- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
Er... could you give me the gist of your views, beyond or in addition to that quote?
To Boldly Go... (a Starfleet quest)
- Thread starter OneirosTheWriter
- Start date
- Sci-Fi
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- Tags
- star trek exploration fully automated luxury gay space communism top level canon (canon) #hashtagcontent all-encompassing space amoeba cardassian boy bands cardassian magical girls darkest bureaucracy debate makes the qm cackle like palpatine hoh is an empire quest it has to be foreign infiltrators more ships ship happens singers delenda est starfleet this is not an empire quest ur waifu is collective?
You know, thinking about our need for new berths, I kinda want to get Indoria a shipyard as soon as they join as full members. They have a reputation as technicians and engineers after all, and we can really benefit by having a yard near Cardassian space in the event that ships are crippled in that region or need repairs. Would probably want to expand it a bit more than the standard 1-3Mt, 1-1Mt.
I also want to start slowly upgrading one or more of our yards so when it becomes available, we can make maximum use of mass production and the Tier-5 Parallel Assembly technology to crack out new ships as fast as possible-which would require at least four Megaton slips in the same yard, maybe more if we want to do more than one class at the same time.
I also want to start slowly upgrading one or more of our yards so when it becomes available, we can make maximum use of mass production and the Tier-5 Parallel Assembly technology to crack out new ships as fast as possible-which would require at least four Megaton slips in the same yard, maybe more if we want to do more than one class at the same time.
In the meanwhile, how about a Ferasa shipyard? Down near rimward space could use more facilities as well.
lbmaian
a thirsty squirrel
- Location
- USA
Thanks for looking into it.
I've uploaded the latest version of my TBG ledger audit spreadsheet thingy: ToBoldlyGo Audit
Apart from the discrepancies I noted in my previous post (Syndicate impact & cost, crew income), the only other discrepancy I found is this: We should have 5 more RP income from the Rigel member ratification - it jumped from 5rp/yr to 10rp/yr. So annual RP income should be 134 instead of 129, and the EOY RP should be 185 instead of 180.
To summarize all the differences between my tallies and yours:
BR: same
SR: same
PP: -5pp (due to FYM loss reducing Sulu bonus and larger anti-Syndicate cost)
RP: +5pp (due to missing Rigel member ratification annual bonus)
Officer: +0.2 (due to missing Kadeshi's and one other affiliate's 0.1 tech-based bonus)
Enlisted: +0.2 (due to missing Kadeshi's and one other affiliate's 0.1 tech-based bonus)
Techs: +0.2 (due to missing Kadeshi's and one other affiliate's 0.1 tech-based bonus)
EC Officer: +0.25 (due to missing Rigel member ratification annual bonus)
EC Enlisted: +0.25 (due to missing Rigel member ratification annual bonus)
EC Techs: +0.2 (due to missing Rigel member ratification annual bonus AND excluding that mysterious extraneous 0.05 annual thing)
Anti-Syndicate Impact: +13
Anti-Syndicate Cost: +6 (and thus +6% annual pp income penalty)
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- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
Thanks for the vote of confidence, @Briefvoice. 
The Ferasa idea appeals too, but I feel like a yard at Amarkia is more efficient (10pp more for an extra one-megaton berth). We get as much berthing as we would from a Utopia Planitia expansion, and for only 5pp more.
On the one hand, building at Amarkia means a somewhat more secure location, likely to be well protected by the Amarki fleet and far from potential attackers or raiders. On the other hand, since our auxiliary yard is going in there too, we may be over-centralizing by building extra military shipyard berths there.
I might flip to favor Ferasa over Amarkia if I weren't fairly sure it'd cost us the full 15pp to get a one-megaton berth at Ferasa to go with the three-megaton one. That would bring the total cost of the Ferasa yard up to 50pp, more expensive than the startup cost of the Amarkia yard.
...
But a yard in Indorion space might be a good idea too.
The big problem is that a yard that far forward is vulnerable to Cardassian attack. Jumping off from Bajor, they could hit Indoria very easily within a week or so, long before any reinforcements could reach it from Apinae or Amarkia, let alone other Federation worlds farther back.
