make sure that everything looks Just Right."

Another cigarette comes out and flares up in Vesser's hands, "I hope that attention to detail transfers to killing c'rats. Because you're going to need to be putting some kind of effort in when they come back."

"I gue-"

An alert flashes across Gregory's contacts, "Oh, fuck," he says as he straightens up, neck craning back to study the black sky above. His experienced spacer's eyes following the tracks of incoming shuttles, looking for a group of moving stars.

"What are we looking at?"

Mansur points up at a constellation of six dots closing in from the east, towards Persephone's main spaceport, "That's them, the first load of people off of New York, Stalingrad and Ain Jalut."

"Good riddance, you're welcome to them."

Mansur grunted noncommittally.

-

Journal of M Chakrabarti, Congressional Delegate
August 14th, Heavy rain and wind

It feels like decades have passed since we initiated Operation Michmas.

Our revolution is out in the open, we are no longer the sole inhabited system in revolt, and already the first of three million former Ares immigrants are touching down across the planet.

Then at the same time comes another hundred million tasks from building a military to becoming technologically self-sufficient.

Even now a sense of urgency is beginning to overtake the populace as the immanent return of the Charters begins to sink in across every place a citizen of the ARC lives. We are going to war.

I feel like a man who, having tripped on his way down a hill, must now run faster and faster just to stay on his feet.

Universe willing, there's no slick grass ahead of us.

-

IMPORTANT

Quick note on E(nergy) after a quick discussion with @amourous intent, we've decided to turn E into a capacity value that you need to stay under.

Before it was a stockpiled value. Cash but for watts generated by solar panels or whatever that you stored in your safety deposit box. Now being aware that that's not how electricity works, I've changed how E works, which also has the virtue of distinguishing the resources further.

Now E represents draw from your "Energy Capacity", and instead of spending from a stockpile of energy units, you need to simply not spend more than your Free Capacity each turn.

You can spend over your Free Capacity, up to your total Energy Generation, but it'll result in brownouts and power rationing which will slowly eat into your Trust, give random dice maluses, and generally upset people as you're eating into the baseline draw usually reserved for your population's general use for daily life and industrial process.

-

Current Approximate Population: 255,000,000 (Approximate)

Trust: 80 (The populace is ecstatic, population growth bonus)

BR Stockpiles: 47
SR Stockpiles: 67

Energy Generation: 46
Current Baseline Draw : 20
Free Capacity: 26

Total:

(E usage is a little jank as we adjust the spreadsheet formula)
Radiant:

Gaid:

Head of Diplomatic Corps

Name: Amanda Redcrest, Victoria Blackwell, and Kayla Hayashi

DoB: "2222", 2219, 2227, 2224

Current Position: Influential media figure and figurehead of Social Committee propaganda

Not a traditional diplomat, or a traditional individual 'Veronica Stardust' is the persona of a trio of XP broadcasters who have been working together since 2246 and has consistently been one of the most recognized figures across Charter space and is a local Elysian celebrity.

In Charter space those individuals who choose to make money by recording their lived experiences, of all kinds, for later playback are treated with an indulgent disdain by the polite classes as a mix of internet celebrity and sex worker despite the practice of selling XP experiences being common in the poorer segments of society and a smaller portion of the professional middle class attempting to stay afloat in a tight gig economy.

Amanda Redcrest was a former media programmer whose attempts to supplement her income with XP work backfired and saw her fired from her job. Contrarily, Kayla and Victoria both come from lower class backgrounds, though Kayla's attempts to climb into the middle class by earning a marketing degree were frustrated when her lower class status markers and financing of education via XP work saw her frozen out of the job market.

A former collaborator of Kayla's, Victoria had been a rising XP star in her own right and had no desire to change her station, but as her brief celebrity began to fade Victoria approached Kayla to propose the creation of a dedicated broadcasting persona that both would act as. Later bringing on Redcrest, who they'd both done crossover XP work with, to do technical work, the trio used carefully gathered market data and some intuition to create the "Veronica Stardust" persona of an middlingly-intelligent and freewheeling persona who played to the upper class's picture of what depravities and indignities the poorer class must get up to in their spare time.

From 2246 to 2251 the Veronica Stardust persona (performed by all three at various times, though primarily Victoria) produced experience recordings that were nearly always in the top 10 best sellers across Charter space.

Though they enjoyed the wealth that they brought in, the trio increasingly chafed at the market driven limitations of Veronica, and were considering a number of possibly catastrophic brand shifts when the March Days broke out and all three participated in street actions in a private capacity after sending one last broadcast as 'Veronica' to encourage revolt.

Since the formation of the Social Committee the figure of Veronica has been rebranded to serve as the figurehead of Social Committee Propaganda and several major initiatives have been launched with her at the forefront including a highly successful part of the anti-overproduction initiatives.

As part of the now-completed campaign to maintain the charade that Radiant was still under Charter control, Veronica Stardust continued to sell broadcasts to HI media chains, though the trio could not help but begin a brand shift towards a far more intelligent and radical persona.

Pros: XP Celebrity, influential, well known, inspiring to the middle and lower classes

Cons: XP celebrity, little diplomatic experience, three people

Diplomatic Goals: Defeat the Charters in the field of public opinion, push social revolution and freedom of information and communication, cause public opinion to oppose attacking Radiant

Defence Coordinator:

Name: Maria Awhina
DoB: 2165
Current Position: Military Committee Delegate from the Radiant Veterans Guild

Born into poverty on Earth as the twenty-second century began to wane, young 22-year old Maria Awhina caught up in radical anti-Charter politics during the third black summer of 2187 and was convicted of property destruction during the rioting and sentenced to serve as a contractor to Hermes-Ishtar until her contract was paid off.

The stark choice of starvation or service to Hermes-Ishtar caused Maria to descend into self-destructive behavior where for twenty years Ms. Awhina continuously volunteered for the highest paid and most dangerous positions that Hermes-Ishtar had available.

Hermes-Ishtar considers Special Operations Lieutenant Awhina to have served with distinction throughout the heavy skirmishing of that era, though Maria herself continues to carry guilt for her service and her survival.

After performing exceptionally well in a hostage rescue operation Awhina was transferred to the Protective Detail Division of Hermes-Ishtar Security, and was eventually assigned to serve as the head of the Radiant Vice President's protective detail.

Over the next four decades she came to see the world as her home, and while her professionalism never wavered, her loyalty to the company who still owned her contract did.

This March, Maria had the option to gun down her fellow planetary headquarters workers to secure Yang's escape, or to finally return to roots in anti-Charter agitation. The fact that we are all here today shows what choice she made.

Pros:
-Actual Combat Veteran, knows Radiant inside and out, special operations expert, professional.

Cons:
-only academic knowledge of starship operations, logistics, organization command and strategic operations.

Command Traits:
-Objective oriented, unflappable, aggressive, prefers attacks and operations to come from unexpected angles.

Scutum, Targe, Buckler: Space Patrol Corvettes

Three old corvettes used by the Space Patrol for heavy-duty asteroids and some light mining work when not diverting dangerous objects. Their weapons haven't been used seriously in decades, if ever, but they seem in good order.

Liberte, Egalite: Corvettes (Converted Couriers)

A set of hastily-converted couriers armed with a light PD laser and a mass driver salvaged from smaller Space Patrol boats. Fast, but fragile and without much firepower. These were never meant for squaring up against purpose-built warships, and no amount of jury-rigging can really change that.

Switchblade Wing: Several squadrons of aerospace fighters

Several squadrons of general-purpose Switchblade-class fighters, used for general purpose aerospace patrols. Jack of all trades, master of none.

Radiant Customs Squadron: Squadron of boarding craft with marine contingents

Once used to check cargo ships for illicit goods, this small squadron of Arabia-class assault shuttles, and most of its complement of marines, came over to the revolution's side early on. Arabia-class shuttles are capable of both space- and land-based assaults, including boarding actions. They lack everything except light PD lasers and miniguns, though, and are sitting ducks against fighters.

