2322.Q4 - Well, They Try
- Location
- Australia
[X][CARD] Cardassian Fleet Strength Report
[X][ROM] Romulan Shipyard Report
[X][KLI] Klingon Shipyard Report
[X][HOH] Horizon Diplomatic Posture Report
[X][ISC] Details/reasons for the increase in ISC construction in the space between their systems and the Felis.
[X][CARD] Cardassian Ship Analysis Report - Tolkor
[X][HOH] Horizon Fleet Strength Report
[X][HOH] Horizon Ship Analysis Report - Alert Public Safety Corvette
[X][REPORT] Causes behind uptick in tensions among coreward regional powers (OSA, the Licori, the Ked Paddah, the Laio, the Felis, and the Tauni)
[X][REPORT] Gorn Diplomatic Posture Report
[X][REPORT] Ship Analysis Report: Lecarre Infiltration ship - Suop
[X][REPORT] Klingon Diplomatic Posture Report
[X][REPORT] Ittick-ka Diplomatic Posture Report
[X][REPORT] History of the Harmony of Horizon's interactions with the ISC and the Tauni, focusing mainly on events prior to Federation contact.
[X][ROM] Romulan Shipyard Report
[X][KLI] Klingon Shipyard Report
[X][HOH] Horizon Diplomatic Posture Report
[X][ISC] Details/reasons for the increase in ISC construction in the space between their systems and the Felis.
[X][CARD] Cardassian Ship Analysis Report - Tolkor
[X][HOH] Horizon Fleet Strength Report
[X][HOH] Horizon Ship Analysis Report - Alert Public Safety Corvette
[X][REPORT] Causes behind uptick in tensions among coreward regional powers (OSA, the Licori, the Ked Paddah, the Laio, the Felis, and the Tauni)
[X][REPORT] Gorn Diplomatic Posture Report
[X][REPORT] Ship Analysis Report: Lecarre Infiltration ship - Suop
[X][REPORT] Klingon Diplomatic Posture Report
[X][REPORT] Ittick-ka Diplomatic Posture Report
[X][REPORT] History of the Harmony of Horizon's interactions with the ISC and the Tauni, focusing mainly on events prior to Federation contact.
Diplomacy Rolls
Bajoran Diaspora: 151/300 + 45 = 196/300
-[Cardassian Agitators: 100/100]
-[Suspicious of Outsiders: 0/300]
-[Caste System: 0/500]
-[Rule by Vedek: 0/500]
Muuyozoi (Outer Space Alliance): 140/300 + 25 = 165/300
-[Horizon Influence: 161/300]
-[Corps are lying to us: 0/100]
-[Disunified Homeworld 200/500]
Vermillions: 179/300 + 26 = 205/300
-[Obsolete Technology: 0/300]
Auromatic Push:
Ashidi: 300/300
-[Cardassian Threat: 198/300] + 23 = 221/300
-[Too Good To Be True: 60/500]
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Starfleet Intelligence Report
2322.Q4
Suspected Force on Romulan Border:
1 Romulan Bird of Prey
1 Romulan Aehallh
1 Daljerra
1 Devoras
New arrivals
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Suspected Force on Klingon Border:
3 K'tinga
3 Klingon Bird of Prey Mk 1
0 Klingon Bird of Prey Mk 2
1 K'Vort
1 Tar'chak
New arrivals
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Suspected Force on Cardassian Frontier:
1 Kaldar-II, 3 Jaldun-class destroyers, 1 Jaldun-II-class destroyer operating within the frontier unit on a regular basis. Not believed to be hostile.
Kaldar-II:
CDF Ernagot
Jaldun-II:
CDF Yrmak
CDF Naldar
Jaldun:
CDF Ronagot
CDF Karnack
1 Science Escort is also operating within the frontier.
CDF Preket
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[Removed Task Force related reports because they can stay with the Task Force updates]
Cardassian Fleet Strength Report
15 Takaaki-class Combat Frigates
5 Takaaki-class Science Frigates
~3 Kapit-class Science Frigates
~5 Kapit-class Couriers
~15 Jaldun-class
15~25 Jaldun II-class
~12 Kaldar-II class *All Kaldar refits believed complete
2 Lorgot Battlecruiser
1 Tolkor Battlecruiser
Romulan Shipyard Report
Reports indicate that the Romulus and Remus yards have only just finished post-war repairs, however they are immediately moving to full service.
Romulus Fleet Yards [2x3mt, 1x1mt, 2x500kt, 3x750kt]
Remus Fleet Yards [2x3mt, 1x1mt, 2x500kt]
Heavy Fleet Yards @ Romulus [3x3mt]
Glintara Shipyards [2x1mt]
Scipine Fleet Yards [2x1mt]
Pompara Fleet Yards [2x1mt]
Devoras Fleet Yards [3x750kt]
Heavy Yards @ Devoras [2x3mt]
Xanitla Shipyards [500kt]
Chak Shipyards [500kt]
Hfihar Shipyards [750kt]
Alepsis Shipyards [500kt]
Virinat Supplementary Yards [750kt]
Vussran [4x1mt]
Khazara [4x1mt]
Remus [3x750kt]
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Klingon Shipyard Report
Klingon return to shipbuilding has been slow, even in the civilian sphere. While industrial links to Qo'nos have largely been preserved, shipbuilding activities on Path'loq and the smaller colonial yards have ground to a complete halt. This is due to House fleets shirking their screening duties during the war to better cover their own assets, which have survived relatively intact.
