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The Grand Solar Rush - Asteroid colony management quest

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[X] A daring solution

I don't care if it's wise, I want to see this.

Also I think we have a better shot than some seem to think. Between our aerogel, nantes and our atrium, we're kind of technologically impressive.
 
Fuck.

If the nearspace anomaly is that vitally important to both sides (actually let's be clear here: the seven-way clusterfuck in the solar system), then we have superpower attention regardless of what we do. We're simply too close to the anomaly to avoid attention. If New Ireland becomes EU assets, we become tempting targets for the US or China or Mars Sphere interests or you fuckin' name it. Hopefully this anomaly isn't the only anomaly that exists - the collision of a rogue planet into Venus might have created other anomalies with similar research benefits, which would take some of the heat off.

But make no mistake: whatever we do now, we're in the hot seat. We cannot realistically convince anyone to back down here without instantly inviting a literal firestorm - both superpower states here and now consider this to be a matter of top military priority, to say nothing of when the other powers hear about it and immediately scramble to get in. We cannot simply pretend to hear no evil and see no evil - every superpower is eventually going to catch wind and leap in with both feet forward. Conciliation is a temporary measure, but it practically comes with a guarantee that we'll have to come back and do this all over again in only a few short years. Given this...I think the only good option is actually the daring option.

[X] A daring solution

Yes, it's not very likely to succeed upfront. Yes, it'll be an ongoing security nightmare. It will force both the EU and the US to focus all their considerable attentions on us and many other superpower states. It will encourage investment and some degree of protection, if only to protect their own research efforts. In the short term, we will be assuming much more risk for much more momentum - which we will desperately need, as we head into what will quite probably be a realignment of the entire solar system.
 
An alternative is a "flip the table" kind of move.

We have proof that this isn't the only anomalous material, and can point out that the presence of more makes any deal which isn't a joint project a risk that they will lose out on future finds.

Remember, the aerogel doesn't fit within the quest's current scientific understanding either.
 
[X] A daring solution

@Karf I notice that both sides claim that the other party refused a joint project. I kinda want to ask for confirmation of that (did you/your party refuse a joint project) as well as reasoning for it if they did. I mean, it's obviously because they don't trust each other, but hopefully they won't flat out say that and the reasons they give instead will give us a clue on how to get them to agree to whatever our desired goal is.
 
It'll be difficult to compete with the resources a superpower can bring to bear.

If we need to justify our inclusion in any joint research project, a silent political and financial backer would be useful.
Karf said:
-[] The Resort Boon *New*You've gained the promise of a boon of your specification from an enigmatic and anonymous benefactor, who can move mountains on projects not related to groundbreaking research, which might turn out to be impossible. Other than that though, you know from personal experience that money can make just about anything happen, and for the few things where that's not true it's about the right connections.
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We could use the boon to construct a top-of-the-line research station, with all the bells and whistles, and smooth relations with the EU/US/CoD/NI.
 
Tatbee said:
It'll be difficult to compete with the resources a superpower can bring to bear.

If we need to justify our inclusion in any joint research project, a silent political and financial backer would be useful.

We could use the boon to construct a top-of-the-line research station, with all the bells and whistles, and smooth relations with the EU/US/CoD/NI.
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Yeah if we succeed that is likely what we will have to do.
 
@Karf Can we use the Favour we have from the VIP to secure success at the daring solution?

If this is possible, I think this would be a good use of it. I doubt it would be though.

Are we able to propose tactics on how to present the daring solution to reduce the DC? Say, we could get the parties worried about all their options before offering a way out of their mess?
 
Argent Citadel said:
@Karf Can we use the Favour we have from the VIP to secure success at the daring solution?

If this is possible, I think this would be a good use of it. I doubt it would be though.

Are we able to propose tactics on how to present the daring solution to reduce the DC? Say, we could get the parties worried about all their options before offering a way out of their mess?
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I would rather save it for the aftermath of the attempt. Either building that space station lab or whatever else kind of result we want.
 
me.me.here said:
[X] A daring solution

@Karf I notice that both sides claim that the other party refused a joint project. I kinda want to ask for confirmation of that (did you/your party refuse a joint project) as well as reasoning for it if they did. I mean, it's obviously because they don't trust each other, but hopefully they won't flat out say that and the reasons they give instead will give us a clue on how to get them to agree to whatever our desired goal is.
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Will's pretty sure that you just answered your own question, and the rest is political posturing or jargon, but it'll definitely come up.

Argent Citadel said:
@Karf Can we use the Favour we have from the VIP to secure success at the daring solution?