Choreographer: Crippled Light Carrier

(Formerly the Ishtar's Arrow): At Elysium for R&R, the fighting over this light carrier turned violent unlike most other places in Radiant. It had been written off in the initial chaos, but careful investigation has found that some of its critical damage was in fact a clever fake, projected by the ship's own systems on the command of an officer now dead or in confinement.

-

A Formal Alliance With Shei Central Military Command

Pausing only briefly to enjoy the raucous celebrations rippling across Sheol, Ambassador Stardust conducted negotiations on our behalf with the Central Military Command.

With the good will engendered by our willingness to relocate several million ex-Ares personnel, the Ambassador was able to strike up both a formal military alliance, along with provision for freedom of movement and freedom of information between the All-Radiant Congress and Shei.

The terms of the military alliance find the CMC turning over all spaceborn military infrastructure inherited from Ares over to the Space Patrol, as well as guarantees by Sheol's various regional commands to put their individual military formations at our disposal in military emergencies.

With most of our spacelift tied up in the Shei Redeployment Program, the freedom of movement provisions are currently mostly provisional, but Stardust is excited about the possibilities opened up by having in writing that there would be no borders to both persons and ideas between our two systems.

The only remaining issue on the table has been returned to us to ratification as it ties directly into our deliberative bodies. Namely, Stardust has been working on a proposal to additionally open up the Industrial Committee of the All-Radiant Congress to representatives from Shei. While specifically not members of the General Congress, the Sheolites envision sending their own people to coordinate industrial policy and vote on projects.

[ ] [ALLY] Joint Industrial Policy

Gain access to resources and industrial capacity in the Shei system, as well as projects on Sheol itself, but one IndComm dice each turn will fall under Sheolite NPC control for as long as this deal lasts.

[ ] [ALLY] Separate Industrial Policy

No mechanical change to our dice, but do not gain access to Shei system's worlds, manufacturing, or resources.

If we do choose to accept the offer of Sheolite industrial cooperation, the next point of contention will be who, exactly, from Shei we allow to join the IndComm. While Stardust believes that she can make the SCMC acquiesce to any of the following options, she has no guarantees about her negotiating partners being happy about it:

[ ] [WHO?] Accept Delegates directly with the Supreme Central Military Command

Simply allow the SCMC to send whoever they think is appropriate to join IndComm. Pleases the SCMC, as we do not appear to be meddling with Sheol's internal politics.

[ ] [WHO?] Accept Delegates from whoever comes to Elysium

We accept delegates who can directly claim to be directly representing interests on Sheol, in practice this will be a lot of industrial sectors and local governments sending representatives. Will annoy the SCMC but still does not appear to be directly interfering with internal Sheol dynamics,

[ ] [WHO?] Accept only elected delegates representing stakeholder groups

We simply insist that the Sheolite delegates adhere to the same democratic standards that we hold all our other delegates to. Will anger the SCMC and appears to be an attempt to directly influence Sheol's internal dynamics

The effects of this vote will only take effect next turn

-

Shei Redeployment Program:

Having decided to simply cut the Gordian's knot and resettle the ex-Ares personnel from Sheol to Elysium.

Right now the Elysian population is willing to see where this goes and the bulk of the ex-Ares people are fine with moving to the literal vacation planet and getting free stuff, and the Sheol Supreme Central Military Command is pleased with our progress, meaning that as of August 2252 there are no developing social or diplomatic issues

In order to ensure that this massive wave of immigration is able to be peacefully integrated into Elysium's existing population without creating issues, you will need to contribute to the overall project's progress target by putting dice into a number of different projects whose roll results will be added directly into the below tag. Some narrative events or other projects will serendipitously add progress as a byproduct of their completion.

Between the six troop ships that Rousseau took intact, eight warp capable former Hermes-Ishtar passenger liners, and dozens of non-warp cruise ships, each quarter approximately 400,000-600,000 ex-Ares people will be arriving on Elysium looking to integrate with the local population.

If you are unable to keep the project percentage above the immigration percentage, the incoming population and the project tag, social issues will develop that may have long term consequences.

Classically, mass numbers of unpaid troops with nothing to do and no prospects ends badly for governments. Good luck!

Program Progress: 000/150, 0%
Immigration Progress: 0/3,000,000, 0%

Project Results: Add a dice into MilComm, gain a dice bonus. Sheol pleased

-

MEETING OF THE GENERAL CONGRESS

(For the following plan, each project requires a die to be assigned. Each dice is a d20 plus the category bonus that will be rolled to progress on the project. Some projects will require certain resources to complete, please make sure those are on hand. Some projects complete automatically. Excess progress may be shifted to other projects in that section. Please vote by plan by picking a FOCUS and then assigning dice to projects. Project costs are Per Die)

Pick one option, thanks to focus being put in that category, it gains one extra dice to spend this turn, and will open up more options in that category next turn:

[ ] [FOCUS] Industry Committee
[ ] [FOCUS] Military Committee
[ ] [FOCUS] Science Committee
[ ] [FOCUS] Social Committee
[ ] [FOCUS] Media Committee

-

INDUSTRY COMMITTEE (Two Dice)

"If we are to survive we need a firm foundation."

-Asphodel Environmental Commission: +5 to dice rolls involving Radiant system spaceborn construction
-Orbital Industrial Workers Union: +2 to dice rolls on industrial rolls

Project: Begin Mining operations for BR

The Industrial Committee has presented plans to begin basic resource extraction in both Radiant and Gaid, and though we have little practical and institutional experience at doing so, the Committee is confident in the ability of our workers.

[ ] [IndComm] Begin BR mining operations on Radiant-2 (Quality-7)
[ ] [IndComm] Begin BR mining operations on Gaid A-1 (Quality-10)
[ ] [IndComm] Begin BR mining operations in Gaid Asteroid Belt (Quality 1)
[ ] [IndComm] Begin BR mining operations on Gaid B-2 (Quality 10)
[ ] [IndComm] Begin BR mining operations on Gaid B-3a (Quality 7)
[ ] [IndComm] Begin BR mining operations on Gaid B-3a (Quality 8)

Dice Bonus: +2(7)

Project Completion: Automatic

Cost Per Die: 10 BR

Projected Result: Increase BR Production Infrastructure to Level 1 on selected planet

-

Project: Expand BR production

The Industrial Committee has presented plans to expand our existing BR mining facilities. As we now have some practical and institutional experience with doing so, the Committee believes in the ability of our workers to complete these projects on time and on materials budget.

[ ] [IndComm] Expand BR mining operations on Radiant-1 to level 2 (Quality-7)
[ ] [IndComm] Expand BR mining operations on Gaid B-1 to level 2 (Quality 15)
[ ] [IndComm] Expand BR mining operations on Gaid B-4 to level 2 (Quality 12)
[ ] [IndComm] Expand BR mining operations on Gaid B-7 to level 2 (Quality 14)

Dice Bonus: +2(7)

Project Progress: Automatic

Cost Per Dice: 40BR

Projected Result: Increase BR Production Infrastructure to Level 2 on selected planet

-

Project: Begin Production operations for SR

The Industrial Committee has presented plans to begin special resource extraction, synthesis, and processing in Gaid. As we have some practical and institutional experience at doing so, the Committee is confident in the ability of our workers to complete these projects on time and on materials budget.

[ ] [IndComm] Begin SR mining operations on Gaid A-2 (Quality 7)
[ ] [IndComm] Begin SR mining operations on Gaid A-4 (Quality 5)

Dice Bonus: +2(7)

Project Completion: Automatic

Cost Per Die: 10 BR

Projected Result: Increase SR Production Infrastructure to Level 1 on selected planet

-

Project: Expand SR Production on Asphodel

Now that you have platforms for SR manufacture and extraction in place, it's time to expand their production capacity. As we have some practical and institutional experience at doing so, the Committee is confident in the ability of our workers to complete these projects on time and on materials budget.