A massive auxiliary yard has commenced construction somewhere in the Klingon Empire, however its location is not yet known for sure. Rather than everyone keeping quiet, they have been telling everyone who will listen where they think it might be, so there are thirty or more rumoured systems.
Qon'os [1x2500kt, 1x1000kt, 3x815kt]
Imperial Shipwrights @ Qon'os [2x2500kt, 1x1000kt, 3x815kt]
Path'loq [1x2500kt, 3x1000kt]
Ty'Gokor [1x2500kt, 2x500kt]
Ty'Gokor [3x750kt]
Donatu V [3x750kt]
House of Gowron @ Beta Lankal [3x750kt], [3x1mt]
House of Mogh @ H'atoria [3x750kt], [3x1mt]
House of Duras @ Beta Thoridar [3x750kt], [3x1mt]
House of Mo'kai @ Mempa [3x750kt], [3x1mt]
Raktuk [1x200kt]
Korvat [500kt]
Hitora [500kt]
Maranga IV [200kt]
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Cardassian Ship Analysis Report - Tolkor
The Tolkor has made her debut, engaging in field exercises against the Goshawnar. Thanks to sloppy communications security on the part of a Goshawnar officer, we have decoded a partial copy of the report on the field exercises.
The Cardassian force consisted of two frigates, two cruisers, and the Tolkor; the Goshawnar force consisted of one or two cruisers and five frigates. The intent of the exercise, as presented in the report, seems to have been to help the Goshawnar practice proper wolfpack tactics. The Tolkor proved a powerful opponent, dealing significant simulated damage in every engagement, but was ultimately overcome in the final exercise.
Statline:
C9 S2~3 H5 L9 P3~4 D4~5, 1.9~2mt, 675-775 crew
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Ship Analysis Report: Lecarre Infiltration ship - Suop
Details about Lecarre shipbuilding are difficult to obtain. The Suop may not have been laid down yet, or may already be building; it probably hasn't been completed yet. The size is likely 775-1000kt - this is known due to reported expansion of shipyards at Gervanis. The Suop is known to feature modern sensors, far outstripping the last generation of Lecarre ships - they'll be very familiar, since they're our own stolen sensors. Expect it to be particularly capable at penetrating Starfleet sensor nets.
C1-2 S4-6 H1-2 L2-3 P0-1 D2-4 775-1000kt, unknown crew
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Causes behind uptick in tensions among coreward regional powers (OSA, the Licori, the Ked Paddah, the Laio, the Felis, and the Tauni)
At the core of the uptick in tensions lies the issue of corporate piracy and the explosive Elakus Station Incident, in which a Licori minor house raided and destroyed a station operated by an Outer Space Alliance corporation, accusing the company of committing piracy. They took thirty 'prisoners', including a dozen citizens of the OSA, some as young as eighteen. They allege that these people were pirates, and while the noble who conducted the raid has since been deposed for other reasons, the prisoners remain held in Imperial prison on Morshadd.
Officially, the Outer Space Alliance denounces piracy, and OSA ships are actively patrolling ... but OSA is also quick to express concerns about jumping to conclusions. The Outer Space Alliance also denounces what they call an illegal attack on corporate property and the killings and kidnappings of OSA citizens at Elakus. The OSA has been taking notice of the aggressive rhetoric directed their way since early this year; already, they are at a state of early mobilization.
The Arcadian Empire has loudly denounced the Outer Space Alliance as being complicit in piracy; even before Elakus, they alleged that OSA had not been doing their part to adequately combat piracy, and since then, they have grown ever more strident. We believe the Arcadian Empire is drifting towards issuing an ultimatum demanding that Cool Planets Inc., the former operator of Elakus Station, be dissolved, that its officers be made to stand trial on Morshadd (or perhaps on Laian) for piracy, that the OSA be made to pay reparations and to give a formal apology to the Empire and the Laians, and that full, independent investigations into other major spacegoing corporations of the OSA be conducted, with their operations limited during these investigations (and perhaps beyond). The OSA might accept some of these conditions, but the restrictions on OSA spacegoing operations and the prospect of trials of OSA citizens in foreign courts won't fly on Ikeigenoi.
House Rithe is backing Emperor Lugis Tartresis wholeheartedly, as is the newly-raised House Herbe, beholden to the Emperor; Houses Bene and Ixaria are more reticent, with House Ixaria in particular reportedly quietly urging negotiations. The Empire and the Noble Houses alike have gone to a state of early mobilization; the Licori have nonetheless expressed reluctance to fully mobilize for war, in light of the economic pain they suffered from their last war.
