Mandat de l'impératrice des Cieux - Imperial Princess Troubleshooter Space Opera Quest

Also the BGM for this update, which I forgot to link earlier:



You know, for all that one side is a sneaky fox and the other is a busybody admiral that runs on outrage, the pair of them actually work together. Would Uncle Chew ever gotten a girl if Maggie hadn't staked her claim?
It's kinda debatable. Johnny is someone who never expected to ever have a relationship, never expected to have the sort of intimacy he enjoys with Maggie right now, his only way of having anything like that was living vicariously through Masatada. His advice to young Masa 30 years ago - "cheebai u stupid or what just fucking keep your dick in your pants ffs ensign baka you goddamn sohai" - well, it's pretty easy to keep it in your pants when you've got nobody in your life who you want to take it out for. Yui's love life is barren because she's ultradense towards romance, Johnny's love life is barren because nobody wants him. Hell, like he told Yui, he doesn't want him.

Or so he thinks.
 
Ah ah ah, Admiral! You don't get to call her that until you do the whole ring-priest-dress-cake thing! Even if you both think it! :p
My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world, you think.
All good husbands know this. I do.
Let's not forget how she got rid of his clothes and bought him expensive fancy dapper suits, and she's basically lording it over him in his own house. :V
There's reasons army wives are always referred to as 'Household 6'. Any good husband already knows the lady is in charge of the house. :p
 
13FLT COMMLOG Excerpt, 01 Jun, Egon System
[13F/TF-SOYEON/COM/NAV/SNSR/]
[0700: LOG ROLLOVER 01 JUN - JINKO-SEI TIME]

[0815: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] Tongod adjust vector CRP 022/174. Hold outside [FC2-PPV-880652].

[0816: COM/13F/CL TONGOD] Tongod complying.

[0822: COM/13F/CL TONGOD] Holding position.

[0835: COM/13F/CL BELURAN/A] Tongod Actual, this is Beluran Actual. My board is clear. Yours?

[0835: COM/13F/CL TONGOD/A] Beluran Actual, Tongod Actual, my board is also clear. As it's been for the last six days. I rather we went along to capture the pirate base.

[0836: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] Tongod Actual, Beluran Actual, this is Chao Phraya Actual. Clear this net and stop grumbling. The Rear Admiral ordered us to guard this system, and by the Divine Founder's will we will guard this system, and we will do so cheerfully and enthusiastically, in the finest traditions of the Imperial Navy.

[0836: COM/13F/CL TONGOD/A] Acknowledged. Tongod Actual out.

[0837: COM/13F/CL BELURAN/A] Acknowledged. Beluran Actual out.

[0941: SNSR/JMP] JUMP SIGNATURE: CLASS 4/2

[0941: SNSR/JMP] JUMP SIGNATURE: CLASS 6/1

[0941: SNSR/JMP] JUMP SIGNATURE: CLASS 8/1


[0941: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] Incoming jump signature. Not civilian. Looks like 2 destroyers and 2 cruisers.

[0942: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] No planned fleet movements on record. Those are 4th Fleet ships. All vessels assume defensive positions.

[0942: COM/13F/CL BELURAN] Acknowledged.

[0942: COM/13F/CA BENGAWAN SOLO] Acknowledged.

[0943: COM/13F/CL TONGOD] Acknowledged.

[0944: SNSR/JMP] JUMP TRANSLATION COMPLETE: CLASS 4/2

[0944: SNSR/JMP] JUMP TRANSLATION COMPLETE: CLASS 6/1

[0945: SNSR/JMP] JUMP TRANSLATION COMPLETE: CLASS 8/1

[0945: SNSR/COM] UNKNOWN-1 TO 4 IFF AUTHENTICATED: 4TH FLEET: (CL ANGELWING) (CA AVALANCHE) (DD BRUTUS) (DD SPARTA). ALERT: (CL ANGELWING) (CA AVALANCHE) (DD BRUTUS) (DD SPARTA) DRIVE SIGNATURES DO NOT MATCH RECORDED CONFIGURATION.

[0945: COM] ENCRYPTION HANDSHAKE RECEIVED FROM (CA AVALANCHE). INTERFLEET CHANNEL AVAILABLE.


[0946: COM/13F/CL BELURAN] Beluran in position.