So it would be deeply problematic to actually do any construction there, and especially any heavy construction that would tempt the Cardassians to launch a first strike as a way of weakening us. Keeping those berths open as repair infrastructure "just in case" is good, but we wouldn't be able to actually build ships there without constantly having to worry about the Cardassians attacking the shipyard.
Hm. I'd been thinking to advocate for a yard at Amarkia, which is currently our furthest-forward major position, and which has been a member longer than any of the other new ones.
The Ferasa idea appeals too, but I feel like a yard at Amarkia is more efficient (10pp more for an extra one-megaton berth). We get as much berthing as we would from a Utopia Planitia expansion, and for only 5pp more.
On the one hand, building at Amarkia means a somewhat more secure location, likely to be well protected by the Amarki fleet and far from potential attackers or raiders. On the other hand, since our auxiliary yard is going in there too, we may be over-centralizing by building extra military shipyard berths there.
I might flip to favor Ferasa over Amarkia if I weren't fairly sure it'd cost us the full 15pp to get a one-megaton berth at Ferasa to go with the three-megaton one. That would bring the total cost of the Ferasa yard up to 50pp, more expensive than the startup cost of the Amarkia yard.
...
But a yard in Indorion space might be a good idea too.
The big problem is that a yard that far forward is vulnerable to Cardassian attack. Jumping off from Bajor, they could hit Indoria very easily within a week or so, long before any reinforcements could reach it from Apinae or Amarkia, let alone other Federation worlds farther back.
So it would be deeply problematic to actually do any construction there, and especially any heavy construction that would tempt the Cardassians to launch a first strike as a way of weakening us. Keeping those berths open as repair infrastructure "just in case" is good, but we wouldn't be able to actually build ships there without constantly having to worry about the Cardassians attacking the shipyard.
Thanks for the vote of confidence, @Briefvoice.
Hm. I'd been thinking to advocate for a yard at Amarkia, which is currently our furthest-forward major position, and which has been a member longer than any of the other new ones.
The Ferasa idea appeals too, but I feel like a yard at Amarkia is more efficient (10pp more for an extra one-megaton berth). We get as much berthing as we would from a Utopia Planitia expansion, and for only 5pp more.
On the one hand, building at Amarkia means a somewhat more secure location, likely to be well protected by the Amarki fleet and far from potential attackers or raiders. On the other hand, since our auxiliary yard is going in there too, we may be over-centralizing by building extra military shipyard berths there.
I might flip to favor Ferasa over Amarkia if I weren't fairly sure it'd cost us the full 15pp to get a one-megaton berth at Ferasa to go with the three-megaton one. That would bring the total cost of the Ferasa yard up to 50pp, more expensive than the startup cost of the Amarkia yard.
The yard at Amarkia is more efficient, but only in terms of time because it builds both the 3mt and 1mt berth in three years, whereas with Ferasa you would have to take 3 years to build the 3mt and then another year for the 1mt expansion. The rule for 1mt berths is that the first one costs 10 pp and then it's +5 cost for every one after that. So in the long run, the Amarkia and Ferasa costs would be identical. Of course, both of them are far outshined by simply expanding UP, which adds a 3mt and 1mt berth for only 40 pp and gets done in a single year. Remember, UP was specifically built to be easily and quickly expandable, which is why it is so cheap.
I'm torn between the need to decentralize the shipyards and the incredibly cheap expandability of UP.
UbeOne
Daydreaming CPU
- Location
- Philippines
- Pronouns
- She/Her
In how many locations do we have shipyards?
Earth, Mars, Andor, Vulcan, Tellar Prime, and we're building some auxiliary shipyards (that will be used for freighters and medical/engineering ships) at Amarkia.
Chester Nimitz comes to mind. But that was an exceptional situation in a crisis. e: Not only did he leapfrog a rank, but he had only 3y in rank as Rear Admiral too.
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UbeOne
Daydreaming CPU
- Location
- Philippines
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I would support expanding Utopia Planitia for now due to cheap costs.