The Laians feel as wronged as the Licori by the alleged OSA piracy. The Laio Cosmological Office is convinced by the evidence provided by the Licori - principally sensor readings allegedly taken by the Odanner and copied by an Antinoc survivor, Jine Nedohl, and matching sensor readings taken by the former Laian heavy runabout Taci at Elakus Station prior to the raid. It is highly likely that they will sign on to the Arcadian ultimatum, if and when it is issued. They have gone to a state of early mobilization.
The Ked Paddah are, well, nervous. Some voices within the Magen Chalal have been pushing to join the Licori in specifically denouncing OSA piracy; others are skeptical of the evidence presented, and particularly the source. That said, they have gone to a state of early mobilization.
Among the prisoners of the Elakus Station Incident are three Klingons; additionally, a Klingon bird-of-prey was reportedly present at Elakus during the Incident, and several others supposedly docked with the station in the month prior to the raid. Klingon mercenaries have been known to be active in the region. Most appear to have been former raiders, who, during the Klingon-Romulan War, had operated with tacit assistance from, ironically, anti-Romulan factions among the Licori. Now, it seems likely that they are active primarily for the opportunity to continue fighting someone.
Also among the prisoners of the Elakus Station Incident are four Felis. The League of Independent Felis Colonies has expressed concern about their fate, and publicly demanded their return. Discussion within the Felis Senate and the Parliament of Corporations about the incident and its fallout tends to focus on fears that anger at the corporate OSA will blow back on the Felis themselves and impact trade. Security and mercenary contracts are big business for many Felis corporations; some hot-headed voices among the Licori and Laio have already accused them of running a protection racket in conjunction with the pirates.
Also among the prisoners of the Elakus Station Incident are no less than seven Bolians. While the isolationist Bolian government officially has washed its hands of them, deeming them renegades and exiles, talk on Bolarus is rife with fears of blowback, with the aggressive Licori seen as seeking a fight with OSA (and perhaps with other more mercantile powers). Already, we have seen Licori Houses (especially House Rithe) cancelling contracts with Bolian merchants, citing the captured Bolians from Elakus as proof of Bolian complicity or involvement with piracy.
The Tauni are strongly suspicious of the circumstances surrounding the Elakus Station Incident, and ultimately believe Horizon is behind it all. To quote NID Director Miras Bainde: "This is how they operate. They set people against each other so that they can waltz in and be the peacemakers. That's how they get you." They have no direct evidence of Horizon involvement, but they suspect the OSA pirates are being indirectly backed by the Horizon. There's no way this would be natural - no way that the OSA would be this brazen. Nonetheless, under the circumstances, the Tauni have gone to a state of early mobilization.
Hidden OSA tag revealed: [Corps are lying to us: 0/100].
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Klingon Diplomatic Posture Report
The Klingon Empire has emerged from the war with Romulus victorious, though they did not achieve the complete victory they sought. Still, they now control all territory tailwards of Alepsis in the -4 sectors, with the exception of Pompara and Ivix. Relations with the Romulans remain icy, to no surprise.
The Klingons seem to have accepted our claiming much of what had been neutral space around the KBZ as a fait accompli. In general, relations with Chancellor Renhadd are cordial.
The Sotaw had maintained trade with both sides throughout the war, losing surprisingly few ships to raiders. In the last months of the war, however, at least nine Sotaw ships bound for Romulan space were destroyed by the Klingons, ending the tacit hands-off policy of earlier years. We now know that this was a threat, helping convince the Sotaw that joining the war on the Romulan side, as elements of the Sotaw government were secretly considering, would end poorly for the Sotaw. Postwar, trade has resumed, but relations are understandably cool over the attacks.
The Klingon Empire has begun reaching out to the Gorn. That said, there are awkward questions to be had about the Gorn population of Torath, and these two ambitious states have other points of contention.
The Klingon Empire continues to reach out to elements of Orion society, particularly those disenchanted by the new society of the Union.
Renhadd's Empire has an increasing role for his subject peoples. His Productor-General is Huey, an Arin'Sen who has risen all the way to the status of tlhoSIngan, 'almost-Klingon'; reportedly among his confidantes is the Orion Zhar Nalla. Nausicaans are also rising in the esteem of the Empire, having made valuable shock-troops in a number of situations for their Klingon overlords. This has led to more of the species appearing in neighbouring space as more acquire travel papers or permission to serve as spacer crew on auxiliaries.
A spokesman for Chancellor Renhadd has stated that Klingons fighting for money are without honor in response to questions about Klingon mercenaries and pirates operating in the coreward region. Klingon warriors should always fight for honour rather than lucre, was how it was described to us by Ambassador Esaq, son of Maklerc, a man surprisingly well-read and knowledgeable of Sol III. Mercenary work is fit only for the most crass and lowly of the Empire. As for the Klingons captured at Elakus Station, the Empire seems content to let them rot in Licori prison.