[0948: COM/13F/CL TONGOD] Tongod ready.

[0949: COM/13F/CA BENGAWAN SOLO] Standing by. What's our ROE?

[0950: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] Standard ROE applies. Do not fire unless fired upon. The Princess wouldn't be happy if we shot up other Navy ships.

[0950: COM-IF/04F/CL ANGELWING/A] Attention 13th Fleet vessels. This is Captain Cromwell of the cruiser Angelwing, 4th fleet. You have entered our area of operations with a significant force without informing Comberth Harbor in advance. What is your purpose here?

[0951: COM-IF/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] This is Captain Chimtaum of cruiser Chao Phraya, 13th Fleet. We are on a long distance navigation training and showing the flag cruise, making a temporary stop in this system for R&R.

[0951: COM-IF/04F/CL ANGELWING/A] Understood. We will remain on standby in system to act as local liaison and security. We've had pirate problems recently and the local security contractor has missed a check-in cycle.

[0952: SNSR/COM] ENCRYPTED COM BURST INTERCEPTED. DECRYPTION FAILED. SOURCE: (CL ANGELWING)

[0952: SNSR/COM] ENCRYPTED COM BURST INTERCEPTED. DECRYPTION FAILED. SOURCE: (FC2-PPV-880652)

[0956: SNSR/COM] ENCRYPTED COM BURST INTERCEPTED. DECRYPTION FAILED. SOURCE: (CL ANGELWING)


[0957: COM/13F/CA BENGAWAN SOLO/A] Bengawan Solo Actual to Chao Phraya Actual. How sure are we that those encrypted comms aren't about to bite us in the ass?

[0959: SNSR/COM] ENCRYPTED SUPERLUMINAL COM BURST INTERCEPTED. DECRYPTION FAILED. SOURCE: (CL ANGELWING)

[0959: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] Mind your language and decorum, Captain Loke.

[1000: COM/13F/CA BENGAWAN SOLO/A] Captain Chimtaum, I believe you have more pressing considerations than my decorum. What are you going to say to 4th Fleet?

[1002: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] That is none of your concern, Captain. Clear this channel.

[1003: COM/13F/CA BENGAWAN SOLO/A] I want this on the record, Captain Chimtaum: I advised you that your cover story idea was ill-advised and should not have been pursued. You choose to proceed. This is on you. Bengawan Solo Actual, out.

[1005: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] All units, weapons tight. Be ready for anything. ROE remains in effect.

[1013: COM-IF/04F/CL ANGELWING/A] 13th Fleet vessels please hold position and standby.

[1013: SNSR/JMP] JUMP SIGNATURE: CLASS 10/1

[1017: SNSR/JMP] JUMP TRANSLATION COMPLETE: CLASS 10/1

[1019: SNSR/COM] UNKNOWN-1 IFF AUTHENTICATED: 4TH FLEET: (BC HYPERION) ALERT: DRIVE SIGNATURE AND SENSOR PROFILE DO NOT MATCH RECORDED CONFIGURATION.


[1019: COM/13F/CL TONGOD/A] Oh shit, Cronus-class.

[1019: COM/13F/CL BELURAN/A] This could go bad very quickly.

[1020: COM/13F/CA BENGAWAN SOLO/A] Chao Phraya Actual, this is Bengawan Solo Actual. I bloody well told you so.

[1019: COM/13F/CL TONGOD/A] That battlecruiser's one of 4th Fleet's ace ships. Whatever's happening, it's above our paygrades.

[1019: COM/13F/CL BELURAN/A] Agreed, Tongod Actual. Chao Phraya Actual, this is Beluran Actual, suggest we disengage immediately and inform the Rear Admiral.

[1020: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] Commander Dompok, Commander Sukam, control yourselves, we are operating under the orders of Her Highness Princess Yui and fear nothing, I will- wait one, incoming.

[1021: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Attention 13th Fleet vessels. This is Commodore Muryoutou of the 4th Fleet. You have conducted hostile actions against an authorised 4th Fleet security contractor, within 4th Fleet's Area of Operations. Stand down and power down your engines. Your violation has been logged and your vessels are now hereby detained until I speak to your commanding officer. Attempt to jump and your violation will immediately be reported to HighCom.