Random Member
Gardener of Human Happiness
- Location
- Behind You
- Location
- Mid-Atlantic
Huh. I miscalculated then.
Sorry, blue space elves. You'll have to settle for building the repair ships.
Me too; pretty sure that's "working as intended" from Oneiros's point of view.
- Location
- USA
Honestly this is a why not both situation. We can order an expansion at Ferasa then the following snakepit get an expansion at utopia going. Spreading out the yards is one way to avoid any one race dominating starfleet.
- Location
- somewhere
That's not true, his first rear admiral posting was as commander of Starbase 1, and IIRC he was promoted at the end of 2302. Might be off by a year but definitely not more than that.
Driven by Apathy
Formerly known as Brain_Caster
It seems to me there is a decent chance expanding UP will get more expensive once the Council starts having concerns about excessive centralization. At least until those concerns are adressed.
So we have either 134 or 129 political will (depending on if Ibmaian's audit gets accepted) and might easily get another 5 or 10 in 2312Q1 events. Call it 139pp. New options may appear, of course, but my Snakepit list would be something like:
Because why not both?
- NEW Request Mining Colony at Mining Colony Option, Corvo System, 8pp (4 turns, +5 (10) sr/yr) [New Site in Captain's Logs]
- NEW Request Mining Colony at Aga Carmide system, 8pp (4 turns, gain 7rp/year) [New Site in Captain's Logs]
- Request focused Diplomacy on (Honiani), 10pp
- Request focused Diplomacy on (Yrillians), 10pp
- Request focused Diplomacy on (Dawiar), 10pp
- Request focused Diplomacy on (Ked Paddah), 10pp
- Request new Shipyard at Ferasa, 35pp, (12 turns, 1 3mt Berth)
- Request expansion of Utopia Planitia, 40pp, (4 turns, gain 1 3mt, 1 1mt berth)
Because why not both?
I think but am not completely certain that Kahurangi's bonus was what let us discount these.
It's an ongoing omake bonus that cut the cost to 8pp. Kahurangi reduced all "industrial" project costs by an additional 10%.
Random Member
Gardener of Human Happiness
- Location
- Behind You
No Gretarians?
About the only thing in the 2311 Snakepit list I'd want over shipyards is an Academy expansion. But I feel that 40 or 35pp for the academy would very much be worth it.
e: Also, weren't we going to be hit with requirements for Medical or Engineering this year?
e: Also, weren't we going to be hit with requirements for Medical or Engineering this year?
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Omake - Your New Reality - Iron Wolf
Your New Reality
The report of disruptor fire echoed off the ancient walls of the training ground, flimsiplast targets at the end of a dusty firing range exploding into flame as several were struck by yellow beams. From a stone cloister looking down into the training grounds, Legate Dukat smiled, as below a Cardassian instructor lifted a PADD and an electronic tone sounded. The green-clad Bajorans lept up from their firing positions, quickly slinging older-model phased disruptor carbines in front of their black Cardassian-style armor as they jogged to the next training area, the Cardassian instructors barking at their charges to keep up the pace:
"I thought this was the warrior caste, not the glutton caste! Move it!"
"You want your sons to marry Starfleet? Hustle!"
Dukat began walking along the cloister, following the recruits as they lept onto an obstacle course. Next to her, First Minister Hokal Ennog smiled as well, dabbing at his forehead with a folded cloth. He was followed by a bulky pair of bodyguards a few paces behind, a new necessity in the current security environment.
"Yes, quite impressive, Legate." Hokal commented, "Your people have done an admirable job training our warriors with their new weapons." He waved a hand, "Against the railguns and scattered plasma rifles of the opposition, your provided phased disruptors proved far more effective."
A shadow briefly crossed Dukat's face, "And, of course, the ample training that we provided -- continue to provide, even."
Hokal nodded amicably, "Of course, of course. Weapons are nothing without familiarization."
Dukat stopped, turning her body to face Hokal. She turned her head for a moment to look out over the grounds, squinting as one of Bajor's finest warriors shuffled her way up a rope ladder, wheezing when she reached the hovering platform at the top. She fell to her knees, panting, and then screamed in surprise as one of the instructors unceremoniously pitched her into the mud below.