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Horizon Fleet Strength Report
Peacekeeper Directorate
6 Sanctuary-class Tenders
6 Choreographer-class Tenders
~20 Large Cruisers
100~150 Corvettes
Public Safety Directorate
10~15 Choreographer Tenders
~20 Large Cruisers
~100 Corvettes
Science Directorate
~40 Large Cruisers
SFI is having a very difficult time getting a correct read on the balance of Scientist-class cruisers to Solace-class, which is a distinction both important and deliberately obfuscated. However, it is strongly suspected that the Peacekeeper force consists only of the more powerful Liberator-class.
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Horizon Diplomatic Posture Report
While our diplomatic efforts against the Harmony are seeing slow but steady gains, those setbacks are in no way dissuading the Harmony's Galactic Outreach Directorate in their efforts. It has become clear that even formal affiliation with the Federation will not slow the Harmony's efforts affiliation is merely an important milestone on our road to permanent alliance with the minor powers of our rim-trailing frontier.
That being said, there is no indication of any major change in the Harmony's strategy, merely an intensification of their current efforts and their diplomats share the same worries as ours at the rapidly heating tensions in the area.
In non-Federation related news, we've heard rumblings that the elected Sovereignty Committee that serves as the highest executive office in the Harmony is considering a issuing a formal reprimand to the Commonwealth for unnecessarily militarizing the neutral space between the two Great Powers.
Additionally the Harmony's attempts at outreach on Romulus have continued to fail to the point that the new Romulan Empress has called a halt to the military's purge of the Tal Shiar. Specifically acting on information that the Romulans have declined to share with us at this time.
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Horizon Ship Analysis Report - Alert Public Safety Corvette
[C1, S3, H1, L2, P2, D2]
[55br, 45sr, ~100 Crew]
[170m, 549kt, ~8Q build time]
Details on the Alert-Pattern Public Safety Corvette were almost embarrassingly easy to obtain once we started looking; after all, the design has been in continuous service with the Harmony's fleets for over a century at this point.
Alert Corvettes mainly serve as rear area patrol units and as the backbone of the Public Safety Directorate's fleets. However, smaller numbers see service with the Peacekeeper Directorate as fleet scouts.
While the Alert has an onboard antimatter it has limited fuel reserves and what endurance it possesses comes mainly from rock solid reliability and an uncomplicated design.
Rapidly approaching the end of its lifespan, the Alert-Pattern is now considered slow, shortsighted, underpowered, and overcrewed for its role.
With this near obsolescence in mind the Harmony's naval architects have begun work on several possible replacement projects; with everything from a modernized 500kt MARAless corvette of a similar type to the Virtuoso to a 1mt large frigate of more conventional design under consideration. As the results of this project will be expected to see service for another century the Harmony is considering laying down several experimental prototype designs within the coming year. The Harmony expects to make their final production decision only after careful consideration of the completed ships.
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History of the Harmony of Horizon's interactions with the ISC and the Tauni, focusing mainly on events prior to Federation contact
Note: The Following report, though verified to the best of our ability, relies heavily on Tauni sources and witnesses as the Harmony itself is loath to discuss the events or open their military archives to our people.
First contact between the Tauni and the Harmony of Horizon occurred in 2253 when a Harmony patrol vessel encountered a Tauni exploratory team that had traveled from Kelowna via one of the Iconian portals that the Tauni had inadvertently inherited from a long ago Iconian colony on their homeworld.
The initial Tauni contact team attempted to play a very distant and cool game with the Harmony's representatives by limiting contact and information from their end. This effort failed when the now alerted Harmony was able to trace Tauni radio signals to Kelowna and make their case directly to the Tauni populace.
The Harmony's diplomats were able to apply a divide and conquer strategy to the Tauni populace by using the secrecy of the Gate program to undermine faith in the institutions of Kelowna's major military power and destroy international relations in a blaze of blame and recriminations played out in the public sphere.
With Kelowna slowly descending into panic and global thermonuclear war threatening to break out the Harmony was then able to step into the chaos and act as an honest broker. Before the first year was out forty thousand Peacekeeper troops had been given permission by various Kelownan governments to operate in their territory and the Peacekeeper Directorate had been granted permission to set up what would become the first of hundreds of bases on Kelowna's moon.
With their people in place the Harmony moved to dismantle local governments in exchange for technology, especially biotechnology that led to the elimination of virtually all of the deadly diseases that had stalked the Tauni even into their information age.
With their control settling in, the Harmony removed many of Kelowna's Iconian relics, often with the permission and blessing of the local Tauni inhabitants.
By all appearances the Tauni were shaping up to be model Harmony citizens, even settling several colonies, up until the middle of the 2260s. A widespread backlash from many Kelownans about the increasing intrusion of the Harmony into Tauni daily life and restrictions placed on traditional Tauni ways of life. The Public Safety Directorate's use of predictive analytical systems in matters of law enforcement especially galled the Tauni until what had started as generalized dissatisfaction in the 60s emerged as a full on war of resistance by the early 70s.