[1022: COM-IF/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] This is Captain Chimtaum of the 13th Fleet. Acknowledged, our ships will hold position until our commanding officer arrives.

[1031: SNSR/COM] ENCRYPTED SUPERLUMINAL COM BURST INTERCEPTED. DECRYPTION FAILED. SOURCE: (BC HYPERION)
 
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I admit to skimming the who was doing what but it looked to me like someone was thinking of couping and got caught for jumping the gun early. Uh-oh.
 
Right, at what point did we start mugging mercs for their shit? 13th Fleet is our baliwick, so either there's problems at home or Questers gonna Quest and faux-pas'd.
 
I admit to skimming the who was doing what but it looked to me like someone was thinking of couping and got caught for jumping the gun early. Uh-oh.

Comm logs tend to make everything denser :V

13F/TF-SOYEON - this means 13th Fleet, Task Force Soyeon, which is the name of the task force we took to Egon. FC2-PPV-880652 is the name of the armskote asteroid that VSS is using, which we inspected in force.

/A after the ship name indicates that it's the ship's CO who's personally on the line, as opposed to a text message from the ship.

Hyperion, Angelwing, Avalance, Brutus and Sparta are the ships that Admiral Kanda Shiki, Commander 4th Fleet, dispatched to do fact finding of his own, in response to seeing a warfleet show up in his AO.
 
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Right, at what point did we start mugging mercs for their shit? 13th Fleet is our baliwick, so either there's problems at home or Questers gonna Quest and faux-pas'd.
We're 13th Fleet, but we're operating inside 4th Fleet's AO. Note the sidestory From Uncertainty to Impatience, where 4th Fleet's CO got tilted over us sending a warfleet into his AO and so sent off a small task force to investigate.

The ships here in question - Beluran, Tongod, Chao Phraya and Bengawan Solo - were part of Konnie's stay behind force that we left behind in Ego. I tried to imply that Konnie left them to keep an eye on Egon while she went pirate-hunting with VSS.
 
[1021: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Attention 13th Fleet vessels. This is Commodore Muryoutou of the 4th Fleet. You have conducted hostile actions against an authorised 4th Fleet security contractor. Stand down and power down your engines. Your violation has been logged and your vessels are now hereby detained until I speak to your commanding officer. Attempt to jump and your violation will immediately be reported to HighCom.
Bah! That's some horseshit there, as far as I remember our fleet didn't shoot any of that contractor's personnel or equipment.

I do sort of feel for the guy though. We ruined his week and 90% of his staff wanted to booby-trap his office and die shooting (where did he find those people?). Still, swinging around a Battlecruiser over a tense surprise inspection feels fishy -- especially to fellow Navy vessels.

sigh, heads are probably going to roll from this.
 
Bah! That's some horseshit there, as far as I remember our fleet didn't shoot any of that contractor's personnel or equipment.

I do sort of feel for the guy though. We ruined his week and 90% of his staff wanted to booby-trap his office and die shooting (where did he find those people?).

The big thing that really tilted Commodore Muryutou was this:

The asteroid isn't large enough to have a name, only a designation: FC2-PPV-880652. Your ships proceed in combat formation, bearing down on the asteroid while jamming their comms.

Jamming people is pretty hostile, tbh.

Still, swinging around a Battlecruiser over a tense surprise inspection feels fishy -- especially to fellow Navy vessels.

sigh, heads are probably going to roll from this.
Remember, when the Hyperion taskforce was dispatched 8 days ago, 4th Fleet's command staff were looking at an invasion warfleet. Recall that TF Soyeon (Heavy Task Force, 25 ships) took the following warships to Egon:
- 1 Battleship
- 4 Battlecruisers
- 8 Heavy Cruisers
- 12 Light Cruisers

Compared to that, the Hyperion taskforce (Small TF, 5 ships) is pretty small potatoes:
- 1 BC Hyperion
- 1 CA Avalanche
- 1 CL Angelwing
- 2 DD Brutus & Sparta

From 4th Fleet's perspective, Hyperion was going to be facing 5:1 odds.
 
Ah, I just saw the asteroid number, again. It still makes me giggle, even if content isn't my thing.
 