"... our training was far more than just familiarization, First Minister. There were a remarkable number of deficiencies we had to address in your hopelessly ossified system, not the least of which was the fact your dedicated assault teams were on loan from the Vedek Assembly!"
"A secularizing reform we were quite onboard with," Hokal stated, amicably.
"We instilled a more proper fighting spirit, broke down sub-caste distinctions for efficiency -- did you really need to have only a handful of families that were ordained to operate heavy weaponry -- updated your small unit tactics, strategic thinking, and yes, we also did weapons familiarization."
Hokal dabbed his head again, "I think we are talking past one another here, Legate. What you did was bring out the inherent fighting spirit of our warriors, mined an untapped potential." His smile faltered somewhat, "Although I will admit, you and your people's casual disregard for the caste system is unpleasant. While we wish to strip away the religious overtones, of course, the underlying structure is sound." He crossed his arms and shifted his weight, "I would have thought the Cardassians would understand the value of hierarchy."
Dukat took a step forward, "And I thought we put reformers into power."
Hokal's eye twitched, "I put myself in power. You were merely an instrument."
Dukat opened her mouth, but suddenly turned her head as the smooth rhythm of the training course came to an abrupt halt. She leaned over the parapet of the cloister to gaze down, and saw two Bajorans locked in a scuffle over a rifle. One of them wore a knitted cap, and had the sinewy look of a runner. The other was the mud-covered Bajoran woman from earlier. Dukat looked for the instructors and saw they were busy trying to keep a gathering crowd of cadets under control. She spotted Glinn Kusov shoving his way through them, his muscled physique swatting aside trainees.
The woman wrenched the rifle from the other man, aimed it right at him. In a split second he had struck her right under the eye, sending her sprawling. He looked down at his bloodied hand with a dazed, surprised expression that turned to horror before he was piled on by the cloaked forms of Vedek Rectifiers. They seized him by his arms and dragged him away just as Kusov reached the site of the altercation. Kusov casually booted the recruit who had taken the rifle in the face as they reached again for the weapon, and looked up at Dukat.
She gestured at him like, "What the fuck?"
He shrugged back in that expressive way of his that said, "Hell if I know, partner."
She jabbed a hand to indicate he should follow the Rectifiers. He nodded and walked after them as Dukat bellowed to the courtyard, "Enough petty idling, recruits! Back to work!" She turned to look at Hokal again. She took a deep breath and smiled, "I would assume you have an explanation."
"I will wait for the Rectifiers to explain," Hokal said. "That man wore the hat of a healer so I would assume the trainee did not like him arming himself." He shrugged, "Those are the rules."
She leaned in, her face as faux-friendly as ever "Your rules, not my -- Cardassia's rules."
Hokal's patience finally broke, "This is not Cardassia."
The wooden door burst open and the the Bajoran healer was thrown bodily at Hokal's feet by the two Rectifiers. The healer shivered on the floor, curled in the fetal position, silently crying into his sleeve. Dukat was not surprised or even judgemental of his terror -- the Rectifiers struck an intimidating tone. They wore beige headwraps, their faces obscured by a mirrored environmental mask. They wore heavier armor than the average Bajoran infantryman, also in distinctive biege, the occasional religious artifact or written blessing hanging off it. Slung on the pair's shoulders was the order's signature weapon: the short range plasma-melter, a blunt, blackened weapon that was half rifle, half flamethrower. Yes, their tone was quite intimidating, but Dukat had seen their combat performance and was less than impressed by the reality.
Kusov shoved his way past them, which even Dukat knew was in total defiance of every religious and societal tradition known to Bajorans, "I'm beggin' your pardon, Legate," said Kusov, "There were some inconsistencies in processin' this one--"
One of the Rectifiers stepped forward, their voice distorted by a filter in the mask. "This man is a healer, and knowingly laid hands on a rifle, Honorable One," he said with a bow towards Hokal, "The recruit acted only as I was about to."