The Tauni resistance and the Harmony security organizations entered into a mutual cycle of atrocity, though this was mostly restricted to the military fighters of both sides for the first decade. As the conflict dragged on into 80s the Public Security Directorate adopted a policy of forced resettlements, collective punishments for family units, and increased censorship. Official Tauni death counts are unreliable but place civilian deaths in this era in the low single digit millions, while the Harmony's own official counts are merely in the hundreds of thousands.
Though a nasty war in a far off place, the general Harmony public seems to have not paid much attention to the Tauni war of independence until the Altas Sinking of 2287. An event caused when a cell of resistance members sabotaged the weather control of the major Harmony core world of Haven: over one and a half million Harmony citizens died overnight, with the majority of the deaths occurring when the seaborn city of Altas flooded and subsequently sank for a week until the tenders Choreographer, Calligrapher, and Photographer were able to bring the city back to the surface.
The Tauni and Harmony records of the aftermath of the Altas sinking agree with the immediate consequences: Virk sab Nahzul, the Public Security Intendant of Kelowna, ordered mass arrests of anyone remotely involved with the resistance, and seemed to be planning a much more final solution to the Tauni Rebellion before he was arrested by several officers under his command.
With civilian attention focused on the Tauni Rebellion, and the Harmony's own complicity in a series of vicious events, a public consensus was reached by the end of 2288 that resulted in the rapid completion of negotiations with a group of the most hardline resistance factions.
The Treaty of Shyenn saw the Harmony sign a treaty that that guaranteed the immediate and complete withdrawal of the Harmony from Kelowna and any other Tauni colony world that desired independence.
By the end of the first quarter of 2288 that total withdrawal had been affected. However, several colony worlds, including the major Tauni colony world of Japha, totalling a third of the Tauni population had voted to stay in the Harmony. To this day those Tauni are considered loyal and valuable members of the wider Harmony.
Unverified reports from the resistance years, not accepted even by the wider Tauni population include: Unrestricted biomedical experimentation, unrestricted cybernetic experimentation, mind control glasses, infertility drugs released into the Kelownan water supply, replacement of important politicians with near perfect doubles, the widespread killing of all esper sensitive Tauni, the summoning of extra-dimensional entities, elite cyaug kill teams, and false flag attacks by the Public Security Directorate on the Harmony's own settlers.
As a final note: there is a consistent pattern of Harmony military and security commanders going off the reservation to devastating results, though the Tauni resistance members of the time connect that a fundamental Horizonian devious hypocrisy rather than as a consequence of the Public Security Directorate's predictive analytical systems which seem to have been much less invasive at the time of the rebellion than they are today.
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Gorn Diplomatic Posture Report
Specially prepared by Ambassador Mothin th'Yarnok
First, I would like to clarify a common misconception. The Gorn are not a neo-feudal power like the Licori. While they maintain a system of slavery and indentured servitude similar to classical serfdom, there is none of the political and power fracturing you'd expect from a neo-feudal state. Indeed, it is the opposite: the Gorn operate in an absolutist, autocratic monarchy, where power is solely derived from the King's largess. The closest thing to feudal power structures only occasionally occurs on the death of a King, where his sons will fight to see who inherits this massive power. However, these are relatively limited engagements, and the Gorn Royal Fleet stays officially neutral to avoid damage to ships, only intervening if the struggle gets out of hand.
With that out of the way, I should explain the internal Gorn situation. There are currently two camps in the Gorn political sphere. There's the Florists, so named for -- it's not important. The Florists believe that the Gorn Hegemony should to some degree follow the paths of the Orions, and seek an alliance with a great power, preferably the Federation. They back a stronger diplomatic and foreign policy perspective, with an eye to making allies and strengthening the Gorn that way. The Florists are lead by Crown Prince Sorlenn, one of his favorite princesses, Saphorix of Foreign Affairs, and have backing from Admiral Grannar, who met Captain Kirk.
The Reclaimers think differently. To them, the Galaxy is currently a nest of squatters, sitting on Gorn territory. They believe the Gorn will only become more powerful if they begin to expand their borders, and build the wealth of their core via tributaries and vassals. The Reclaimers are lead by Prince Celzash, with major backing in the form of his mother, Queen Xambris, who leads the Collegium of War, and his sister Princess Ziamin.
The King is weak, his health flagging daily, and he is preparing to let his energetic sons put their stamp on the Empire. The King is something of a Darwinist though, and so he's not backing one or the other directly. Whoever can win the struggle for power will prove their ideology.