[0836: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] Tongod Actual, Beluran Actual, this is Chao Phraya Actual. Clear this net and stop grumbling. The Rear Admiral ordered us to guard this system, and by the Divine Founder's will we will guard this system, and we will do so cheerfully and enthusiastically, in the finest traditions of the Imperial Navy.

[0836: COM/13F/CL TONGOD/A] Acknowledged. Tongod Actual out.

[0837: COM/13F/CL BELURAN/A] Acknowledged. Beluran Actual out.
I think we found who's packing the Turian-brand backup weapon.
[0950: COM-IF/04F/CL ANGELWING/A] Attention 13th Fleet vessels. This is Captain Cromwell of the cruiser Angelwing, 4th fleet. You have entered our area of operations with a significant force without informing Comberth Harbor in advance. What is your purpose here?

[0951: COM-IF/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] This is Captain Chimtaum of cruiser Chao Phraya, 13th Fleet. We are on a long distance navigation training and showing the flag cruise, making a temporary stop in this system for R&R.

[0951: COM-IF/04F/CL ANGELWING/A] Understood. We will remain on standby in system to act as local liaison and security. We've had pirate problems recently and the local security contractor has missed a check-in cycle.

[0952: SNSR/COM] ENCRYPTED COM BURST INTERCEPTED. DECRYPTION FAILED. SOURCE: (CL ANGELWING)

[0952: SNSR/COM] ENCRYPTED COM BURST INTERCEPTED. DECRYPTION FAILED. SOURCE: (FC2-PPV-880652)

[0956: SNSR/COM] ENCRYPTED COM BURST INTERCEPTED. DECRYPTION FAILED. SOURCE: (CL ANGELWING)


[0957: COM/13F/CA BENGAWAN SOLO/A] Bengawan Solo Actual to Chao Phraya Actual. How sure are we that those encrypted comms aren't about to bite us in the ass?
... Considering ya'll apparently made a cover-story without making sure the base you're trying to keep an eye on plays along?

Immensely.
[0959: SNSR/COM] ENCRYPTED SUPERLUMINAL COM BURST INTERCEPTED. DECRYPTION FAILED. SOURCE: (CL ANGELWING)

[0959: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] Mind your language and decorum, Captain Loke.

[1000: COM/13F/CA BENGAWAN SOLO/A] Captain Chimtaum, I believe you have more pressing considerations than my decorum. What are you going to say to 4th Fleet?

[1002: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] That is none of your concern, Captain. Clear this channel.

[1003: COM/13F/CA BENGAWAN SOLO/A] I want this on the record, Captain Chimtaum: I advised you that your cover story idea was ill-advised and should not have been pursued. You choose to proceed. This is on you. Bengawan Solo Actual, out.
Ah hell, now we have to go sort out shit in our own fleet while dealing with 4ths Paranoid nonsense.
[1019: SNSR/COM] UNKNOWN-1 IFF AUTHENTICATED: 4TH FLEET: (BC HYPERION) ALERT: DRIVE SIGNATURE AND SENSOR PROFILE DO NOT MATCH RECORDED CONFIGURATION.

[1019: COM/13F/CL TONGOD/A] Oh shit, Cronus-class.

[1019: COM/13F/CL BELURAN/A] This could go bad very quickly.

[1020: COM/13F/CA BENGAWAN SOLO/A] Chao Phraya Actual, this is Bengawan Solo Actual. I bloody well told you so.

[1019: COM/13F/CL TONGOD/A] That battlecruiser's one of 4th Fleet's ace ships. Whatever's happening, it's above our paygrades.

[1019: COM/13F/CL BELURAN/A] Agreed, Tongod Actual. Chao Phraya Actual, this is Beluran Actual, suggest we disengage immediately and inform the Rear Admiral.

[1020: COM/13F/CA CHAO PHRAYA/A] Commander Dompok, Commander Sukam, control yourselves, we are operating under the orders of Her Highness Princess Yui and fear nothing, I will- wait one, incoming.

[1021: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Attention 13th Fleet vessels. This is Commodore Muryoutou of the 4th Fleet. You have conducted hostile actions against an authorised 4th Fleet security contractor, within 4th Fleet's Area of Operations. Stand down and power down your engines. Your violation has been logged and your vessels are now hereby detained until I speak to your commanding officer. Attempt to jump and your violation will immediately be reported to HighCom.
Ah shit. The pissing match has begun. Bad news, 4th just pissed in their own oatmeal by escalating something we had pretty good results from, even if the whole episode is going to take a very long time to ultimately resume. Worse news, the overraction is going to kick off a chain that'll end up with the Regency Council having to pass judgement on us or 4th fleet.