[ ] [IndComm] Expand SR production on Asphodel to level 4

Dice Bonus: +7

Project Progress: Automatic

Cost per die: 100 BR

Projected Result: Increase Production Infrastructure to Level 4

-

Project: Begin Energy Collection Operations.

The Industrial Committee has presented plans to expand our energy collection facilities. As we have some practical and institutional experience with doing so, the Committee is confident in the ability of our workers to complete these projects on time and on materials budget.

[ ] [IndComm] Begin Energy Collection Operations on Gaid B-5 (Quality 3)

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Completion: Automatic

Cost Per Die: 10 BR

Projected Result: Increase E Production Infrastructure to Level 1 on selected planet

-

Project: Expand Energy Collection Operations.

The Industrial Committee has presented plans to expand our existing energy collection facilities. As we have some practical and institutional experience with doing so, the Committee is confident in the ability of our workers to complete these projects on time and on materials budget.

[ ] [IndComm] Expand Energy Collection Operations on Gaid A-3
[ ] [IndComm] Expand Energy Collection Operations on Gaid A-4a
[ ] [IndComm] Expand Energy Collection Operations on Gaid B-6

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Completion: Automatic

Cost Per Die: 40 BR

Projected Result: Increase E Production Infrastructure to Level 2 on selected planet

-

[ ] [IndComm] Veteran's Colony Program

Some very bright people have let IndComm know that a historical solution to demobilization of troops was the founding of planned 'Veteran's Colonies,' where retired and demobilized soldiers would settle with their families.

The current proposal is to expand existing cities and resort communities with districts specially built to house incoming demobilized ex-Ares personnel from Sheol.

Instead of the dichotomy of piecemeal and haphazard city growth, or the resort communities planned to cater to the whims of their temporary guests (and not their permanent inhabitants) under Hermes-Ishtar, our people are excited to stretch their legs by building places for people to thrive.

Though some worries exist about soulless standardization, the project's architects plan to interview each incoming shipful of immigrants and gather data on what their ideal communities would look like, then build it before the ship arrives.

If this project is successful, our urban planners believe that it could be a template for a rebuilding of Elysian and Sheolite communities.

Project Progress: Automatic

Dice Bonus: +2

Cost Per Dice: 5BR, 3E

Projected Results: Add roll to Shei Redeployment Program Progress.

-

[ ] [IndComm] Organize Planning Assistance Commission

With Sheol looking at making a leap of over two and a half centuries, the main thing they need after the initial fabricators is assistance with planning out their new infrastructure.

While they are capable of completing the project on their own, they will inevitably stumble into dead ends and inefficiencies though sheer inexperience, never mind lacking the high end computer equipment it really takes to run a modern economy

Project Progress: 0/15

Dice Bonus: +2

Cost Per Dice: 5BR, 3E

Projected Results: Increases speed of Sheolite modernization, may be seen as interference in internal Sheolite affairs

-

[ ] [IndComm] Expand E Production on Elysium

While Radiant currently possess more than sufficient power generation, the Industrial Committee believes that we could easily increase generation by building many more of the tidal generators that use the high tides caused by the Elysium/Asphodel binary system along with simple renewable resources such as wind and solar power and fusion reactors as baseline power.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: Automatic

Cost per die: 100 BR

Projected Result: Increase Production Infrastructure to Level 4 on Elysium

-

[ ] [IndComm] Smallcraft Yards

Unlike frigates or capital and assault ships, smallcraft are comparatively simple, and don't have built-in warp drives. While this means they're strictly limited to local defense, they're also cheap, fast to build, and can be ferried by tow or cargo ship to other locations if needed.

Using sections of the blueprints from the Ares corvette yards, your engineers think they can kitbash a few sections into a generalist yard plan then construct it. It won't be efficient, or fast, but it'll be able to pump out any type of smallcraft that fits its dimensions-- fighters, bombers, interceptors, or assault shuttles. Even cargo shuttles, though you have plenty of those at the moment.

They brush off the fact you don't have anyone extra trained to fly them. They'll come, in time.

Dice Bonus: +7

Project Progress: 0/30

Cost per die: 5 BR, 5 SR, 3E

Projected Results: Gain a basic smallcraft yard.

-

[ ] [IndComm] Build network infrastructure across Sheol

During the long years of war between the now-freed Sheolites and Ares, permanent fixed infrastructure was a tricky business; they needed to build enough to survive, but not too much to draw attention by Ares' eyes in the sky.

While the Sheolites have long used intricate webs of communications links, they were mostly made from copper wiring and obsolete fiber optic variants. And even then, the bulk of their communications bandwidth was reserved for military use and their civilian infrastructure is primitive at best.

While the Sheolites have access to cracked HI prints that can manufacture high end data infrastructure, they have nearly no experience with planning and installing any sort of non-military network.

IndComm is prepared to volunteer our time and expertise into planning out and laying the backbone of Sheol's future communications connections and leave them with an internet capacity second to none.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 0/20

Cost per die: 5 SR, 9E

Projected Results: Rapidly improves rate of Sheolite modernization, improves relations, enables population to population communications between Elysium and Sheol

-

[ ] [IndComm] Expand BLG with household nanofabricators

Many of the distribution issues with the BLG can be solved by repurposing fabbers for household use. They can even print food-- though it's not exactly what anyone would call fresh. Nevertheless, as long as the planetside infrastructure is up, you've solved the issue with the BLG.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 1/40

Cost per die: 5BR, 5SR, On completion permanent +2BR, +2E upkeep per 50 million citizens

Projected Results: +5 Trust, Raise Trust Floor by 5, Improve General Congress Focus Vote

-

[ ] [IndComm] Monuments to Independence

You know what free people are free to do? To use their resources on pointless, wasteful, and profitless extravagances like majestic monuments to our freedom.

With a year passed since the March Days evicted Hermes-Ishtar from Radiant, there are calls for us to immortalize that victory in literal stone.

Let's make it an event for everyone, to let the universe know, for all time, that we did something worth celebrating!

Project Progress: 0/10

Dice Bonus: +2

Cost Per Dice: 3BR, 1SR, 1E

Projected Results: +5 Trust Bonus

-

Project: Fortify Korolev-Chandraehskar gates

The Charters are coming. You don't know when they'll arrive, but they'll come, and they'll be mad. Unless you do something about that. And one of the most effective measures of self defence is putting up fixed defences around your KC gates.

Until now you haven't expanded the barebones defences that Hermes-Ishatar and Ares set up around your local gates. With the cat now out of the bag, there's nothing stopping you from filling that space with fire and steel.

[ ] [IndComm] Fortify the Radiant-Akleod Gate
[ ] [IndComm] Fortify the Radiant-Xotreh Gate
[ ] [IndComm] Fortify the Radiant-Bestreer Gate
[ ] [IndComm] Fortify the Radiant-Gaid Gate
[ ] [IndComm] Fortify the Radiant-Fliveons Gate
[ ] [IndComm] Fortify the Radiant-Shei Gate
[ ] [IndComm] Fortify the Shei-Osliem Gate
[ ] [IndComm] Fortify the Gaid-Thoa Gate

Dice Bonus: +7

Project Completion: Automatic

Cost Per Die: 5 BR, 5SR, 3E

Projected Result: Build your defences at that gate enough to bloody a small attacking force

MILITARY COMMITTEE (One Die)

"It almost feels unreal to be getting people involved that actually have a fucking clue about what we're doing!"

-Courier Crewperson Community: +5 to dice on military rolls for smaller warship fabrication
-All-Radiant Congressional Defence Committee: +2 to dice on Military Rolls.
-Defence Coordinator's Maria Awhine: +2 to Commando and small unit operation rolls

[ ] [MilComm] Integrate Rousseau's 'Rousseau's Errant Squadron' into the Radiant Space Patrol

While the status of most of the permanent military fortifications and equipment inside Shei is up in the air, the spacecraft under Rousseau's command are currently agreed to belong to their own crews. If only because no one has the firepower to tell them 'No.'