Hokal raised a hand magnanimously, "Please, please, gentlemen. I have had many enlightening conversations with the good Legate here, and I think it is time to change our ways to allow -- what's the term? -- yes, Combat Medics. This man has suffered no crime, and we should remind his peers as such." Hokal beamed at Dukat as he dismissed the Rectifiers with a wave of his hand. They left, closing the door reluctantly behind them. "Is that reformist enough for you?"
"Beggin' your pardon again Legate, and sorry to interrupt you there Mr. Hokal, but uh, I don't want this guy to be a combat medic." He pulled out a tablet and handed it to Dukat, "Guy tested natural on fitness, hand-eye, was a goddamn whiz in the weapons simulator. One of the locals ignored that and put him in the medic course, gonna watch for that from now on. But this guy should be a statedamn sniper, not a bandage-jockey."
Dukat nodded, "I agree with your assessment. Make it so."
Hokal's eyes almost bulged out of his sockets, "He is a healer, legate! You can't ignore his family's years, centuries of institutional knowledge, his innate aptitude for the art…" He stamped his foot down, "I won't allow it. These are Bajorans in a Bajoran facility, which means I am in charge."
Dukat didn't look up from the tablet, as she raised an eyebrow. Slowly, she handed it back to Kusov with a nod, turning to look at Hokal. Languidly, she reached up and grasped the First Minister's earpiece by the chain dangling from it. His hand twitched upwards, stopping just before touching her arm.
"Do you feel in charge right now, First Minister?" She hissed. His bodyguards nervously put their hands over their weapons, but Kusov had already drawn, his disruptor pistol tucked close to his chest.
"I--" Hokal began, "We invited you here!"
"Do you think that means you control me, honored one?" She tightened her grip, "Let me make something clear to you, before someone with more power than I to make your life a misery does. If I left today, packed up and left you with this half-born army, it would not be long until your old friend Sorje is going to come back with an army of Divine Intent and wipe you and your legacy from the history books, because you and your supporters do not have popular support for your radical agenda. That's why we chose to back you." She smirked at his wide-eyed surprise, "Did you think we really left that to chance? My my, you really would be mincemeat in an hour if Sorje returned."
She dropped her hands suddenly, slapping Hokal on the shoulders. He flinched in surprise and Dukat laughed, "But come now, First Minister, there is no need for hostility! We came here as friends, concerned friends but friends nonetheless. I wish to be your friend, Kusov wants to be your friend. But there is something that you will need to do for that to happen. I want you to envision your entire caste structure, the flimsy hierarchy it is, and I want you to go right to the top of the pyramid, where you," she tapped his shoulder, "Sit. Then, I want you to imagine another level. And on that level is one word -- Cardassian." She smiled brightly, all teeth, "Am I clear?"
Hokal's quivering lip was all the answer she needed.
"Good." She looked down at the troops, milling around, "You know, I think those men and women down there could use a nice, morale-boosting visit from their First Minister, wouldn't you agree?"
Hokal took a deep breath, "I… suppose."
"I am glad we are in agreement." She waved him off, "Ta-ta for now. No, not you-" She said to the healer who was attempting to shuffle out with the First Minister's party, "You stay here."
The Bajoran stood, his eyes cast to the ground, flinching as the door slammed behind him. His arms were wrapped around himself protectively, and he shook just standing there.
"My friend, there is nothing to be afraid of now." Dukat said. She walked over, put a finger under his chin, and tilted his head up so that he finally made eye contact, "What is your name?"
"O-Orlan Lavent," he said.
"Be calm now, Mr. Orlan."
"I-I'm sorry ma'am, I'm just -- are you going to take my hand?"
"We're -- what?" Kusov blurted.
"I thought I-- I punched a warrior…"
Dukat realized he wasn't hugging himself for protection. Orlan was trying to hide the offending hand. She reached down and gently pried it out, examining his split knuckles with a faint tisking. Then, she realized as he winced and by the angle of the fingers some of them were broken, likely by a Rectifier melter-butt. "As a healer, I expect you know how to operate a plaser to fix yourself?"