Good news, we now know someone's been very naughty with their ship-specs.
Ah, I just saw the asteroid number, again. It still makes me giggle, even if content isn't my thing.
*googles*
Whiskey Golf, I... honestly expected something worse.
 
Fun fact btw, Bengawan Solo's nickname is... Ben Solo. :p

BTW, if we'd gone with the medium task force, we'd have used Bengawan Solo as our flagship (slumming it, I know, but Yui likes cruisers, she did a tour as a cruiser captain), which would have led to jokes about Ben Solo, and bakery shitposting about Bengawan Solo's mess makes the best cakes in the fleet, and how Uncle Johnny won Duchess Tengku Fauziah's affection by bringing seri muka from the mess as visiting gifts when he was wingmanning Daddy's attempt to formally request permission to marry Mummy.

Ah, I just saw the asteroid number, again. It still makes me giggle, even if content isn't my thing.
*googles*
Whiskey Golf, I... honestly expected something worse.
I'm not that bad :V

But yes I'm amused it's taken almost the whole year for people to notice that tag lol. There's other things hidden away because I'm cheeki like that.
 
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Once word gets back to Yui, she should definitely look into the matter of 4th fleet's modification to their ships and just how wide spread such modifications are throughout the Imperial Navy.
 
Once word gets back to Yui, she should definitely look into the matter of 4th fleet's modification to their ships and just how wide spread such modifications are throughout the Imperial Navy.
I never saw that as an issue and expect 90% of the 13th fleet are viewed as altered from their recorded profile. Possibly more considering that Yui bankrolled a chunk of maintenance out of her house funds.

It could be as small as adjusting sensor firmware, I feel like I've run into annoying mismatches all the time. And they all had the right encryption handshakes.
 
I only just found this quest, but with the benefit of hindsight I'm not sure entirely sure why the Heavy Task Force was even given as an option. It feels like both a trap vote and ooc.

Like, yes, it was pointed out how risky it was, but from what I can tell that risk was couched almost entirely in terms of startling Great Houses - and arguably, keeping them on their toes is part of the Imperial Navy's job, so that's not even a bug exactly, just a very risky feature. Starting the civil war by Navy task forces blowing each other up because one admiral thought the other was starting a coup, the risk of which should have been obvious to Yui given recent information, isn't.
Why was the Heavy force ever even an option then? Isn't Yui supposed to be good at politics? This feels like the fumblings of an amateur.

I haven't seen that the system in question being in another fleets AO was even mentioned either until after the fact. I honestly was under the impression that the 13th fleet really did have the right to take a battlesquadron on a 'Training Cruise' there with no further official challenge than raised eyebrows, given it's official role.
But if IC we knew ahead of time that that wouldn't be the case, is there any reason that sending a courier to 4th Fleet HQ - which we had no OoC indication was anything but completely loyal given that at the same time Admiral Saltmeister advocated for splitting 13th Fleet up to reinforce them among others - in order to warn them that we had a battlesquadron operating in their backyard wasn't even considered as an option? Seems like the sort of thing that would merit a courtesy note. For that matter, neither did we even consider sending a courier to ask 4th fleet for their hardcopy of the merc's weapons licenses when we couldn't find the mercs' version?

And from what we can tell, it's not like the entire mission actually accomplished anything beside alienating what could otherwise have been allies.

So the entire thing comes off utterly and completely as an idiotic boneheaded mistake committed by what is supposed to be and by all other accounts is a genius-level political operator. I could understand it if it was a trap orchestrated by another political genius, but it wasn't, there was no outside prompting for it at all beyond stupid internet conspiracies.

I don't know. It just, it baffles me. Especially when everything else about this quest that I've seen is so good, the characters seem likeable and with depth, and the worldbuilding detailed. I just don't get it.
 
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I only just found this quest, but with the benefit of hindsight I'm not sure entirely sure why the Heavy Task Force was even given as an option. It feels like both a trap vote and ooc.