Though Rousseau's attention is currently focused on assisting the mass emmigration to Elysium, she has expressed interest in placing herself directly in the All-Radiant Congress' chain of command as long as she retains command of the Errant Squadron and the crews are not broken up.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 0/20

Cost for Project: 2BR, 2E

Projected Results: Add RES Shieldmaiden, RES Actium, RES Midway, and RES Lake Champlain to the Space Patrol's order of battle

-

[ ] [MilComm] Recruit ex-Ares personnel directly into existing units

While many of those immigrating to Elysium from Shei are perfectly fine with turning swords into plowshares and integrating into civilian life, each is also the product of hundreds of thousands of SolCoins of training and experience. Experience that could be directly added to our own military.

Reach out to these people and see if they are willing to serve once again, this time in their own defence.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Cost: 00/20

Cost for Project: 2BR

Projected Results: +1 to All-Radiant Congressional Defence Committee bonus. Completion contributes 20 progress to Shei Redeployment Program.

-

[ ] [MilComm] Acquire a civilian liner for conversion to an auxiliary cruiser

Without the need to avoid questions like "Hey, why does that passenger liner have gunports?" MilComm has begun plans to arm some of the warp-capable passenger liners that we inherited from various Hermes-Ishtar travel lines into auxiliary cruisers.

While they'll be nowhere as effective as a purpose built warship, they'll be a hell of a lot more effective than nothing

While MilComm has already begun negotiations to acquire two of the passenger liners from their crews, they've also requested that the General Congress negotiate with the crews of the liners we're using to relocate the ex-Ares personnel from Sheol to Elysium to convert their ship to military use.

Doing so will reduce the immigration rate by approximately 15,000 people a quarter and will ever so slightly increase tensions with Sheol and the ex-Ares people due to slowing down the Sheol-Elysium transfer rates.

On the other hand, free warship!

(Can be taken until you're out of liners)

Dice Bonus: +7

Project Completion: Automatic

Cost Per Die: 5SR, 3E

Projected Result: Gain a warp capable auxiliary cruiser

-

Project: Fortify your Korolev-Chandraehskar gates

The Charters are coming. You don't know when they'll arrive, but they'll come, and they'll bring death and fire. Unless you do something about that. And one of the most effective measures of self defence is putting up fixed defences around your KC gates.

Until now you haven't expanded the barebones defences that Hermes-Ishatar and Ares set up around your local gates. With the cat now out of the bag, there's nothing stopping you from filling that space with fire and steel.

[ ] [MilComm] Fortify the Radiant-Akleod Gate
[ ] [MilComm] Fortify the Radiant-Xotreh Gate
[ ] [MilComm] Fortify the Radiant-Bestreer Gate
[ ] [MilComm] Fortify the Radiant-Gaid Gate
[ ] [MilComm] Fortify the Radiant-Fliveons Gate
[ ] [MilComm] Fortify the Radiant-Shei Gate
[ ] [MilComm] Fortify the Shei-Osliem Gate
[ ] [MilComm] Fortify the Gaid-Thoa Gate

Dice Bonus: +7

Project Completion: Automatic

Cost Per Die: 5 BR, 5SR, 3E

Projected Result: Build your defences at that gate enough to bloody a small attacking force

-

[ ] [MilComm] Begin Corvette Construction at Orbital Yard 1

Dice Bonus: +7

Project Cost: ?/2 quarters of production

Cost for Project: 20BR, 15SR, 6E

Projected Results: Launch a Buckler-class corvette

-

[ ] [MilComm] Begin Corvette Construction at Orbital Yard 2

Dice Bonus: +7

Project Cost: ?/2 quarters of production

Cost for Project: 20BR, 15SR, 6E

Projected Results: Launch a Buckler-class corvette

-

[ ] [MilComm] Repair Choreographer

With Choreographer now fully assessed, our shipyard workers are brainstorming ways to fabricate or replace military grade parts while our computers teams plan how to either replace or bypass most of her operating systems and firmware to get this light carrier operational.

While this project would be an ugly, graceless kludge, completing repairs would add an entire Light Carrier, a type of vessel we have no ability to build indigenously, to our arsenal and expand our military capabilities by leaps and bounds.

If taken the same turn as [MilComm] Take control of Thoa, Choreographer will be available for the main operation.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: Automatic

Cost per die: 30BR, 20SR, and 6 E

Projected Results: Choreographer and attendant corvettes become fully combat capable

-

[ ] [MilComm] Scrap Choreographer

An alliance of Military Committee members have collaborated with Industrial Committee delegates to propose the scrapping of Choreographer. Pointing out that we lack the sort of dedicated logistics tail and fabrication facilities that a military vessel of Choreographer's size and complexity requires, they contend that we could get the most out of scrapping the vessel and using those resources elsewhere in our economy.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: Automatic

Cost per die: N/A.

Projected Results: Gain BR and SR based on dice roll. Even on a one you will gain the repair cost of 30BR, and 20SR.

-

[ ] [MilComm] Convert Choreographer into a corvette shipyard

A minority faction on the Military Committee has put forward an intricate plan to convert Choreographer's hull into a corvette shipyard, and the worker's delegates from our current shipyards admit that the task is theoretically possible.

Dice Bonus: +7

Project Progress: 0/20

Cost per die: 5E

Projected Results: Gain a corvette shipyard

-

[ ] [MilComm] Take control of Thoa

Ugly Duckling simply isn't built for combat against anything with more than jury-rigged weapons. Against one of your three corvettes and your pair of converted couriers, it would have no choice but to surrender or be destroyed.If you're lucky, nobody would notice.

On the other hand, others argue that this is an overextension and emphasize the 'if' and 'lucky' parts of the proponent's plan.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: Automatic

Cost per Die: 9 E

Projected Results. Take control of Thoa. Depending on roll, Ugly Duckling may surrender or be destroyed, and your actions noticed or kept covert.

-

[ ] [MilComm] Permanent Special Forces Training Division

While the Military Committee has been relying on our Defence Coordinator's personal special forces experience to plan and execute operations, some delegates' fear relying on a single point of failure.

By setting up a Permanent Special Forces Training Division, we would institutionalize Awhine's knowledge within the Military Committee and provide a pool of experienced special forces operatives that can be drawn from to conduct training or operations.

Dice Bonus: +4

Project Progress: 0/30

Cost Per Die: 2BR, 1SR

Projected Results: Makes Awhine's personal bonus permanent and gains +1, permanent +1E cost

Proposed By: Delegate @Gladsome praetorian on Discord

SCIENCE COMMITTEE (One die)

"The primitive state of Sheol's infrastructure, equivalent to the 2020s, makes me unreasonably angry, Ares might as well have forced them to start banging rocks together!"

-Elysium Free Physicists Alliance: +5 to Dice rolls involving experimental physics projects
-Professional Union of Laboratory Technicians and Coders: +2 to dice rolls on Science Rolls

[ ] [SciComm] Assist with Prototype Wormhole research -FTL Communications

Developing on the already established laboratory work conducted on Elysium, it may be possible to create a prototype for a fixed location interstellar communications device. Once we have the prototype in hand, we can begin iterating on this technology. It is expected that this project will require moderate amounts of SR and E to see to completion.

Dice Bonus: +7

Project Progress: ???/???

Cost per die: 10SR and 5E

Projected Result: Unlocks Wormhole Communications Prototype

-

[ ] [SciComm] Assist with Prototype Wormhole research -Personal Wormhole

Developing on the already established laboratory work conducted on Elysium, it may be possible to create a fixed location interstellar travel device large enough for a single individual to travel through. Once we have the prototype in hand, we can begin iterating on this technology. It is likely that this project will require large amounts of SR and E to see to completion.

Dice Bonus: +7

Project Progress: ???/???