In regards to other powers, we know the Gorn are planning war rather openly with the Ittick-Ka, promising the Dawiar great glory in the battles to come and attempting to bring the Trill into an alliance for mutual security. We suspect that, sans any major intervention, they will launch combat operations by 2332. Any king, Reclaimer or Florist, finds the idea of conquest appealing. The title of Rzar, loosely translated as Emperor, has not been bestowed on any Gorn ruler for 1000 years, the religious establishment that adjudicates its use having determined that the Gorn no longer rule an Empire. Conquering the Ittick-ka -- or Risa and Ferasa, for that matter -- would finally give the Gorn an Empire once more, and whomever is ruling it glory unending.
The Gorn can make ready for war so boldly due to the weakness of the Klingons, who have pivoted away from hostile rhetoric post-war. Indeed, the new administration under Renhadd has extended something of an olive branch, allowing the Gorn to establish an outreach center on Torath, the Gorn techno-barbarian planet within Klingon space. The lack of assistance to the Gorn trapped in a cycle of savagery has been a point of contention between the two powers for years. While the Gorn have not achieved what they truly wish -- either mass evacuation or the return of Torath to Gorn control -- it is, to them, an encouraging first step. We suspect however the Klingons will attempt to keep the people of Torath in relative deprivation, to recruit more hardened warriors from their ranks, which could undo the current good will.
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Ittick-ka Diplomatic Posture Report
Article: An Excerpt from the Ballad of the Salvation, as recited by Captain Nolan sh'Terrix
[...]
Remember now!
The Champion, clad in his rainiment
Preparing to ascend to do battle with the world-scourer
That great wrym with hard skin and glowing eye
See the Champion's chestplate gleaming,
See the neural connectors glowing soft
See the Petty-kings scuttering to and fro,
parting before his mighty Presence
His powerful voice striking their vanity
As he walks to the shuttle that will take him to his doom
He stops to receive one final gift from the Sages.
From Sage Yeredu, who finished the plans for heaven and earth
a final check, through tears of grief
From Sage It'klt-ket, endowed with comprehensive intelligence
a map of the path to the creatures' heart
From Sage Vardegga, who kept The People safe
holy arrows to strike deep into the maw of the Scourer
From Sage Alaeru, who heard the cries of the people
a potion that to give the Champion speed and sight
From Sage Vek'ket'kt'rk, who raised himself out of a mine
the final outer suit, faceplate pond-mirrored
From Sage Bzat'ka, who conjured a place in the stars
the holy chariot in which to do battle
From Sage Eridu, who conjured a place in the stars
two kisses on each cheek, and a whispered promise
The Champion Ascended, his struggle another song
But he never returned to his People
And the Sages, who had seen the People beset
By first the pale-faces and their hairy killers
And the Lizard-men in their golden uniforms
And the Woodsmen and their world-ships
And the appetite of the planet-scourer
Turned their gaze on the petty-kings
The perfumed petty-kings, taking gold
The fat petty-kings, who failed the People
Weighed so down by coin they could not use
the power given to them in the People's name
The seven sages ascended the steps to the hall of the petty-kings
And threw them down the steps, and tore down that place
Of indecision and corruption.
In its place they raised seven great palaces, from which
they could watch over The People, and steer them to safety.
They founded a ka [Emperium], but no longer for the kings
but for Ittick* [The People], as the Champion desired
You cannot remember this, as it happened long ago.
But the Sages, immortal through intelligence, remember.
And they will not allow The People to be failed again.
As only united will we survive the Dark Forest
The Ittick-Ka are obsessed with the 'Dark Forest', a concept our translator has taken from Earth literature. To the Ittick-ka, it is the idea that space is a forest at night, and that any activity, like flashlights in the dark, will give away your position to others who cannot be trusted. Having been attacked by multiple hostile states and at least one automated weapon, they have regressed to a sort of solipsistic solution to the problem of the Dark Forest. Only Ittick-ka can be trusted to protect the Ittick-ka, ergo, everyone not Ittick-ka must be subjugated and controlled, to prevent them from becoming a threat. While the Ittick-ka recognize that powers like the Federation and the Cardassians are more powerful than them, and do not plan to engage in hostilities, they nevertheless believe one day they will be in a more powerful position. Were that to occur, they would attempt a war of conquest.
This admittedly makes working with Ittick-ka representatives somewhat unnerving. They treat you politely, but under it all you know if they could, they would conquer you. However the upside is that their xenopsychology is relatively easy to diagnose -- they need to feel secure.
However, events do not make that likely to happen. The Gorn and Dawiar seemingly prove their greatest fears, preparing to go to war. They wish to bring the Trill under their control, but Federation and Cardassian interference has made that almost impossible. And all around their space, the Hishmeri lurk, having supposed to have moved on by now, the bribes the Ittick-ka paid unlikely to hold their appetites forever.
Luckily, the Ittick-ka appear to be realizing the Federation is likely the power least likely to unilaterally invade them; that being said the Federation is also preventing them from securing the Trill, and appears to be drawing closer to the Gorn. I do not know what the Ittick-ka might do if we affiliate the Gorn, but I'm sure they won't be happy.
