EDIT: I will be curious to see the outcome of approaching the very weakest of the factions. Unlike the Pacifists, they have little ability to swing this themselves. I wonder if it'll be higher cost?
I will say that given all the omakes establishing links between Rigel and the Orions, this feels on very solid narrative footing. It's very appropriate for this faction to intervene at this point in the conflict.
[X][COUNCIL] Plan Modern Explorers and Syndicate Amendment
-[X] Request Start of Heavy Explorer project, receiving one-off boost of Research Points and go-ahead for some projects, 34pp
-[X] Request Refit Program for Excelsior class [+1 C, S, L, P for 50br, 30sr, 1 Year (4 turns)], 6 turns, 18pp (NB: new unit cost for Excelsior will be 230/160)
-[X] Amend the Anti-Syndicate Legislation, 30pp (Present options for changing your anti-Syndicate legislation - you have 5 Influence available)
[X][FACTION] Approach the Mercantilists about a diplomatic/financial push to assist the Orions with their political and economic transition.
EDIT: I will be curious to see the outcome of approaching the very weakest of the factions. Unlike the Pacifists, they have little ability to swing this themselves. I wonder if it'll be higher cost?
I will say that given all the omakes establishing links between Rigel and the Orions, this feels on very solid narrative footing. It's very appropriate for this faction to intervene at this point in the conflict.
We're approaching the Merchants first, but I feel like we're likely to score either X or D support, and possibly even the Pacifists. This is about building economic infrastructure, stabilizing the Orion Sphere, and integrating the Union, after all.
See, the thing is, when we spend political will, that's not us doing something. That's us convincing the Council to do something.
We gain political will when we do stuff that makes the Council think we're awesome and want to listen to us.
We lose political will when we do stuff that makes us look dumb in front of the Council.
When we spend 10 or 20 political will on a diplomatic push? Yeah, that's because (Vice) Admiral Sousa got together with two or three Councillors and went "uh yeah, you know, it might be a really good idea if we got the FDS to speed up on that extradition treaty with the Amarki" or "you know, Starfleet is seriously concerned that if we don't get a research treaty lined up with the Gaeni, the Romulans will, and who knows what the Romulans will pay them to create" or "we should probably resolve that trade dispute with the Apiata before it makes them change their minds about joining the Federation."
The Council is still in charge. Political will is not a measure of the things we have the power to initiate. It's the measure of what we have the power to convince the Council to do, that they would not otherwise do. Without our efforts, they wouldn't build new starbases or shipyards, at least not often.
And without our efforts, they probably wouldn't be trying to recruit half the known quadrant to join the Federation. But now they are, because we convinced them to.
This does not represent a deficiency in the FDS decision-making process; it represents a deliberate policy that the Council has pursued in large part at the behest of Admiral Kahurangi and ten years' worth of Expansionist leadership in the Council.
like, that's fine, i can understand us having the ability to initiate pushes. but why have the FDS or the Council never done a diplo push of their own? it does not make sense. adding members to the Federation should be one of their biggest goals. especially for the expansionists and developmentalists.
@OneirosTheWriter maybe give each faction a fraction of 100 pp to spend each year based on their representation in the council, with the presidents faction getting an extra 10. that would allow you to have them influence us in an easy to control way for you.
I did not vote for the mercantile plan, but it is classic Sousa. While ostensibly it is attempting to solve an overt problem, it is also cunning diplomatic ploy to help cultivate feelings of connection with the Federations farthest and most isolated from zones of conflict member, and implicitly validates that the Federation the perspective and values of their new and slightly differently perspectives member. Even if it does little for Orion, it does a lot to help nudge Rigel deeper into the Federation. This is also going to be practice for future integration of more mercantile members. The Genai are inevitable, they want into our labs too badly to keep out. We can handle their mad science already, but we do need to prep for their corporate structure too.
The actual experience of the Federation with Starfleet suggests otherwise, since Starfleet has not attempted any coups so far as we know. The closest the Federation ever came to such a crisis was the conspiracy to restart war with the Klingons after Khitomer- and that was a criminal conspiracy by Starfleet officers that would have worked regardless of how much of the rest of the government Starfleet controlled. Furthermore, the conspiracy was detected and routed out BY Starfleet, further supporting the notion that the organization is free of corruption as a whole, and does a good job of self-policing.
And yet every halfway talented author who writes about King Arthur tries to come up with a suitable explanation for that because it does in fact matter if a story is believable or not.
An interesting video about leadership called 'rules for rulers' I think is a bit explanatory about why Starfleet behaves the way it does. Starfleet gets the vast majority of its wealth not from mines or farms or drugs, but from people. People working as industriously and creatively as they can. That's where the new ship designs come from, that's where new sensors, weapons, warp cores et al come from. Sure, Starfleet has mines, but it also has machines for mining. Starfleet is most self serving when people are happy, well educated, well fed and inspired.