Like, yes, it was pointed out how risky it was, but from what I can tell that risk was couched almost entirely in terms of startling Great Houses - and arguably, keeping them on their toes is part of the Imperial Navy's job, so that's not even a bug exactly, just a very risky feature. Starting the civil war by Navy task forces blowing each other up because one admiral thought the other was starting a coup, the risk of which should have been obvious to Yui given recent information, isn't.
Why was the Heavy force ever even an option then? Isn't Yui supposed to be good at politics? This feels like the fumblings of an amateur.

I haven't seen that the system in question being in another fleets AO was even mentioned either until after the fact. I honestly was under the impression that the 13th fleet really did have the right to take a battlesquadron on a 'Training Cruise' there with no further official challenge than raised eyebrows, given it's official role.
But if IC we knew ahead of time that that wouldn't be the case, is there any reason that sending a courier to 4th Fleet HQ - which we had no OoC indication was anything but completely loyal given that at the same time Admiral Saltmeister advocated for splitting 13th Fleet up to reinforce them among others - in order to warn them that we had a battlesquadron operating in their backyard wasn't even considered as an option? Seems like the sort of thing that would merit a courtesy note. For that matter, neither did we even consider sending a courier to ask 4th fleet for their hardcopy of the merc's weapons licenses when we couldn't find the mercs' version?

And from what we can tell, it's not like the entire mission actually accomplished anything beside alienating what could otherwise have been allies.

So the entire thing comes off utterly and completely as an idiotic boneheaded mistake committed by what is supposed to be and by all other accounts is a genius-level political operator. I could understand it if it was a trap orchestrated by another political genius, but it wasn't, there was no outside prompting for it at all beyond stupid internet conspiracies.

I don't know. It just, it baffles me. Especially when everything else about this quest that I've seen is so good, the characters seem likeable and with depth, and the worldbuilding detailed. I just don't get it.
A slight subtlety: Yui is good at politics and is an excellent staff officer, but her tactical acumen is, as Salt Admiral pointed out, the worst of his students (otoh he was shitposting so hard at her), and her preference for combat is to bring overwhelming force to bear; she's Eisenhower to Konnie's Patton, which was something I tried to allude to in their conversation en route to Egon.

At the time, I was still feeling out my way through the balance between player agency and IC limits and the level of provided information to readers, and that I feel that balancing act is still a work in progress for me. I don't want this to be an easy mode quest where there's no challenge, I also don't want to run things like Marked for Death where the QM rules lawyers incredibly detailed write-ins against the voters, but at the same time i want there to be room for sucesses and mistakes, where actions have consequences and repercussions, where people can make a decision based on what they know, and they might be wrong, but that's life and there are times you need to make a judgement call and roll the dice and then face the music.

This is, I think, one of the problems I had early on, where I only provided information based on whether "Does Yui know this" but was too strict with how I interpreted that criteria. I've tried to loosen it a bit without being too loose, but, well, balancing act. *waggles hands*

I am kinda amused that while Yuiroute has the better metaplot, which I've already sketched out, Salt Admiral and Salt Adjutant have (for me) the more entertaining dialouge and character interactions. :p
 
where actions have consequences and repercussions, where people can make a decision based on what they know, and they might be wrong
Honestly, the dynamic of 'just like life, you can make the correct decision based on the info you know, but because you didn't know XYA info you had no way of attaining you failed' is one that's hard to implement in any gaming environment. Whether tabletop, video games, or quests, the line between realism and just dicking the player over for no good reason is fine, blurry, and very much contextualized to personal preference. It's one of those things I feel is best explained by an old piece of D&D DMing advice I got years ago: You have to make sure the players match the game. And unless you're in a place where you can look at what someone wants to do and say 'sorry, that's not going to fit this campaign', the only way to do that is just laying out flat what the line is and where it may twist and turn.

What I'm being overly wordy about is that I get what you're saying, and I don't take mistakes in the pursuit of that very harshly. It's a learning experience, stuff'll happen, you've got to keep kissing more frogs before you hit that anime waifu. :V
 
13FLT COMMLOG Excerpt, 04 Jun, Egon System
[13F/TF-SOYEON/COM/NAV/SNSR/]
[1900: LOG ROLLOVER 04 JUN - JINKO-SEI TIME]

[2038: NAV/JMP] JUMP TRANSLATION COMPLETE. SYSTEMS NOMINAL.