Orlan shook his head negative. Dukat rolled her eyes, "Hokal was going to give me combat medics that can't medic, how delightful."
"I'm sorry ma'am. I couldn't wrap my head around all of it."
Dukat smiled and let go of his hand, "My dear boy, based on what Kusov has shown me we have a role for you that I think you will find much more comfortable." She nodded at his hand, "After we get that patched up. Kusov, take this man to see our medics. And then I want a full review of all applicant profiles, looking for any other 'inconsistencies' the locals have slipped in."
"Gotcha, ma'am."
"After that, I want your VIPR team to look at forming a new unit of non-warrior caste individuals. Orlan can be the first member. Find me more." She shook her head, "Who knows who else has been passed over by this towering pinnacle of meritocratic failure they have the gall to call a system. I want them in my unit."
"I'm on it, Legate." Kusov straightened smartly, and then gently took Orlan by the arm. Orlan looked back at Dukat with a mix of deep gratitude and fiery determination as he was lead down the hall. Good. She wanted people who wanted to prove themselves.
Because those are the ones she could make into the best killers.
The report of disruptor fire echoed off the ancient walls of the training ground, flimsiplast targets at the end of a dusty firing range exploding into flame as several were struck by yellow beams. From a stone cloister looking down into the training grounds, Legate Dukat smiled, as below a Cardassian instructor lifted a PADD and an electronic tone sounded. The green-clad Bajorans lept up from their firing positions, quickly slinging older-model phased disruptor carbines in front of their black Cardassian-style armor as they jogged to the next training area, the Cardassian instructors barking at their charges to keep up the pace:
"I thought this was the warrior caste, not the glutton caste! Move it!"
"You want your sons to marry Starfleet? Hustle!"
Dukat began walking along the cloister, following the recruits as they lept onto an obstacle course. Next to her, First Minister Hokal Ennog smiled as well, dabbing at his forehead with a folded cloth. He was followed by a bulky pair of bodyguards a few paces behind, a new necessity in the current security environment.
"Yes, quite impressive, Legate." Hokal commented, "Your people have done an admirable job training our warriors with their new weapons." He waved a hand, "Against the railguns and scattered plasma rifles of the opposition, your provided phased disruptors proved far more effective."
A shadow briefly crossed Dukat's face, "And, of course, the ample training that we provided -- continue to provide, even."
Hokal nodded amicably, "Of course, of course. Weapons are nothing without familiarization."
Dukat stopped, turning her body to face Hokal. She turned her head for a moment to look out over the grounds, squinting as one of Bajor's finest warriors shuffled her way up a rope ladder, wheezing when she reached the hovering platform at the top. She fell to her knees, panting, and then screamed in surprise as one of the instructors unceremoniously pitched her into the mud below.
"... our training was far more than just familiarization, First Minister. There were a remarkable number of deficiencies we had to address in your hopelessly ossified system, not the least of which was the fact your dedicated assault teams were on loan from the Vedek Assembly!"
"A secularizing reform we were quite onboard with," Hokal stated, amicably.
"We instilled a more proper fighting spirit, broke down sub-caste distinctions for efficiency -- did you really need to have only a handful of families that were ordained to operate heavy weaponry -- updated your small unit tactics, strategic thinking, and yes, we also did weapons familiarization."
Hokal dabbed his head again, "I think we are talking past one another here, Legate. What you did was bring out the inherent fighting spirit of our warriors, mined an untapped potential." His smile faltered somewhat, "Although I will admit, you and your people's casual disregard for the caste system is unpleasant. While we wish to strip away the religious overtones, of course, the underlying structure is sound." He crossed his arms and shifted his weight, "I would have thought the Cardassians would understand the value of hierarchy."
Dukat took a step forward, "And I thought we put reformers into power."
Hokal's eye twitched, "I put myself in power. You were merely an instrument."