Starfleet may have a large military presence, but in terms of raw numbers I would be shocked if total Starfleet personnel topped a million people including mining colonies and shipyards. SF needs a healthy federation in order to function at its best, and the federation needs a healthy starfleet to be at their best (either safe from threats, or simply inspired trying to meet starfleets needs, or when SF pokes something with a stick).
Whether or not the federation ever intended to let starfleet get this big is certainly an important question, but not as important as the fact that starfleet is now locked in a symbiotic relationship with the federation itself
like, that's fine, i can understand us having the ability to initiate pushes. but why have the FDS or the Council never done a diplo push of their own? it does not make sense. adding members to the Federation should be one of their biggest goals. especially for the expansionists and developmentalists.
They do - once we get the relationship up to 100, then they do periodic diplomatic pushes without prompting from us. It is not as often as we would like, which is why we did a lot of pushing on species that were 100+ back when diplomatic requests were cheaper.
I'll be surprised if the many many fixes and tweaks that Stargazer has had to implement with duct tape and engineer prayers leads to a hull that we keep in service on it's return. Stick it in a museum, but never try to fly it again.
like, that's fine, i can understand us having the ability to initiate pushes. but why have the FDS or the Council never done a diplo push of their own? it does not make sense. adding members to the Federation should be one of their biggest goals. especially for the expansionists and developmentalists.
Because we've been pushing the Expansionists in the direction they wanted to go, about as fast as their own members wanted to go. All the other factions had reservations about expanding the Federation this rapidly. That includes Development, which is about building stuff, not recruiting people, and the Pacifists, who are about peace and enlightenment, not about recruiting every bunch of aliens out there for fear that The Enemy might snap them up if we don't.
That's part of why the Expansionists lost seats in the last election, and a big part of why diplomatic pushes abruptly doubled in price.
So basically, the answer to your question is that no, adding new members to the Federation has not historically been a primary goal of the Federation Diplomatic Service, or of the Council. Our most pro-expansion faction is the same one that was in charge of the agenda from 2301-12, and we did get behind them and push their agenda, resulting in the Federation doubling in size in about ten years. Now, strategic exhaustion has set in, the FDS has its hands full just conducting internal diplomacy among our many new members and affiliates, and there is little or no desire to further accelerate the process.
Which is why nearly all the impetus for further diplomatic pushes has to come from us, as noted. It used to be that the Expansionist Party was providing about 10pp worth of free 'pressure' to make each push happen. But that's not happening for us anymore.
@OneirosTheWriter maybe give each faction a fraction of 100 pp to spend each year based on their representation in the council, with the presidents faction getting an extra 10. that would allow you to have them influence us in an easy to control way for you.
The catch is that he'd still feel obliged to spend those pp in ways beneficial to Starfleet (or they'd be of no interest to us and not even worth mentioning during the snakepit). Which would in turn mean we get 100pp worth of free goodies, somehow, in some way, every turn. It'd be overpowered.
Either that or the pp would be getting spent on things we don't want and on jerking us around, which would decrease player agency and damage the fun.
It's kind of a sandbox. As long as we don't get eaten by Borg or Biophage or the Dominion or something, that counts as 'winning.' The only question is whether we win big or small.
It's kind of a sandbox. As long as we don't get eaten by Borg or Biophage or the Dominion or something, that counts as 'winning.' The only question is whether we win big or small.
[X][COUNCIL] Plan Modern Explorers and Syndicate Amendment
-[X] Request Start of Heavy Explorer project, receiving one-off boost of Research Points and go-ahead for some projects, 34pp
-[X] Request Refit Program for Excelsior class [+1 C, S, L, P for 50br, 30sr, 1 Year (4 turns)], 6 turns, 18pp (NB: new unit cost for Excelsior will be 230/160)
-[X] Amend the Anti-Syndicate Legislation, 30pp (Present options for changing your anti-Syndicate legislation - you have 5 Influence available)
[X][FACTION] Approach the Mercantilists about a diplomatic/financial push to assist the Orions with their political and economic transition.
Approach the Mercantilists about a diplomatic/financial push to assist the Orions with their political and economic transition
"Admiral, welcome, come in," greets the Rigellian woman. Her face is broad with a smile. "Please, take a seat."
"Thank you, Councillor Meiyama," you say with all due deference. "I appreciate you allowing this audience."
The Councillor is a tall woman with a confident look, a darker forest green in hue. She is dressed not in traditional Rigellian outfits, but in an earth-style dark silk suit, exquisitely tailored. Accompanying it is a little Rigel caplet, however, it's clasp richly jeweled in platinum settings. You think the choice of attire is an interesting gesture to integration with the Federation. Of course, perhaps she just likes the look? It is striking. Her office is wood-paneled,the desk a genuine oak piece of handcrafting. Most of the accessories in the office had been brought from home, you believe, but even so. If a UE citizen amasses this many luxury items this quickly outside of barter, they'd be visited and asked what's with all the greed? Do you really need all of this, or are you contributing so much that you are earning it?