[2038: SNSR/COM] BATCH IFF AUTHENTICATED: 13TH FLEET: TF-SOYEON[A].

[2039: SNSR] UNIDENTIFIED VESSELS DETECTED: CLASS 4/2, CLASS 6/1, CLASS 8/1, CLASS 10/1

[2039: SNSR/COM] ENCRYPTED SUPERLUMINAL COM BURST INTERCEPTED. DECRYPTION FAILED. SOURCE: (BC UNKNOWN)

[2039: SNSR/COM] BATCH IFF AUTHENTICATED: 4TH FLEET: TF-THALES/M: (BC HYPERION) (CA AVALANCHE) (CL ANGELWING) (DD BRUTUS) (DD SPARTA). ALERT: (BC HYPERION) (CA AVALANCHE) (CL ANGELWING) (DD BRUTUS) (DD SPARTA) DRIVE SIGNATURES DO NOT MATCH RECORDED CONFIGURATION.

[2039: COM] ENCRYPTION HANDSHAKE RECEIVED FROM (BC HYPERION). INTERFLEET CHANNEL AVAILABLE.


[2039: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Attention 13 Fleet vessels, this is Commodore Muryoutou, 4th Fleet. You have entered the AO of the 4th Fleet with a significant force and without notifying Comberth Harbor. You have also carried out hostile actions against an authorized PMC. Please provide me with an explanation.

[2041: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] 4th Fleet, this is Task Force Soyeon of 13th Fleet, Rear Admiral Vickers commanding. We were on a training cruise and saw an opportunity to assist the local PMC provider with a piracy suppression mission, which we have just concluded. How may I assist you further?

[2042: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Firstly, how did your training cruise mission creep into a pirate cleanup? Does the 13th Fleet depart for navigational training cruises with a full combat load?

[2043: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] We were doing a long range navigation training exercise, and since we were in the neighbourhood, I decided to audit the local PMC provider, as is allowed for under the Mercenaries Armaments Control Act. 13th Fleet's purpose is to conduct presence patrols, show the flag missions, and to serve as a mobile reserve for the Navy as a whole, so it's our fleet TTP to travel with half combat load at all times.

[2044: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Wait. Are you telling me that the 13th Fleet's Standard MO is to just randomly enter other fleets' AO without warning to audit their PMC auxiliaries? Because you jammed our PMC on arrival. If you wanted to conduct an audit of our PMC you should have escalated this to us first.

[2045: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] Respectfully, Commodore, I fail to see the problem with our fleet movements. This is not 4th Fleet's space, this is Her Majesty's space. We are all serving officers of the Imperial Navy, operating in Imperial space. We have never needed to file flight plans and seek approval before entering Imperial space. Your request is not standard practice.

[2047: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] [audible exhalation] Normally, nobody bats an eye when small cruiser groups move between House territory. You just deployed a warfleet without our knowledge. Do you understand how this will look on the news?

[2049: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] No harm, no foul, Commodore. It's just a training exercise for 13th Fleet, practicing for scaling up to a full fleetwide movement. Is there anything else I might help clarify for you?

[2050: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] No harm no foul? Do you understand how your fleet's behavior affects the Navy's image when the right arm doesn't know what the left is doing? Tch. Putting that aside, why did you jam our PMC provider on approach? That is also not standard practice for an audit.

[2051: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] It was for training purposes. I wanted my subordinates to put in some EW practice, since we were already approaching the depot.

[2051: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Please allow me to understand. You blinded friendly forces and disrupted local lines of communication, putting local shipping at risk of pirate attacks, just for EW training, without informing them beforehand and so making them think you were a potentially hostile force and risking a friendly fire incident. Is that an accurate summation?

[2053: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] Our jamming was a lot more localised than you're implying. That said, you're quite right, that was a valid issue that you raised. There may have been an error of judgement that was made. We will take note of this for further improvement.

[2052: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Alright then, who approved this sortie?

[2053: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] Commodore, I am a Rear Admiral, commanding a component task force of the 13th Fleet. I am well within my rights and authority to approve this sortie.

[2058: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Very well. I shall inform Fleet Command. My task force will remain in-system to act as local liaison until your fleet leaves.

