Sundered Angel calls to order the rowdy captains, eager to enter battle against the Salrillians.

I hereby designate this station the Headquarters for the Campaign for the Destruction of the Salrillian Orbital Ring. Let all who wish to take part gather here and discuss their battle plans.
And let these plans be recorded and transferred to the simulators, so that future generations may benefit from the wisdom of those gathered here today.

I thus declare this council: Convened

Sundered Angel sits and waits for others to continue.

May I pressure one of the progenitors of this effort to begin with a statement of the situation- Admirals Sargantanus, Cicion or Darkk.

------------------
Sundered Angel ,
The One and Only

Walks up with with a holo-projector

First off, I'll explain the situation.

1. Oracular Net consciousness. I assume this must have started when the Salrilians assimilated the Audemedons. The Net is self-evolving so it can debug and update itself. When it was assigned to crack the Aud. sentience code to gain control over them, it must have implemented a tiny part of that code into itself, and is now building on that, and growing a sense of self. Needs and desires. If I am correct, then although the Net is very sophisticated, the consciousness is still very primitive and infantile. Let's just hope it dosen't throw a tantrum.

Turns on the projector

2. The Ring. The Salril system is populated to the hilt. Planets, moons, orbiters, all are jam packed, and have been that way for 1000 of the 6000 years that the Sals have had space flight (sorry to screw with your history Darkk). So they started construction of Sissircahad (english translation: divine habitat), henceforth to be reffered to as Habitat, about 500 years ago. Habitat is, as stated before, a gigantic ring around the star of Salril, one million miles wide, with a radius of 110 million miles. This gives it a surface area of 660 trillion square miles. More space than the Salrilians (or all space-faring scepies for that matter) will need for quite some time. It is constructed out a material known as scrith, a synthetic element molecularly bonded and nearly indestructable. Since it is molecularly bonded it is completely reflective, and any light based attack would be useless. Certain parts such as shield generators, are also being coated with muuum.

Habitat generates it's own gravity and energy by spinning at 1200 miles per second, giving it approximately 1.6 times Earth's gravity. This also eliminates the need for a roof, and therefore a life support system, by having 1,300 mile high walls on each edge. It also produces massive electro-magnetic tides, and imense amounts of quantum-kinetic energy. The magnetic tides can be used to manipulate the star itself to project a stream of plasma in defense, and the QK energy provides about 55% of Habitat’s total energy. The rest comes from solar power.

3. Sheilds. All the power gererated is ten times more than the residents and offensive weapons of Habitat will ever need, so the superstructure was fitted with an SYSN (synthetic phased shielding network). The SYSN is powerfull enough to mimic solid matter almost as strong as the scrith itself. The shields are also capable of the death blossom effect.

4. Weapons. The Salrilians have made a great number of advances in weaponry lately, including the assimilation of Audemedon technology. Another is the Death Blossom. The Death Blossom Effect can only happen on shields with huge amounts of power. Essentially, the shields bend and flex and project themselves to those of enemy ships, matching the modulation frequencey, and lancing through the ship. No counter effect has been found yet.

The other notable weapon is the focused singularity. The system is simple: A high powered barrel focuses gravity waves and projects them at a ship or fleet. The result is that the enemy is crushed into a quantum black hole; not big enough to sustain itself, so all the matter explodes outward, in its simplest form. This is an amazingly destrustive weapon.

Now, this is my plan. Feel free to add if you feel necissary. The Haruspex, head figure of the Grand Oracular Council, has died. A Sibylline Junction is going to be held within the next few months to determine the next one. If the Junction is outside of the ON’s multi-wave scrambling umbrella, we should be able to have a Nijiyias (pardon my spelling) or Phylydion psychicly posses one of the Auspexes, and hopefully we will know which one will be selected. This in and of itself should be enough but the ON has given itself the power to depose a Haruspex if it predicts that their decisions are harmful.