Cost per die: 10SR and 5E

Projected Result: Unlocks Personal Wormhole Prototype

-

[ ] [SciComm] Bypass Charter Fabricator Rights Management for Ares

Building on our success with unlocking and analyzing HI blueprints, we should be able to make rapid progress stripping the anti-consumer protections built into Ares' extensive catalogue of blueprints. Without having access to the private keys for the blueprints, we will first have to crack the DRM protection, but the tools we've built up will streamline this process significantly.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: Autopass

Cost per die: 3SR and 3E

Projected Result: Unlock Ares 'prints for consumer Ares products, including smallarms and non-combat vehicles

-

[ ] [SciComm] Crack Advanced Cernunnos Fabricator Rights Management 'prints

Building on our success with unlocking and analyzing Cernunnos blueprints, we should be able make rapid progress stripping anti-consumer protections built into Cernunnos' more exclusive catalogue of blueprints. Without having access to the private keys for the blueprints, we will first have to crack the DRM protection, but the tools we've built up will streamline this process significantly.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 08/30

Cost per die: 3SR and 3E

Projected Result: Unlock Cernnunos consumer grade 'prints

-

[ ] [SciComm] Bypass Charter Fabricator Rights Management for MSI

Building on our success with unlocking and analyzing HI blueprints, we should be able make rapid progress stripping anti-consumer protections built into MSI's extensive catalogue of blueprints. Without having access to the private keys for the blueprints, we will first have to crack the DRM protection, but the tools we've built up will streamline this process significantly.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 03/20

Cost per die: 3SR and 3E

Projected Result: Unlock Mississippi Shipping Interstellar consumer grade 'prints

-

[ ] [SciComm] Bypass Charter Fabricator Rights Management for Rhodes

Building on our success with unlocking and analyzing HI blueprints, we should be able make rapid progress stripping anti-consumer protections built into Rhodes' extensive catalogue of blueprints. Without having access to the private keys for the blueprints, we will first have to crack the DRM protection, but the tools we've built up will streamline this process significantly.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 03/20

Cost per die: 3SR and 3E

Projected Result: Unlock Rhodes consumer grade 'prints

-

[ ] [SciComm] Bypass Charter Fabricator Rights Management for Omoikane

Building on our success with unlocking and analyzing HI blueprints, we should be able make rapid progress stripping anti-consumer protections built into Omoikane's extensive catalogue of blueprints. Without having access to the private keys for the blueprints, we will first have to crack the DRM protection, but the tools we've built up will streamline this process significantly.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 03/20

Cost per die: 3SR and 3E

Projected Result: Unlock Omoikane consumer grade 'prints

-

[ ] [SciComm] Crack advanced Hermes-Ishtar Fabricator Rights Management 'prints

Building on our success with unlocking and analyzing HI blueprints, we should be able make rapid progress stripping anti-consumer protections built into the blueprints whose keys were deleted by the Charter Loyalists. Without having access to the private keys for the blueprints, we will first have to crack the DRM protection, but the tools we've built up will streamline this process significantly.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 03/30

Cost per die: 3SR and 3E

Projected Result: Unlock HI advanced 'prints

-

[ ] [SciComm] Subvert Hermes-Ishtar Communications Network across Charter Space

Our hacking team believes they've found an exploit using the interaction of the emergency and priority broadcast systems within the H-I Buoy network that will allow them to insert media for gate transfer without requiring system keys. This means that, until technicians on-site reset their networks, we will have free reign to broadcast anything of our choosing for a few days, and resetting only purges the data-- not the vulnerability. The only way to get around this would be to completely rewrite the (century-old) firmware and all its legacy and compatibility coding for the buoys and manually reimage them, along with replacing the older variants-- and there's an awful lot of buoys out there. It would be a long time before H-I would be able to totally shut you out.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 0/45

Cost Per Dice: 5SR and 5E

Projected Results: Ability to send unjammable messages across Humanity's entire communications network at a time of our choosing for between several hours to several weeks per system. Once used, H-I will begin attempting to counter with their own project.

-

[ ] [SciComm] Document Charter Abuses, Radiant

They say that all happy families are alike, and all unhappy families are unhappy in their own unique way.

The same applies to the Charters and the systems they've controlled. Direct encounters have shown us that the tyranny of Hermes-Ishtar in Radiant and Ares in Shei have taken different forms and that they may be hard for others to understand.

A coalition of academics, social workers, and journalists are requesting the resources and public attention in order to create an organization dedicated to documenting for all time the excesses and evils of Charter misrule.

Naturally, the first stage will be a project to document Hermes-Ishtar's impact on Radiant before they were driven out in the March Days.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 11/25

Cost Per Die: 1BR and 2E

Project Results: Add a dice bonus to foreign relations, along with narrative advantages.

Proposed by: Delegate @clockworkchaos

-

[ ] [SciComm] Document Charter Abuses, Shei

They say that all happy families are alike, and all unhappy families are unhappy in their own unique ways.

The same applies to the Charters and the systems they've controlled. Direct encounters have shown us that the tyranny of Hermes-Ishtar in Radiant and Ares in Shei have taken different forms and that they may be hard for others to understand.

A coalition of academics, social workers, and journalists are requesting the resources and public attention in order to create an organization dedicated to documenting for all time the excesses and evils of Charter misrule.

Now that Shei is free from Ares control, we can begin the long and arduous project of documenting the astonishing array of abuses that unfolded not just on Sheol, but across the system.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 0/25

Cost Per Die: 1BR and 2E

Project Results: Add a dice bonus to foreign relations, along with narrative advantages.

SOCIAL COMMITTEE (Two Dice)

"You want us to plan to resettle HOW many people?"

-Congress of Caregivers and Physicians: +3 to all Social roll dice
-Ex-Marketing Division Gang: +5 to Propaganda rolls

[ ] [SocComm] Integration Initiatives

While building communities for the immigrants is all well and good, it's also important to ensure these towns don't become like the ancient Chinatowns or Little Italies of noir H-I settings. The committee wants to set up neighborhoods in existing cities, sister city programs, and community training and exchange programs to ensure a healthy flow of both people and culture between existing Radiant cities and new construction.

Dice Bonus: +3

Project Progress: 0/20

Cost per die: 2BR, 1E

Projected Results: Add roll to Shei Redeployment Program Progress, Permanent +1 E upkeep

-

[ ] [SocComm] Resident Embassies

To facilitate rapport between our systems, the committee has proposed that most major cities on both Sheol and Radiant receive small embassies or consulates, there for the purpose of aiding travel between systems, resolving cultural differences, and preempting any possible diplomatic issues.

Dice Bonus: +8

Project Progress: 0/30

Cost per die: 5 BR

Projected Results: Improve relations with the SCMC and the Sheolite population as a whole, +2E upkeep once completed

-

[ ] [SocComm] Expand BLG with household nanofabricators

Many of the distribution issues with the BLG can be solved by repurposing fabbers for household use. They can even print food-- though it's not exactly what anyone would call fresh. Nevertheless, as long as the planetside infrastructure is up, you've solved the issue with the BLG.

Dice Bonus: +3

Project Progress: 1/40

Cost per die: 5BR, 5SR, On completion permanent +2BR, +2E upkeep per 50 million citizens

Projected Results: +5 Trust, Raise Trust Floor by 5, Improve General Congress Focus Vote

-

[ ] [SocComm] Immortality Guarantee

Functional Immortality has been a practical reality for the wealthy since the mid 2020s, and has long been a leading cause of why workers will permanently indenture themselves into Charter service. With this program implemented no longer will our people have to work or die. By overwhelming popular demand, this program is paired with the full legalization of voluntary euthanasia.

Dice Bonus: +3

Program Progress: 7/50

Cost per die: N/A

Projected Result: When Project is Completed have a permanent upkeep cost of 5BR, 5SR, and 5E per 50 million citizens, a permanent propaganda dice bonus, raise the trust floor by +10, and get one free die.

-

[ ] [SocComm] Encourage Retraining

With the end of Charter jobs comes the loss of tens of millions of what can, if one were charitable, have been called "makework jobs". While these jobless people have full access to the essentials of life it seems to be an inevitable part of the human condition that we want to do something productive with our time. Joint programs between educators, local communities, unions, and industrial committee delegates can be formed to attempt to steer those idle hands towards jobs that bring them satisfaction and accomplishment.