Dukat opened her mouth, but suddenly turned her head as the smooth rhythm of the training course came to an abrupt halt. She leaned over the parapet of the cloister to gaze down, and saw two Bajorans locked in a scuffle over a rifle. One of them wore a knitted cap, and had the sinewy look of a runner. The other was the mud-covered Bajoran woman from earlier. Dukat looked for the instructors and saw they were busy trying to keep a gathering crowd of cadets under control. She spotted Glinn Kusov shoving his way through them, his muscled physique swatting aside trainees.
The woman wrenched the rifle from the other man, aimed it right at him. In a split second he had struck her right under the eye, sending her sprawling. He looked down at his bloodied hand with a dazed, surprised expression that turned to horror before he was piled on by the cloaked forms of Vedek Rectifiers. They seized him by his arms and dragged him away just as Kusov reached the site of the altercation. Kusov casually booted the recruit who had taken the rifle in the face as they reached again for the weapon, and looked up at Dukat.
She gestured at him like, "What the fuck?"
He shrugged back in that expressive way of his that said, "Hell if I know, partner."
She jabbed a hand to indicate he should follow the Rectifiers. He nodded and walked after them as Dukat bellowed to the courtyard, "Enough petty idling, recruits! Back to work!" She turned to look at Hokal again. She took a deep breath and smiled, "I would assume you have an explanation."
"I will wait for the Rectifiers to explain," Hokal said. "That man wore the hat of a healer so I would assume the trainee did not like him arming himself." He shrugged, "Those are the rules."
She leaned in, her face as faux-friendly as ever "Your rules, not my -- Cardassia's rules."
Hokal's patience finally broke, "This is not Cardassia."
The wooden door burst open and the the Bajoran healer was thrown bodily at Hokal's feet by the two Rectifiers. The healer shivered on the floor, curled in the fetal position, silently crying into his sleeve. Dukat was not surprised or even judgemental of his terror -- the Rectifiers struck an intimidating tone. They wore beige headwraps, their faces obscured by a mirrored environmental mask. They wore heavier armor than the average Bajoran infantryman, also in distinctive biege, the occasional religious artifact or written blessing hanging off it. Slung on the pair's shoulders was the order's signature weapon: the short range plasma-melter, a blunt, blackened weapon that was half rifle, half flamethrower. Yes, their tone was quite intimidating, but Dukat had seen their combat performance and was less than impressed by the reality.
Kusov shoved his way past them, which even Dukat knew was in total defiance of every religious and societal tradition known to Bajorans, "I'm beggin' your pardon, Legate," said Kusov, "There were some inconsistencies in processin' this one--"
One of the Rectifiers stepped forward, their voice distorted by a filter in the mask. "This man is a healer, and knowingly laid hands on a rifle, Honorable One," he said with a bow towards Hokal, "The recruit acted only as I was about to."
Hokal raised a hand magnanimously, "Please, please, gentlemen. I have had many enlightening conversations with the good Legate here, and I think it is time to change our ways to allow -- what's the term? -- yes, Combat Medics. This man has suffered no crime, and we should remind his peers as such." Hokal beamed at Dukat as he dismissed the Rectifiers with a wave of his hand. They left, closing the door reluctantly behind them. "Is that reformist enough for you?"
"Beggin' your pardon again Legate, and sorry to interrupt you there Mr. Hokal, but uh, I don't want this guy to be a combat medic." He pulled out a tablet and handed it to Dukat, "Guy tested natural on fitness, hand-eye, was a goddamn whiz in the weapons simulator. One of the locals ignored that and put him in the medic course, gonna watch for that from now on. But this guy should be a statedamn sniper, not a bandage-jockey."
Dukat nodded, "I agree with your assessment. Make it so."
Hokal's eyes almost bulged out of his sockets, "He is a healer, legate! You can't ignore his family's years, centuries of institutional knowledge, his innate aptitude for the art…" He stamped his foot down, "I won't allow it. These are Bajorans in a Bajoran facility, which means I am in charge."
Dukat didn't look up from the tablet, as she raised an eyebrow. Slowly, she handed it back to Kusov with a nod, turning to look at Hokal. Languidly, she reached up and grasped the First Minister's earpiece by the chain dangling from it. His hand twitched upwards, stopping just before touching her arm.