Oh, speaking of -- the Ittick-ka are very serious about their epics being heard live. It's a spiritual requirement - they believe a story needs a spirit, supplied by living breath, to come alive. A recording, therefore, is akin to a lifeless husk, and they are extremely reluctant to make audio or written records of performances and only do so for archival purposes. My dictating it to you will lessen the insult somewhat, as they'd appreciate the effort I took to memorize the poem, but all the same I'd consider that recording a Protected document.
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Details/reasons for the increase in ISC construction in the space between their systems and the Felis
It's a very interesting day for you, indeed, when your intel Admiral tells you that you can probably get a better answer to that question from the ISC Ambassador than from her. Hence your presence in the President's office, High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Vrrasa M'Sheer there with you, along with old mainstay Sarek, and of course, Jime Okaar herself.
Ambassador Dunoss Avires enters the room with a smile, having just drawn a laugh from one of your aides. He is shockingly young for a Padani in his position -- only forty-five, with the unlined face of someone in their thirties, a few strands of grey in his hair. His civilian clothes maintain a distinct similarity to the cuts of Padani military dress, and of course have a few pockets on the front, in addition to the slim formal utility belt only semi-hidden by the jacket. But the shirt underneath has a vibrant, eye-catching pattern, hinting at Avries' own personality.
He greets everyone in turn -- "Ah, Madame President! Is this another fine work from Celinna?" "Vrrasa, how is that garden coming along?" -- and then finally to you.
"Admiral!" He says, walking around the table to shake your hand, "Thank you so much for taking the time. I know the Executive Committee appreciates you working so closely with us. How is the family, by the way?"
"Sharra is just starting a masters in economics at McGill," you say, "We're hoping for grandchildren soon, but you didn't hear that from me."
"Top secret," he says. Pleasantries out of the way, you all settle into plush chairs.
"So," Avires says, "I guess the first thing I should do is thank the Admiral for signing off on the transfer of the Harmony ship scans." He clasps his hands, "I understand our request might have seemed a little… suspicious. I apologize. There are many in our government who still fear revealing too much." He looks apologetic, "In addition to the data helping confirm some of our suspicions, you showed the Federation is willing to be quite cooperative. And so are we."
"Well, that's good news," You say.
Okaar nods, "I understand you were planning to make this visit a little later in the month. What made you step it up?"
"Avoiding delayed gratification. It's always a treat to be an a room with you all." Avires with a glib but genuine tone, "But, more seriously, we began to notice your vessels paying a lot of attention to our activities near Felis space. We wanted to be more open, more quickly, to avoid any misunderstandings." He unclips a pocket on his breast and reaches inside, producing a tablet, "May I?"
Okaar nods, "Would you like the power wall?"
"Please."
Okaar taps at her PADD for a moment, and Avires' tablet beeps to signal that it's acquired permissions and connected to the display. "We begin approximately one hundred years ago," he says, placing on the display a map recognizable as an earlier Commonwealth. "The Commonwealth was, at the time, suffering the effects of a delayed-effect strategic biological weapon that had been deployed against it by an earlier aggressor." Several planets, mostly minor colonies but including two major colonies, turn an angry red. "We were not losing ground, the spread had been limited by quarantines and civilian biowar protocols were limiting the loss of life," he advances to a picture of a row of large houses, multiple stories and large enough for several families, draped in transparent plastic, "but at the time there a solution did not appear to be near and quality of life on affected planets was unacceptably low."
"We were, therefore, exceedingly excited to make a friendly first contact!" The Commonwealth ambassador forces a smile and excited tone. "And not only a friendly first contact, a friendly first contact with a civilization with more advanced science, particularly in the realm of biological engineering! When they offered help we thought we might be able to trust them."
Uneasy shuffling ripples goes around the room as the houses are replaced by a fleet that is as similar to a modern Horizon fleet as a Constitution is to an Ambassador. "Obviously, they betrayed our trust. We realized it when the governments of Anrimo," the next slide returns to the map, highlighting one of the two affected majors, "and Vapemo," the other major, "began disagreeing on aid distribution to such a degree that the Commonwealth's government became deadlocked. The 'disaster relief' fleet quickly claimed the opportunity to become a 'peacekeeping fleet'."
He clenches a fist and his next words are clad in iron. "Such a catastrophic failure should not have been possible. The Commonwealth's Federal Government is engineered to tolerate the organized defection of the entire population of a core planet as a result of mind control. This measure has not been tested in practice, but it has been wargamed, once in the 2170s and again in 2293. Again, such a failure should not have been possible."
He sets his shoulders and projects strength. "We identified the mechanisms by which the 'disaster relief' fleet had been turning key officials and ensuring others lost their fight with the bioweapon. With proof in hand, we re-established unity and ordered their ships to leave our space." The display changes again, and he waves a hand at twisted wreckage that even the politicians can recognize as a gutted Commonwealth explorer surrounded by mangled Horizon corvettes. "They refused. We insisted. They resisted. We fought them to the edge of our space."