It doesn't really bother you, though. There is plenty to share.
"Oh, nonsense," she replies. "It's good to get a chance to properly sit down with you. I'm not under any illusions that us Rigellians are high on the agenda of Starfleet's High Command. There are, after all, only four of us and all the trouble in the galaxy is at the other end of Federation space."
"Don't make it sound so unusual, Councillor! I do my best to keep in touch with all Federation members, including the Rigellians," you explain with a smile of your own. "I've worked with your associate, Councillor Rangyad, on a few occasions as well."
"Of course, do forgive," the Councillor replies.
"In any case, the contributions of the Rigellians are valued already. The tour of the RDS Monsad was very well regarded around San Francisco."
"We were very proud of the Monsad's tour, and glad to contribute something tangible." Meiyama nods at you for a moment, then rests her hands in her lap. "You're already noted as quite the broker in the Council already, I gather you have another way for us to contribute to the Federation in mind?"
"You would be aware of the Treaty of Selindra and the Council's intentions towards the Orion Union?"
[Options to develop a Council-level assistance for the Orion Union will be presented during a 2313.Q2.M2 Council Sessions post]
============
Total Cost 82 PP
Council Sessions Preparing
The Council is establishing a subcommittee to investigate the Licori-Ked Paddah conflict, to establish its current particular, and prospects for a Federation brokered peace.
Participants:
Councillor Ciimad of Laudon-M
Councillor Casey Wang of New Seoul-P
Councillor Sadek of Atatan-D
Councillor Jhran zh'Chevyth of Shrantet-H
Councillor Xom bim Cherr of Sar Alpha-P
The Council has been lobbied to revisit the existing 2309 Anti-Slavery Act for a new set of amendments that Starfleet says is required to confront the changing landscape of operations against the Syndicate. [Council Session to take place in 2313.Q2.M2]
Council Reporting
A deal brokered between Starfleet and the Pacifists faction, sponsored by the Development faction, has seen Starfleet Medical's budgetary allocation for Hospital ships increased from 8 to 10, and arranged for two Cargo Ships to be laid down, one at Talak Zin Defence Yard at Onos IV, the other at the Grand Hive of the Apiata, Berth 4.
Ship Design & Refit Projects
Authorisation has been granted under the Singh-Korielis Starfleet Appropriations Act of 2313 to proceed with the design, development, and production of a new generation Heavy Explorer intended to supplant the Excelsior on Five Year Missions.
[A vote on precise design will precede 2313.Q3 Ex Astris, Scientia turn]
In the same act, Authorisation has also been given for a refit to the existing Excelsior-class Explorer:
C+1 S+1 H- L+1 P+1 D-
[50br, 30sr, 1year - new unit cost 230br, 160sr, 4 years]
2313 Progress Report
84 Impact To Date
60 Cost To Date (43 After Resilience) - NB: All from Carry-over
Member World Coordination Office
Ships Commenced in 2313.Q2:
Amarki - Hebrinda Repair
Ships Commissioned in 2313.Q2:
Honiani - Civilian Ship
Shipbuilding Operations Report
The requested builds, refits, and repairs scheduled for this quarter have commenced, namely:
Refit of USS Bon Vivant (NCC-1621) to Miranda-A spec commenced at Utopia Planitia Berth 1 in 2313.Q2
Refit of USS T'Kumbra (NCC -1659) to Miranda-A spec commenced at Utopia Planitia Berth 2 in 2313.Q2
Two Centaur-As at San Francisco Fleet Yards are being crewed this quarter
2 Officer, 4 Enlisted, 4 Technician
As per Starfleet Regulations IV-12 (a), as Superintendent of this Shipyard Berth, I herein certify that the project under my command, the refit of the USS Shield (Miranda-A-class escoort, Fleet Order NCC-1661) is complete, assessed, and ready to be added to the Fleet Register.
As per Starfleet Regulations IV-12 (a), as Superintendent of this Shipyard Berth, I herein certify that the project under my command, the refit of the USS Fidelity (Miranda-A-class escort, Fleet Order NCC-1634) is complete, assessed, and ready to be added to the Fleet Register.
More hospital ships as the result? Not bad. They are one of our most busy auxiliaries, and having a few extra to spread out for faster response is nice.
that tends to be the results of letting parties earmark PP. all the parties actually want to help the federations, so they tend to pick stuff that's actually fairly useful. If not always things that are immediately useful. It's less PP down the drain, and more they shuffle our priority list a bit.