Dice Bonus: +7

Project Difficulty: 1/40

Cost per die: 2E per 50 million citizens

Projected Results: Gain an extra die into one of either Indcomm, Milcom, or Scicomm

-

[ ] [SocComm] Document Charter Abuses, Radiant

They say that all happy families are alike, and all unhappy families are unhappy in their own unique ways.

The same applies to the Charters and the systems they've controlled. Direct encounters have shown us that the tyranny of Hermes-Ishtar in Radiant and Ares in Shei have taken different forms and that they may be hard for others to understand.

A coalition of academics, social workers, and journalists are requesting the resources and public attention in order to create an organization dedicated to documenting for all time the excesses and evils of Charter misrule.

Naturally, the first stage will be a project to document Hermes-Ishtar's impact on Radiant before they were driven out in the March Days.

Dice Bonus: +3

Project Progress: 11/25

Cost Per Die: 1BR and 2E

Project Results: Add a dice bonus to foreign relations, along with narrative advantages.

Proposed by: Delegate @clockworkchaos

-

[ ] [SocComm] Document Charter Abuses, Shei

They say that all happy families are alike, and all unhappy families are unhappy in their own unique ways.

The same applies to the Charters and the systems they've controlled. Direct encounters have shown us that the tyranny of Hermes-Ishtar in Radiant and Ares in Shei have taken different forms and that they may be hard for others to understand.

A coalition of academics, social workers, and journalists are requesting the resources and public attention in order to create an organization dedicated to documenting for all time the excesses and evils of Charter misrule.

Now that Shei is free from Ares control, we can begin the long and arduous project of documenting the astonishing array of abuses that unfolded not just on Sheol, but across the system.

Dice Bonus: +3

Project Progress: 0/25

Cost Per Die: 1BR and 2E

Project Results: Add a dice bonus to foreign relations, along with narrative advantages.

-

[ ] [SocComm] Monuments to Independence

You know what free people are free to do? To use their resources on pointless, wasteful, and profitless extravagances like majestic monuments to our freedom.

With a year passed since the March Days evicted Hermes-Ishtar from Radiant, there are calls for us to immortalize that victory in literal stone.

Let's make it an event for everyone, to let the universe know, for all time, that we did something worth celebrating!

Project Progress: 0/10

Dice Bonus: +7

Cost Per Dice: 3BR, 1SR, 1E

Projected Results: +5 Trust Bonus

MEDIA COMMITTEE (Two Dice)

"Oh god, oh fuck, it's showtime!"

-Creator's Forum: +2 to all media dice rolls
-TrophyCase Social Media Team +2 to external propaganda
-Market Segment Analysis Hobbyists' Club +5 Signals Intelligence
-Guild of Professional and Amateur Performers: +5 to Human Intelligence

[ ] [MedComm] Encourage Retraining

With the end of Charter comes the loss of tens of millions of what can, if one were charitable, have been called "makework jobs". While these jobless people have full access to the essentials of life it seems to be an inevitable part of the human condition that we want to do something productive with our time. Joint programs between educators, local communities, unions, and industrial committee delegates can be formed to attempt to steer those idle hands towards jobs that bring them satisfaction and accomplishment.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Difficulty: 1/40

Cost: 2E per 50 million citizens

Projected Results: Gain a dice in either Industry, Military, or Science

-

[ ] [MedComm] Document Charter Abuses, Radiant

They say that all happy families are alike, and all unhappy families are unhappy in their own unique way.

The same applies to the Charters and the systems they've controlled. Direct encounters have shown us that the tyranny of Hermes-Ishtar in Radiant and Ares in Shei have taken different forms and that they may be hard for others to understand.

A coalition of academics, social workers, and journalists are requesting the resources and public attention in order to create an organization dedicated to documenting for all time the excesses and evils of Charter misrule.

Naturally, the first stage will be a project to document Hermes-Ishtar's impact on Radiant before they were driven out in the March Days.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: 11/25

Cost Per Die: 1BR and 2E

Project Results: Add a dice bonus to foreign relations, along with narrative advantages.

Proposed by: Delegate @clockworkchaos

-

[ ] [MedComm] Document Charter Abuses, Shei

They say that all happy families are alike, and all unhappy families are unhappy in their own unique ways.

The same applies to the Charters and the systems they've controlled. Direct encounters have shown us that the tyranny of Hermes-Ishtar in Radiant and Ares in Shei have taken different forms and that they may be hard for others to understand.

A coalition of academics, social workers, and journalists are requesting the resources and public attention in order to create an organization dedicated to documenting for all time the excesses and evils of Charter misrule.

Now that Shei is free from Ares control, we can begin the long and arduous project of documenting the astonishing array of abuses that unfolded not just on Sheol, but across the system.

Dice Bonus: +4

Project Progress: 0/25

Cost Per Die: 1BR and 2E

Project Results: Add a dice bonus to foreign relations, along with narrative advantages.

-

[ ] [MedComm] Insert Assets into Xotreh

Currently controlled by Omoikane, Xotreh appears to be a system deliberately lost by the bureaucracy. With a population barely cresting 54,000 individuals, the bulk of the inhabitation is limited to seasteads on the icy ocean world of Xotreh B4a, unofficially known as "Sushi". By all indications, "Sushi" is being used by Omoikane to dump workers with poor records and incorrigible troublemakers. The Media Committee wants to insert a team into the system under the cover of regular commercial traffic. Once we have a tap into system communications and agents on the ground MedComm planners will begin to plan to encourage Xotrah to throw off Omoikane and join the Congress.

Dice Bonus: +12

Project Progress: 0/10

Cost per die: 1SR

Projected Results: Insert Assets into Xotreh, new projects on completion.

-

[ ] [MedComm] Insert Assets into Bestreer.

Officially owned by Cernunnos, Bestreer is barely inhabited, with only a gate maintenance team and a SAR station. The few hundred Cernunnos employees appear to have the same extremely relatable gripes and problems that all spacers relegated to backwater worlds have. The Media Committee wants to insert a team into the system under the cover of regular commercial traffic. Once we have a tap into system communications and agents on the ground MedComm planners will begin to plan to encourage Bestreer to throw off Cernunnos control and join the Congress.

Dice Bonus: +12

Project Progress: 0/10

Cost per die: 1SR

Projected Results: Insert Assets into Bestreer, new projects on completion.

-

[ ] [MedComm] Insert Assets into Fliveons.

One of the two other heavily inhabited systems in this region, Fliveons is home to over 15 million Rhodes workers. With over nine times Radiant's Basic Resource income alone, Fliveons is one the many Rhodes mining systems that feeds the great many-headed beast that is the Charters. Most of Fliveon's inhabitants live in spartan accommodations on the technically inhabitable Oyu Tolgoi (Fliveons 6b). The Media Committee wants to insert a team into the system under the cover of regular commercial traffic. Once we have a tap into system communications and agents on the ground MedComm planners will begin to plan to encourage Fliveons to throw off Rhodes control and join the Congress.

Dice Bonus: +12

Project Progress: 0/30

Cost per die: 1SR

Projected Results: Insert Assets into Fliveons, new projects on completion.

-

[ ] [MedComm] Insert Assets into Akleod

The last of Radiant's surrounding systems, Akleod is home to a Mississippi Interstellar transshipment hub. The just over 5000 inhabitants of Akleod are concentrated in an orbital station above Gnat's Ass (Akleod 2). It appears that the MSI Junior Executive in charge of Akleod is an utterly venal individual who had several under the table deals with Vice President Yang and other member's of Radiant's former rulership. The Media Committee wants to insert a team into the system under the cover of regular commercial traffic. Once we have a tap into system communications and agents on the ground MedComm planners will begin to plan to encourage Akleod to throw off MSI control and join the Congress.

Dice Bonus: +12

Project Progress: 0/10

Cost per die: 1SR

Projected Results: Insert Assets into Akleod, new projects on completion.

