South Tip Conclave
(- Source: Halls of the Conclave, Alpha Nexus, Vardamaught, Kayia; South Tip Conclave -)
(- Recipient(s): Freeport; Human Renegade -)
(- Priority: 2 -)
The Conclave will make no further attacks upon your semblance of a government, either directly or indirectly, under the following conditions:-
You do not fire upon any vessels allied to the Conclave unless provoked.
You do not violate Conclave territory. As of now, this includes DSN-3587 and DSN-8075. Riomor does not count.
You destroy all your cloning bases.
You regularly update us with information on your fleet size, composition and technological breakthroughs. You need not give us the blueprints of any technologies you develop, but if you fail to inform us of your breakthroughs, we will treat it as an act of hostility. (OOC: if you say that you are sending these updates, Zurg, then we can count it as being done automatically - you don't need to actually send a message all the time)
Bear in mind that disagreeing with these terms will result in your death at limited cost to us. Our vessels are prepared to deploy unmanned invaders onto your station -- only your side will lose lives in such an encounter.
(- end transmission -)
(OOC: Zurg, if the terms are unreasonable, then say so in New Life and I'll delete the rest of this post. Sorry about the mix-up.)
Perched in position around Freeport, the veiled ships of war that hailed to the Conclave waited, weapons systems on standby. Ten of the eleven Laziras in the mass had already acquired specific strategic targets on the renegade station, Search and Destroy modules ready to fire should the first hint of resistance appear. Space was quiet, but the tension was palpable. The renegade's remnant of a fleet, five battered Helians, surrounded the station in a tight, pathetic semblance of a stand, but they did not fight. Surrender had been called.
It was the eleventh Lazira where the next stage of the battle would commence. On the Maverick, where the commanders of the Conclave operation had gathered.
"We were instructed to eliminate the defences in Riomor and seize Freeport," Evhael reminded Nhada. "And if they were to offer a surrender, to accept it and allow them to flee to Yelts or any other systems for safety."
"I don't like this," Nhada muttered. "These are renegades. They deserve death. Why should we back out of this fight now?" Nhada glanced around him, to the other two ranked as Guardians. Jenra appeared deep in thought - she had eschewed her joking manner since Evhael was brought into the ranks, oddly enough. She hardly seemed to hear Evhael or Nhada. Karatis nodded marginally.
"Because, Nhada, it would be killing in cold blood," Evhael replied softly. Her tone of voice was fixed, and firm, but hinted vaguely that she did not like how things had turned out. "The renegades cannot defend themselves. We cannot stoop to their level and continue this assault."
Nhada sighed and shook his head. "I fear that they will come back to haunt us."
"They will not," Jenra spoke out firmly, raising her head. Three sets of eyes swivelled to regard her. Evhael's brown eyes seemed to pierce her, and Jenra lowered her head. Nhada blinked. "They will not," she repeated, almost in a cowed manner, if that could be believed of Jenra. "The League's fleet is already in hyperspace for Yelts. They won't stop, not now."
Evhael considered her for a few minutes, and then nodded. "Our demand of their surrender is bitter treachery, and we did not even intend it."
"The League will destroy them," Karatis murmured in disgust.
"And it will seem to them that we offered to shelter them," Nhada continued. "True, we only told them that we would cause them no harm, but is this not just as bad?"
"We can't let this happen..." Jenra said, her face pale. What is wrong with her? Nhada had noticed this change in her lately, particularly since Evhael was assigned above her, but... Surely she can't be jealous of Evhael's rank? That's not like her...
"We can't not let this happen," Evhael responded. "End of story, I'm afraid. This joint assault was in hopes of establishing a stronger tie with the League, and I have no doubts that the result of this assault will not be so, but we cannot move against the League. We have neither the justification nor the right."
Karatis laughed. "You're right... I suppose. But I don't like this, at all."
"What's the plan, then?" Nhada asked, pushing his own disapprovement out of his mind. But a voice whispered in his head, of Lysaeun, one of the pilots in his squadron. We cannot expect, perhaps. But we can hope.