If this is possible, I think this would be a good use of it. I doubt it would be though.

Are we able to propose tactics on how to present the daring solution to reduce the DC? Say, we could get the parties worried about all their options before offering a way out of their mess?
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For narrative tension, the VIP is only available for the end-of-turn projects. Even their influence has some limits, much as you regret to acknowledge.

Yes, I read the thread and inspired solutions or keen insights do matter, this is partly the reason for why the DCs aren't currently public. Bonus points if they either closely match what I've got planned or get me to consider an entirely new angle.

Crimson Alchemis said:
Are there DC rolls involved with any of the choices? I am assuming yes.
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This is correct.
 
Ok, so if we go for the daring proposal, I suggest we think about how to present it to the superpowers.

The two obvious routes are:
- outright propose it, hope they are impressed with our daring rather than infuriated by our insolence
- make them think they came up with the idea. (eg, drop stuff into conversation, make unrelated proposals and let them tour the colony until they put it all together themselves)

Either way would involve trying to impress the generals, to prove our capability. We could show them our hospital, talk up our nano tech and say 'Yeah, we just finished this revolutionary tech, and now we have a ton of scientists just sitting around, looking for something to do'.

We should also prove our neutrality, or hit that we may be secretly sympathetic to whichever side we're talking to: 'Yeah, USA, we're still mighty shaken up about that attempted EU occupation' or 'Oh man EU, are you as worried about that new firebrand president as I am? Also we really want to make up for that incident where we arrested your crew.'

I'll see if I can come up with a full approach later.
 
[X] A daring solution
You have the inkling of an angle you can play. Perhaps this is what Rousseau meant when she said you have a unique chance, but do you dare to throw in your own bid? An outpost managed by you with support of both parties, with all the wrangling of two behemoths that comes with it.
 
[X] A daring solution
You have the inkling of an angle you can play. Perhaps this is what Rousseau meant when she said you have a unique chance, but do you dare to throw in your own bid? An outpost managed by you with support of both parties, with all the wrangling of two behemoths that comes with it.
 
I don't want to try the daring approach. We just aren't spec'ed for it.

Heck, our Intrigue advisor is a financial analyst!

We'd just suck so bad in internal security if we give both sides cause to think spying on us would be beneficial to them.
 
[X] A daring solution


We do have a favor that can be used to deal with the fallout of this. And the upside... I don't regret ignoring the blacksite, all evidence we had was 'it is a bad idea to poke this' and I'm convinced that's still true, no sense in recriminations. And now we're completely clean in the matter.
 
Reading the EU/US briefings, I think the main stumbling block will be the EU, with their seemingly false claims on the sector.
Karf said:
We have every right to the sector, as agreed by all signatory parties.
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I'm assuming they have the rights to a sector of the asteroid belt.
Which looking at the map, the anomaly is clearly outside of.

If we can establish that neither superpower has a legitimate claim to the space the anomaly occupies, which AFAICT is true.
Then both the EU and US will be on a level playing field.

And by removing the EU's sovereignty from the equation, the two Admirals' orders are no longer conflicting.
Karf said:
"Admiral Cavendish has the following orders from London: to guarantee fair access to the anomaly, to establish and protect a research outpost and to maintain the integrity of our sovereign borders."
...
"The orders for Admiral Burke are to maintain the contested nature of the site, leaving our diplomats time to work; and to oversee the establishment and supply of a research satellite which the USA has access to."
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The EU orders are to guarantee fair access, not full access.

The US orders are to contest the site (i.e. the anomaly), not to contest the space surrounding it, or any research station adjacent to it.

The EU want an outpost, while the US want a satellite.
A research outpost is superior to a satellite (though we could still have both), the US will be happy as long as they have equal access to it.


Draft Proposal:

- The anomaly, and it's immediate "local" space, will remain contested.
​
- The EU and US will officially recognise the space surrounding the anomaly as Little Klondike claimed space. (aka neutral third party's space)
- Little Klondike will allow EU and US vessels perpetual passage through the anomaly's surrounding space only.​
- EU and US vessels may patrol the anomaly's surrounding space only.​

- The EU and US will grant Little Klondike exclusive access to the anomaly. (for a fixed period of time? until the anomaly's legal owner can be decided?)

- Little Klondike will construct, own, and maintain a research station adjacent to the anomaly, within Little Klondike claimed space.
- The EU, US and Little Klondike will each be provided full access to all conducted research and data.​
- EU and US inspectors will be given equal access to the station.​
- EU and US scientists will be allowed, but not required, to conduct research on the station.​
 
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