-

[ ] [MedComm] Insert Assets into Osliam

A rare system with a brown dwarf orbiting a G-type star (just barely in the limits of what's considered a single system rather than a binary), and with a Jovian planet orbiting that, and on top of that treasure trove a dual ice giant binary, Osliam presents a golden research opportunity, and was bid on by Omoikane despite its otherwise sparse resources and poor habitable prospects.

Our information on the system is scarce and we have little data on the six hundred and fifty or so thousand inhabitants of the system.

The Media Committee wants to insert a team into the system under the cover of regular commercial traffic. Once we have a tap into system communications and agents on the ground MedComm planners will begin to plan to encourage Osliam to throw off Omoikane control and join the Congress

Dice Bonus: +12

Project Progress: 0/25

Cost per die: 1SR

Projected Results: Insert Assets into Osliam, new projects on completion.

-

[ ] [MedComm] Insert Assets into Thoa

Thoa and Gaid both seem to have been nothing more than transit points to the far-more-valuable Radiant for Hermes-Ishtar, but Thoa holds what appears to be a small… anti-pirate base? Who's pirating ships in the ass-end of nowhere is anyone's guess, let alone how they're hiding or selling their goods for fuel, food, and parts, but Hermes-Ishtar was apparently serious enough about it to have a converted corvette on station. This abomination of a ship's been stripped of weapons, even its own PD, and instead holds launch bays for a mixed squadron of fighters and assault shuttles. The analysts have taken to calling it the Ugly Duckling.

All told, the Thoa system holds gates to 2 systems besides Gaid's. There's also an unimproved jump point simply labelled as "dangerous." Curious

The Media Committee wants to insert a team into the system under the cover of regular commercial traffic. Once we have a tap into system communications and agents on the ground MedComm planners will begin to plan to encourage Thoa to throw off HI control and join the Congress

Dice Bonus: +12

Project Progress: 0/35

Cost per die: 1SR

Projected Results: Insert Assets into Thoa, new projects on completion.

-

[ ] [MedComm] Reassess Media Committee Responsibilities

It's an unusual quirk, and one that is understandable considering Radiant's origins, but a lot of resources and responsibilities have been placed under the oversight of the Media Committee.

Everything from espionage, to communications, to foreign affairs, to social programs have fallen under the purview of the Media Committee, much to the consternation of other sections of the Congress who feel that those resources and responsibilities would be better allocated their way.

Completing this project will begin an attempt to shift one or more of the Media committee's responsibilities, and their attached resources, to a different committee.

Dice Bonus: 0

Project Progress: Automatic

Cost Per Die: N/A

Projected Results: Create a vote to shift resources and responsibilities to other committees

-

Project: Dispatch Diplomats

While our Diplomatic Corps is still in its infancy that doesn't mean that we can't begin making open contact with our neighbours. Opening contact, will open up new possibilities for dealing with neighbouring systems and the Charters they represent. Though a more comprehensive ability to engage in diplomacy can only begin once a Diplomatic Corps head has been elected.

[ ] [MedComm] Open relations with Osliam
[ ] [MedComm] Open relations with Fliveons
[ ] [MedComm] Open relations with Bestreer
[ ] [MedComm] Open relations with Xotreh
[ ] [MedComm] Open relations with Akleod

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Progress: Automatic

Cost per die: 2E

Projected Results: Opens up options for diplomacy, trade, and avoiding hostility with individual Charters.

AKuz · Jan 16, 2021

Quick note: If you have another submission for the flag vote, please have it in before this vote ends!

Thank you very much!

>: )

The Laurent · Jan 16, 2021

I think there's a plan for taking the Choreographer that might *just barely* keep us within our Energy Limit. We can probably afford to lose a bit of the Trust, but I'd rather see what getting to 85 does.

Derpmind · Jan 17, 2021

AKuz said:
If you are unable to keep the project percentage above the immigration percentage, the incoming population and the project tag, social issues will develop that may have long term consequences.

We need to roll 20 to 30 progress, per turn, for six turns straight or we'll face penalties for falling behind on the immigration. It's going to be very costly in dice to keep it up. It's going to be majorly important to put enough dice on immigration projects to mitigate the chances of rolling badly and falling behind, thus needing more dice the next turn to catch back up.

Sara · Jan 17, 2021

[ ] [IndComm] Veteran's Colony Program

Some very bright people have let IndComm know that a historical solution to demobilization of troops was the founding of planned 'Veteran's Colonies,' where retired and demobilized soldiers would settle with their families.

The current proposal is to expand existing cities and resort communities with districts specially built to house incoming demobilized ex-Ares personnel from Sheol.

Instead of the dichotomy of piecemeal and haphazard city growth, or the resort communities planned to cater to the whims of their temporary guests (and not their permanent inhabitants) under Hermes-Ishtar, our people are excited to stretch their legs by building places for people to thrive.

Though some worries exist about soulless standardization, the project's architects plan to interview each incoming shipful of immigrants and gather data on what their ideal communities would look like, then build it before the ship arrives.

If this project is successful, our urban planners believe that it could be a template for a rebuilding of Elysian and Sheolite communities.

Project Progress: Automatic

Dice Bonus: +2

Cost Per Dice: 5BR, 3E

Projected Results: Add roll to Shei Redeployment Program Progress.

[ ] [MilComm] Recruit ex-Ares personnel directly into existing units

While many of those immigrating to Elysium from Shei are perfectly fine with turning swords into plowshares and integrating into civilian life, each is also the product of hundreds of thousands of SolCoins of training and experience. Experience that could be directly added to our own military.

Reach out to these people and see if they are willing to serve once again, this time in their own defence.

Dice Bonus: +2

Project Cost: 00/20

Cost for Project: 2BR

Projected Results: +1 to All-Radiant Congressional Defence Committee bonus. Completion contributes 20 progress to Shei Redeployment Program.

[ ] [SocComm] Integration Initiatives

While building communities for the immigrants is all well and good, it's also important to ensure these towns don't become like the ancient Chinatowns or Little Italies of noir H-I settings. The committee wants to set up neighborhoods in existing cities, sister city programs, and community training and exchange programs to ensure a healthy flow of both people and culture between existing Radiant cities and new construction.

Dice Bonus: +3

Project Progress: 0/20

Cost per die: 2BR, 1E

Projected Results: Add roll to Shei Redeployment Program Progress, Permanent +1 E upkeep

**********

These are the three projects so far that allow bonuses to be added to the Shei Redeployment Program.

Strunkriidiisk · Jan 17, 2021

Oh god oh fuck

Okay, let's do this.

All right, we need to button down and get this done. We need to fortify, we need to integrate the Ares staff, and we need material to blackmail the Charters with. I would like to integrate Rousseau's ships this turn, but we really need Choreographer online. Rousseau's at least going to be around even if not under our direct command.

So this puts 4 dice directly into progress for the Shei Redeployment Project. Average of a d20 is 10.5, so that's an average of 42 hopefully, plus 10 from our passive IndComm and SocComm bonuses. Recruiting the Ares personnel from what I can tell is not going to pay dividends toward SRP until we complete it.

BR Stockpiles: 47
SR Stockpiles: 67

Energy Generation: 46
Current Baseline Draw : 20
Free Capacity: 26

Plan Cost:
47BR, 24SR, and 19E

[X] Plan: Company's Coming
-[X] [FOCUS] Military Committee
-[X] [IndComm] Veteran's Colony Program x2
-[X] [MilComm] Recruit ex-Ares personnel directly into existing units
-[X] [MilComm] Repair Choreographer
-[X] [SciComm] Bypass Charter Fabricator Rights Management for Ares
-[X] [SocComm] Integration Initiatives x2
-[X] [MedComm] Document Charter Abuses, Radiant
-[X] [MedComm] Insert Assets into Thoa

Dain24601 · Jan 17, 2021

A shame to see that my proposal to make a movie regarding the liberation of Shelo for ~~trolling Ares~~ posterity didn't make it.