"That was the last we saw of them. Until one of our diplomats was sitting in a conference room with the Federation and was shown a picture of one of the ships whose people had assassinated his wife." He leans forward in his chair, "Our activities in Felis space were to secure our borders on mere suspicion. We would not even lose much if we were wrong; it has been decided that we must expand. But now we know they are an old enemy. We do not intend to be caught flat-footed."
M'Sheer flicks an ear, "Perhaps we can talk to the Harmony ambassador on your behalf. There might be an explanation, reparations could be paid…"
Avires politely but firmly holds up a hand, "I thank you, my friend, but I doubt you'll get very far. When the time comes to demand answers publically, we will listen to their excuses for a second time. We may be even convinced to believe them. But if they are still our enemy, we will need to be prepared to protect ourselves and anyone else who needs protecting. Hence our activities in the Alban Gulf." The Padani name for the space between the ISC and Felis borders.
Avires pauses, "Personally, I do not believe this particular…" he looks for the words, "Cheetah has changed its run…? Ah, no, tiger has changed its stripes. We believe they will do something similar in the future. And I -- and my government -- would strongly urge you to begin making preparations of your own." He says the last with a sad smile, no doubt hoping his generation would be spared a great war of their own.
You and Okaar and M'Sheer all look at each other. "This is a lot to process," Okaar says at last, "If you could send us your evidence so we can look it over as well, that would be appreciated."
"Of course," says Avires. "I should also let you know we will be working hard to win the trust of the Felis. No doubt we have similar aims here, so I am hoping our new task force will be able to work well with yours. I've sent Vrrasa and Shey the relevant information." His voice drops, low and serious, each word spoken with careful emphasis. "I would request that you keep the information I have shared with you today as secure as possible. We do not want a war. The Commonwealth has had enough of war a hundred times over." He gestures with an open hand. "We are opening our plans to you in hopes that, by understanding each other and working together, we can dissuade the Horizon from its course. Present a target that they dare not attack. But if they act before we are ready, I fear the worst."
ISC Felis Alignment Task Force
Diplomatic Squadron 1
CSF Courageous (Spearhead-P)
C4 S5 H4 L5 P8 D5
CSF Paladin (Spearhead-P)
C4 S5 H4 L5 P8 D5
CSF Dreadnought (Spearhead-P)
C4 S5 H4 L5 P8 D5
Diplomatic Squadron 2-Arrives 2323.Q2
CSF Vigilant (Sentinel-P)
C2 S4 H4 L4 P8 D3
CSF Indefatigable (Sentinel-P)
C2 S4 H4 L4 P8 D3
CSF Incorruptible (Sentinel-P)
C2 S4 H4 L4 P8 D3
Pathfinder Squadron 1
CSF Pathfinder (Pathfinder),
C7 S8 H8 L8 P8 D7
CSF Wanderer (Pathfinder),
C7 S8 H8 L8 P8 D7
CSF Wayfarer (Pathfinder)
C7 S8 H8 L8 P8 D7
Guardian Squadron 1
CSF Bulwark (Guardian),
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Phalanx (Guardian),
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Shieldwall (Guardian).
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
Guardian Squadron 2
CSF Constant (Guardian),
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Enduring (Guardian),
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Steadfast (Guardian)
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
Guardian Squadron 3
CSF Celerity (Guardian)
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Quicksilver (Guardian)
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Swiftwing (Guardian)
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Courageous (Spearhead-P)
C4 S5 H4 L5 P8 D5
CSF Paladin (Spearhead-P)
C4 S5 H4 L5 P8 D5
CSF Dreadnought (Spearhead-P)
C4 S5 H4 L5 P8 D5
Diplomatic Squadron 2-Arrives 2323.Q2
CSF Vigilant (Sentinel-P)
C2 S4 H4 L4 P8 D3
CSF Indefatigable (Sentinel-P)
C2 S4 H4 L4 P8 D3
CSF Incorruptible (Sentinel-P)
C2 S4 H4 L4 P8 D3
Pathfinder Squadron 1
CSF Pathfinder (Pathfinder),
C7 S8 H8 L8 P8 D7
CSF Wanderer (Pathfinder),
C7 S8 H8 L8 P8 D7
CSF Wayfarer (Pathfinder)
C7 S8 H8 L8 P8 D7
Guardian Squadron 1
CSF Bulwark (Guardian),
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Phalanx (Guardian),
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Shieldwall (Guardian).
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
Guardian Squadron 2
CSF Constant (Guardian),
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Enduring (Guardian),
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Steadfast (Guardian)
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
Guardian Squadron 3
CSF Celerity (Guardian)
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Quicksilver (Guardian)
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
CSF Swiftwing (Guardian)
C4 S4 H6 L6 P4 D4
ISC Forces in the Alban Gulf
18 Guardian Cruisers
1 Sentry Scout Cruiser
1 Sentry Scout Cruiser
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Member World Coordination Division - Shipyard Addendum
The Indorians have decommissioned the ICS Anvil, their sole Ship of the Line class capital, and will be scrapping the ship promptly.
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