"The renegades have two hours to evacuate the station. From there, they can go where they wish. We will not be taking their leader - he is to be allowed free also," Evhael responded. "The cloning facilities on Freeport are to be destroyed immediately. The Conclave has no need of such moral evil. We're moving Freeport to Malago, and I've sent word to the research and development department that the designs for human weaponry will be available soon - along with something they developed called a nebula penetration device."
"Right then," Nhada said. "Freeport will be en route to Malago by the end of the day, Magistrate."
Evhael nodded, and smiled warmly. "See to it, Nhada. I have faith in your capabilities."
For some reason, Jenra seemed even more disturbed by that.
The evacuation of Freeport was a very orderly business. Independant captains who had been staged on the station were allowed to get to their ships and leave in whatever direction they wished. The five renegade Helians were quickly turned into transport ships, and also allowed to leave in the direction of their choosing. Once Freeport was devoid of sentient life, the Conclave ships sent a signal back to Outpost Sentinel on Mavs. At this point, the Galactic Eye on Bakoom had been completed several hours past, and was able to make a sensor sweep of the area. The sweep showed that Riomor and Freeport both appeared to be clean, and also showed that the Yelts system was literally undefended by the renegades. The League fleet was several hours off arriving in the system, and the result was indisputable. The Galactic Eye also provided strategic data on the ships in every League system, and, more importantly, revealed the existence of a third renegade system: Pariah, also undefended. Lastly, the device revealed that the Igadzra system of Motif was open to attack - not a ship in the system. Useful information all, for certain individuals.
Once it was ascertained that Freeport was safe, Conclave troops and engineers were dropped off at the station, and quickly made a closer check. All vital information was downloaded from Freeport's computers immediately, including the designs for human shielding, the structure of human armour, blaze weaponry, rockets, needle missiles, the "nebula penetration device" and schematics for the inferior human engines. Also, message logs were found with an alien race called the "Voinians." From what was known about them, from Freeport's computer, it quickly became clear that their neutron weaponry and armour-building techniques could be useful. While acting without majority consent from the rest of the Conclave, Mathuin was quick to take advantage of the situation.
(- Source: Freeport; Human Empire -- falsified: undetectable -)
(- Recipient(s): Voina, Voinia; Voinian Empire -)
(- Priority: 1)
There has been an unfortunate mistake in our exchange agreement. One of our governors believed that he was to exchange blaze weaponry for the schematics of your frigate. This was incorrect.
The schematics of our blaze weaponry is attached with this message, along with designs for our shield matrices, as we believe that these would be of some use to you. In exchange, we wish the designs for your neutron weaponry and the knowledge of how your most durable armour is constructed. To make the deal more reasonable, we have also enclosed data on all human and U.E. systems that are behind the Voinian-U.E. border. This data should provide invaluable in any assaults you choose to make. Thank you.
(- end transmission -)
With the message sent, the Laziras and Crescent warships in the Conclave fleet set about the business of moving Freeport to Malago. The process was a difficult one - they had to merge their shield grid with each other to encompass the entire station. The grid was extremely unstable, a single phase pulse being capable of tearing it to shreds. However, it was the best way of moving the station on such short notice. Freeport would arrive in its new home within ten days.
The Galactic Eye was a silver tower one hundred and fifty metres tall, in the shape of a lengthened pyramid. A black sphere rotated around it constantly - not truly in realspace or subspace, it was referred to as "the tap." These trans-spacial taps provided the vital link between the two dimensions, allowing the sensor to work.
Already, the Galactic Eye, completed two days previously, was beginning to map systems as far as seven hyperlinks distant, providing data that could have an important strategic use. The ship deployments in the following systems were all noted: Bakoom, Akrayhek, DSN-5651, DSN-4611, DSN-4496, Mavs, Malago, Unobot, DSN-5553, Siqwe, DSN-5468, DSN-5589, DSN-6107, Vyrink, Groned, Duios, Tibidat, Karra, Funit, Motif, Nifal, Hrinix, Reban, DSN-3587, Yelts, Riomor, DSN-8075, DSN-6253, DSN-463, DSN-7887, Pariah, DSN-6001, Troub, Huan, Hatuli and DSN-8584. In particular, it was logged that Motif, Pariah and Yelts were all defenceless, and that Siqwe was busy with League vessels.