AKuz · Jan 17, 2021

Dain24601 said:
A shame to see that my proposal to make a movie regarding the liberation of Shelo for ~~trolling Ares~~ posterity didn't make it.

Not yet, it hasnt!

ALanos · Jan 17, 2021

[X] [ALLY] Joint Industrial Policy
[X] [WHO?] Accept Delegates from whoever comes to Elysium
I feel that integration would be more important to help Sheol and while we don't want to anger the SCMC too much an option for delegates who could go to Elysium should be considered because we don't want the people to think we are allowing a military junta to be an ally.
Also, I like this plan.
[X] Plan: Company's Coming

Gladsome · Jan 17, 2021

Here's my preliminary (since edited) plan:

[ ] Plan Hurt/Comfort - Revised
-[ ] [FOCUS] MilComm
-[ ] [IndComm] Veteran's Colony Program (5 BR, 3E)
-[ ] [IndComm] Fortify the Shei-Osliam Gate (5 BR, 5 SR, 3 E)
-[ ] [SciComm] Bypass Charter Fabricator Rights Management for Ares (3 SR, 3 E)
-[ ] [MilComm] Repair Choreographer (30 BR, 20 SR, 6 E)
-[ ] [MilComm] Recruit ex-Ares personnel directly into existing units (2 BR)
-[ ] [SocComm] Integration Initiatives x2 (2 BRx2, 1Ex2)
-[ ] [MedComm] Insert Assets into Fliveons (1 SR)
-[ ] [MedComm] Insert Assets into Thoa (1 SR)

Costs: 5 BR, 30 SR, 17 E

The operation in Shei was a success beyond our wildest hopes. But it also demonstrated the crippling flaw in our fleet - it took months to traverse the void to reach Sheol. Without our allies within the system, the liberation would have been entirely impossible - and that was against a backwater Ares prison world. Worse will be coming when Hermes-Ishtar and Ares realise the existential threat we pose to the Charters and their toxic way of life.

We must prioritise gaining what assets we can to strengthen our defenses alongside bolstering our new allies and addressing their concerns.

This plan accomplishes much of both.

Edit: Made some slight changes given our energy needs seem less urgent at present.

Edit: Changed which gate the plan fortifies.

Sara · Jan 17, 2021

[X] Plan: Company's Coming

This focuses on pretty everything I want us to be doing, from drumming up our ability to cultivate future support from Earth and humanity at large with documentation, getting the Choregrapher out of the way, and hitting all the options to the Shei Redeployment program early in a way that will make sure we hit our target numbers so we don't get any bad maluses from it. It also has the bonus of doing this while staying well within our energy budget!

[X] [ALLY] Joint Industrial Policy

The Industry die might hurt but we have a lot of ways to gain die in our projects slab and this is going to pay dividends in the future. Coordinating Shei industrial plans with Indcomm is going to help us out a lot in the long term, and help Shei specifically out quite a bit in the short term, and their liable to spend this die of projects we'd want to have done anyway while setting up a framework for further cooperation down the line. Stuff like improving Shei's infrastructure and quality of life, fortifying the gates, improving our draw of resources in the Shei system, and likely also helping with th Redeployment program. it'll also probably help our foreign relations with them at large to see us aiding the people in this way, and we could really, really use more ways to expand our BR/SR/En gain. We're already running out of spots to add Energy collectors.

[X] [WHO?] Accept Delegates from whoever comes to Elysium

I think this is a good compromise between recognizing that the SMSC doesn't, realistically, speak for all the people of Sheol while also respecting their right to self determination.

Gladsome · Jan 17, 2021

[X] [ALLY] Joint Industrial Policy
[X] [WHO?] Accept Delegates directly with the Supreme Central Military Command

[X] Plan Hurt/Comfort
-[X] [FOCUS] MilComm
-[X] [IndComm] Veteran's Colony Program (5 BR, 3E)
-[X] [IndComm] Fortify the Radiant-Gaid Gate (5 BR, 5 SR, 3 E)
-[X] [SciComm] Bypass Charter Fabricator Rights Management for Ares (3 SR, 3 E)
-[X] [MilComm] Repair Choreographer (30 BR, 20 SR, 6 E)
-[X] [MilComm] Recruit ex-Ares personnel directly into existing units (2 BR)
-[X] [SocComm] Integration Initiatives x2 (2 BRx2, 1Ex2)
-[X] [MedComm] Insert Assets into Fliveons (1 SR)
-[X] [MedComm] Insert Assets into Thoa (1 SR)

While I appreciate the need for diplomacy and resolving the situation of ex-Ares personnel, we do have other priorities that should be addressed. Like fortifying the fuck out of Radiant before the Charters show up and try to kill us all.

Sara · Jan 17, 2021

Since the extra military dice we would get from a completed Shei Redeployment is probably going to come in handy sooner rather then later, would we get it if we manage to hit 150 progress 'early' or would it still need to wait for all 3 million to hit planet side?

BelligerentGnu · Jan 17, 2021

[x] Plan: Company's Coming

Gladsome · Jan 17, 2021

Remember that it's been four months since H-I froze our accounts. A limited Charter military response could appear any week now and we need to stack the deck in our favour. Every loss we take will not be easy to replace.

Fortifying the gates helps ensure that any hostile force will be harried from the moment their ships enter the system, enhancing our capacity to repel invaders.

We delayed the Choreographer - we can't afford to continue delaying other military projects either. The Navy must continue to grow.

LucidProp · Jan 17, 2021

[X] [ALLY] Joint Industrial Policy
[X] [WHO?] Accept Delegates directly with the Supreme Central Military Command

[X] Plan Hurt/Comfort

10ebbor10 · Jan 17, 2021

[X] [ALLY] Joint Industrial Policy
[X] [WHO?] Accept Delegates directly with the Supreme Central Military Command
[X] [WHO?] Accept Delegates from whoever comes to Elysium

[X] Plan Hurt/Comfort
[X] Plan Hurt/Comfort - Revised

clockworkchaos · Jan 17, 2021

AKuz said:
Trust: 80 (The populace is ecstatic, population growth bonus)

BR Stockpiles: 47
SR Stockpiles: 67

Energy Generation: 46
Current Baseline Draw : 20
Free Capacity: 26

Shei Redeployment Program:

Having decided to simply cut the Gordian's knot and resettle the ex-Ares personnel from Sheol to Elysium.

Right now the Elysian population is willing to see where this goes and the bulk of the ex-Ares people are fine with moving to the literal vacation planet and getting free stuff, and the Sheol Supreme Central Military Command is pleased with our progress, meaning that as of August 2252 there are no developing social or diplomatic issues

In order to ensure that this massive wave of immigration is able to be peacefully integrated into Elysium's existing population without creating issues, you will need to contribute to the overall project's progress target by putting dice into a number of different projects whose roll results will be added directly into the below tag. Some narrative events or other projects will serendipitously add progress as a byproduct of their completion.

Between the six troop ships that Rousseau took intact, eight warp capable former Hermes-Ishtar passenger liners, and dozens of non-warp cruise ships, each quarter approximately 400,000-600,000 ex-Ares people will be arriving on Elysium looking to integrate with the local population.

If you are unable to keep the project percentage above the immigration percentage, the incoming population and the project tag, social issues will develop that may have long term consequences.

Classically, mass numbers of unpaid troops with nothing to do and no prospects ends badly for governments. Good luck!

Program Progress: 000/150, 0%
Immigration Progress: 0/3,000,000, 0%

Project Results: Add a dice into MilComm, gain a dice bonus. Sheol pleased

Okay, math time.
Each quarter we get 400k-600k people, which is 13-20%, in order to stay over this, we need 20 to 30 points. Which is about 3 dice to be safeish. @AKuz, can we take "Veteran's Colony Program " multiple times?

Also given the 'nothing to do' I suspect that encourage retraining might help. Sadly, it's way too much to complete in one quarter.

For The Tyrants Fear Your Might (A quest of interstellar rebellion)

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