"Do you feel in charge right now, First Minister?" She hissed. His bodyguards nervously put their hands over their weapons, but Kusov had already drawn, his disruptor pistol tucked close to his chest.
"I--" Hokal began, "We invited you here!"
"Do you think that means you control me, honored one?" She tightened her grip, "Let me make something clear to you, before someone with more power than I to make your life a misery does. If I left today, packed up and left you with this half-born army, it would not be long until your old friend Sorje is going to come back with an army of Divine Intent and wipe you and your legacy from the history books, because you and your supporters do not have popular support for your radical agenda. That's why we chose to back you." She smirked at his wide-eyed surprise, "Did you think we really left that to chance? My my, you really would be mincemeat in an hour if Sorje returned."
She dropped her hands suddenly, slapping Hokal on the shoulders. He flinched in surprise and Dukat laughed, "But come now, First Minister, there is no need for hostility! We came here as friends, concerned friends but friends nonetheless. I wish to be your friend, Kusov wants to be your friend. But there is something that you will need to do for that to happen. I want you to envision your entire caste structure, the flimsy hierarchy it is, and I want you to go right to the top of the pyramid, where you," she tapped his shoulder, "Sit. Then, I want you to imagine another level. And on that level is one word -- Cardassian." She smiled brightly, all teeth, "Am I clear?"
Hokal's quivering lip was all the answer she needed.
"Good." She looked down at the troops, milling around, "You know, I think those men and women down there could use a nice, morale-boosting visit from their First Minister, wouldn't you agree?"
Hokal took a deep breath, "I… suppose."
"I am glad we are in agreement." She waved him off, "Ta-ta for now. No, not you-" She said to the healer who was attempting to shuffle out with the First Minister's party, "You stay here."
The Bajoran stood, his eyes cast to the ground, flinching as the door slammed behind him. His arms were wrapped around himself protectively, and he shook just standing there.
"My friend, there is nothing to be afraid of now." Dukat said. She walked over, put a finger under his chin, and tilted his head up so that he finally made eye contact, "What is your name?"
"O-Orlan Lavent," he said.
"Be calm now, Mr. Orlan."
"I-I'm sorry ma'am, I'm just -- are you going to take my hand?"
"We're -- what?" Kusov blurted.
"I thought I-- I punched a warrior…"
Dukat realized he wasn't hugging himself for protection. Orlan was trying to hide the offending hand. She reached down and gently pried it out, examining his split knuckles with a faint tisking. Then, she realized as he winced and by the angle of the fingers some of them were broken, likely by a Rectifier melter-butt. "As a healer, I expect you know how to operate a plaser to fix yourself?"
Orlan shook his head negative. Dukat rolled her eyes, "Hokal was going to give me combat medics that can't medic, how delightful."
"I'm sorry ma'am. I couldn't wrap my head around all of it."
Dukat smiled and let go of his hand, "My dear boy, based on what Kusov has shown me we have a role for you that I think you will find much more comfortable." She nodded at his hand, "After we get that patched up. Kusov, take this man to see our medics. And then I want a full review of all applicant profiles, looking for any other 'inconsistencies' the locals have slipped in."
"Gotcha, ma'am."
"After that, I want your VIPR team to look at forming a new unit of non-warrior caste individuals. Orlan can be the first member. Find me more." She shook her head, "Who knows who else has been passed over by this towering pinnacle of meritocratic failure they have the gall to call a system. I want them in my unit."
"I'm on it, Legate." Kusov straightened smartly, and then gently took Orlan by the arm. Orlan looked back at Dukat with a mix of deep gratitude and fiery determination as he was lead down the hall. Good. She wanted people who wanted to prove themselves.
Because those are the ones she could make into the best killers.
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First we get the Yrillians as affiliates, and then we can come to the Gretarians promising we can stop the Yrillians better than the Sydraxians can.
To take advantage of the expanded Academy we need more shipyard berths, though. Also, I thought building the Amarkian auxiliary shipyards covered us for the next generation medical ships. They'll be produced there.