After the completion of the Galactic Eye, the scientists had already moved on to a new project. While rather simple in function, it was an important step in sub-spacial technology - communication via sub-space. The communication network would have several major advantages over conventional communication. Firstly, it would be instant, even between systems, and secondly, it would be completely undetectable and impossible to intercept.
Meanwhile, the huge construction facility, asteroid refinery and shipyard Navis Synthesis had been completed, and had already begun churning out Conclave vessels.
OOC: Solel, I think it's time to arrive on Tibidat. Would you mind doing the honour of having the Conclave, League and Miranu all meet togeter? Feel free to take any liberties controlling either of our diplomats within reason... I think RMA and I can't be buggered with the actual meeting bit today.
Conclave Shipyards
24 Crescent fighters, 4 Crescent interceptors, 15 Aradas and 5 Crescent warships* constructed (15/12/2002 - 16/12/2002)
- Production has now shifted from constructing 3 Laziras per day to constructing 2 Crescent warships per day, +1 Crescent warship from Navis Synthesis. Note on Crescent warships: carry 2 Crescent fighters and 1 Crescent interceptor.
Fleet Status: 107 Crescent fighters, 34 Crescent interceptors, 87 Aradas, 28 Laziras and 13 Crescent warships in total. 29 Crescent fighters, 8 Crescent interceptors, 18 Aradas and 6 Laziras in Mavs on patrol or standby. 18 Crescent fighters, 4 Crescent interceptors, 12 Aradas and 6 Laziras in Hrinix on patrol or standby. 30 Crescent fighters, 4 Crescent interceptors, 15 Aradas, 5 Laziras and 6 Crescent warships in Unobot on patrol or standby. 30 Crescent fighters, 18 Crescent interceptors, 42 Aradas, 11 Laziras and 7 Crescent warships in hyperspace en route to Malago (ETA: 2 days).
Deep Isle
Graviton Membrane; a secondary shield nexus that is directly damaged by energy weapons and explosions, but allows matter to pass through it (slows down matter that passes through it, and disables warheads dealing <65 energy/mass damage.)
Begun: 11/12/2002
Completed: 19/12/2002
Infinity Threshold
Galactic Eye; a sub-spacial sensor capable of detecting vessels up to seven hyperlinks away and revealing ships cloaked spacially (read: first generation cloaks, fairly primitive) and defeating jamming devices and stealth fields within that radius.
Begun: 9/12/2002
Completed
Infinity Threshold 2
S-S Comm Net; sub-spacial communication. Cannot be detected or intercepted, and is instant.
Begun: 16/12/2002
Completed: 19/12/2002
Conclave Production Line
Navis Synthesis; a network of asteroid bases in DSN-5651 dedicated to harvesting and processing resources, the production of various constructs (provides a second production line) and the construction of spacecraft. Provides an additional shipyard output of 1 Lazira, 3 Aradas and 6 Crescent fighters independant of the rest of the Conclave. Note: as the Conclave has since eschewed the Lazira, it will now produce an additional Crescent warship instead.
Begun: 9/12/2002
Completed
Conclave Production Line 2
Zeneph Expansion; expanding the Zeneph shipyard (one of the two shipyards on Kayia), constructing 2 Aradas, 2 Crescent fighters and 2 Crescent interceptors.
Begun: 16/12/2002
Completed: 18/12/2002
Navis Synthesis
F-2795 Beta Nexus; an extensive military base on F-2795 in the DSN-3587 system. Includes a second Galactic Eye, a shipyard, starport, and SAD silos equivalent to 40 SAD launchers (virtually unlimited ammunition.) Additional production results in the construction of 2 additional Crescent warships, 2 Crescent fighters and 2 Crescent interceptors per day.
Begun: 16/12/2002
Completed: 20/12/2002
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-Esponer
(This message has been edited by SilverDragon (edited 12-17-2002).)