[2058: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] Of course, Commodore. Would you like to meet me over at the VSS base to go over the intel and results from the pirate base?

[2059: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Very well, Rear Admiral. I shall meet you there momentarily. Thales Actual, out.

[2100: SNSR/COM] ENCRYPTED SUPERLUMINAL COM BURST INTERCEPTED. DECRYPTION FAILED. SOURCE: (BC HYPERION)
 
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[2042: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Firstly, how did your training cruise mission creep into a pirate cleanup? Does the 13th Fleet depart for navigational training cruises with a full combat load?

[2043: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] We were doing a long range navigation training exercise, and since we were in the neighbourhood, I decided to audit the local PMC provider, as is allowed for under the Mercenaries Armaments Control Act. 13th Fleet's purpose is to conduct presence patrols, show the flag missions, and to serve as a mobile reserve for the Navy as a whole, so it's our fleet TTP to travel with half combat load at all times.

[2044: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Wait. Are you telling me that the 13th Fleet's Standard MO is to just randomly enter other fleets' AO without warning to audit their PMC auxiliaries? Because you jammed our PMC on arrival. If you wanted to conduct an audit of our PMC you should have escalated this to us first.
Unfortunately, Hyperion, given the ongoing issue with military grade arms making their way into pirate hands, any serious attempt at catching corrupt contractors cannot wait for optional niceties. Whether or not some of your own had an arrangement to take money under the table, sitting in dock while waiting on your would've given them time to put their affairs in order.

And as we've found, your auxiliary's affairs were very much wanting.
[2045: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] Respectfully, Commodore, I fail to see the problem with our fleet movements. This is not 4th Fleet's space, this is Her Majesty's space. We are all serving officers of the Imperial Navy, operating in Imperial space. We have never needed to file flight plans and seek approval before entering Imperial space. Your request is not standard practice.

[2047: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] [audible exhalation] Normally, nobody bats an eye when small cruiser groups move between House territory. You just deployed a warfleet without our knowledge. Do you understand how this will look on the news?

[2049: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] No harm, no foul, Commodore. It's just a training exercise for 13th Fleet, practicing for scaling up to a full fleetwide movement. Is there anything else I might help clarify for you?
... Vickers is playing office politics like a pro. 4th fleet can't raise anything more than 'that's a bit rude'. We did things by the book, if not the spirit.
[2050: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] No harm no foul? Do you understand how your fleet's behavior affects the Navy's image when the right arm doesn't know what the left is doing? Tch. Putting that aside, why did you jam our PMC provider on approach? That is also not standard practice for an audit.

[2051: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] It was for training purposes. I wanted my subordinates to put in some EW practice, since we were already approaching the depot.

[2051: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Please allow me to understand. You blinded friendly forces and disrupted local lines of communication, putting local shipping at risk of pirate attacks, just for EW training, without informing them beforehand and so making them think you were a potentially hostile force and risking a friendly fire incident. Is that an accurate summation?

[2053: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] Our jamming was a lot more localised than you're implying. That said, you're quite right, that was a valid issue that you raised. There may have been an error of judgement that was made. We will take note of this for further improvement.
The classic 'we will take it under advisement' non-answer. I can't breathe.:rofl:
[2052: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Alright then, who approved this sortie?

[2053: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] Commodore, I am a Rear Admiral, commanding a component task force of the 13th Fleet. I am well within my rights and authority to approve this sortie.

[2058: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Very well. I shall inform Fleet Command. My task force will remain in-system to act as local liaison until your fleet leaves.

[2058: COM/13F/BC KONGO/A] Of course, Commodore. Would you like to meet me over at the VSS base to go over the intel and results from the pirate base?

[2059: COM-IF/04F/BC HYPERION/A] Very well, Rear Admiral. I shall meet you there momentarily. Thales Actual, out.
Vicky is getting such a bonus from this: Putting the PR blame squarely on her shoulders rather than ours, and then yoinks the Commodore over to see the skeletons she found in 4th's backyard.
 
Why did I have the feeling both sides were comparing sticks?
Because they were, both in an office politics sense and a 'how's a shootout going down' sense. We brought a sledgehammer to a glass factory, but we did find some of the products were below spec. Factory management has a bit of egg on its face for failure, but the sledgehammer tests could have been run by them first.
 
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