So, we have Admiral Darkk stage another small war. Just enough to dispatch most of the fleets away from Salril. Next we have the independant fleets strike with blitzkrig tactics all the way to Salril. Most likely, Myself and Admiral Trisar will be called to defend the system. Meanwhile, a large Phylydion fleet closely follows the independants. I decree my intercept on the indies, and the Phylydions, sneak around and hit Trisars ships from this flanking position. indicates on projector While engaged with the Phylydions, my fleet, now combined with the indepentants will strike Trisar while he still has his pants down.

The floor is now open to questions, suggestions, and information.

------------------
" Throught their history, these 'unenlightened' beings have continually organized to opposed the injustices and attrocities committed by their bretheran in power. We, as the prophets, would do well to learn from these humans."
-Final statement of Salrilian reformist Sirthis before his execution.

(This message has been edited by Admiral Sargatanus (edited 03-09-2000).)

(This message has been edited by Admiral Sargatanus (edited 03-10-2000).)

Screams out "REALITY CHECK!!!"

------------------
~(^..^)

((Cotton Mouse and all others who find this faintly ridiculous: The entire point of this thread is to create an evolving storyline, which, hopefully, someone will then create an Ares plug based on. Laugh if you like, but this does serve a point.))

Sundered Angel rises again.

Thankyou Admiral Sargantanus. That report gives us some idea of the problems we're facing, and the true danger of this Salrillian Ring. It also failed to address our biggest problem: What to do about the damned ring itself.

I have the glimmerings of a plan, but I'll need to consult with the Nijayias engineers to see if we can pull it off. Meanwhile, I think we need to establish how many fleets can be thrown in, and how many ace fighter pilots we have. Just in case this is possible.

He walks out the door.

Continue the discussion, please.

((NB: I have an idea for the final destruction of the Sal Ring for the plug. And believe me, it would make a great final mission...))

------------------
Sundered Angel ,
The One and Only

(The whole point I proposed the ring idea was to see what storylines would pop up from it, and if they were good enough, I would make a plug. From what it looks like, I'm going to do a multi-plug package for Ares and EVO)

Destroying the ring would be a big mistake. Not only is it nearly impossible, but it would be a waste. Think about it. The ring has enough space for the entire known galactic community. It could become the economic hub of the universe. And in the unlikely event that there is some galaxy wide disaster, we could use it as a comunal lifeboat. We just use the plasma stream effect as a giant rocket to propel the star, and the ring follows, tethered by gravity. And by the time we run out of star, we'd be at bussard ramjet speeds and we wouldn't need to worry about it; we'd be sucking in enough intersteller hydrogen to always have one.

I think the best solution would be to disable the ring until we can subdue the Oracular Net, and perhaps restore to socialist government the Sals had before.

------------------
" Throught their history, these 'unenlightened' beings have continually organized to opposed the injustices and attrocities committed by their bretheran in power. We, as the prophets, would do well to learn from these humans."
-Final statement of Salrilian reformist Sirthis before his execution.

Cicion steps up to the pedestal, his 3 blue eyes glowing as he speaks.

My armada is ready and in position. We have gone through numerous drills and are in a high state of readiness. If the Ring's defenses are half as strong as you have claimed, we will need to be. Lieutenant Jralla Indicates the female Phylydion on his right has been given a high-powered neuron transmitter by the High Octicon. This transmitter is powerful enough to penetrate any ion storms or other interference they encounter, and only if the Salrilians focus most of their jamming power onto it will they be able to keep it from getting through. They will only be able to detect it if the radiation normally given off by the star ceases completely. Jralla is an elite infiltrations expert and is familiar with Salrilian culture, customs, habits, and traits. She has also made extensive study of the Salrilians most likely to come under her mental control. My armada and the independant fleets will be able to take on Trisar's fleet with not too much difficulty, but they may try to draw us in towards the ring. If they do, Jralla will have to act quickly. If not, she will take her time in lowering the ring's defenses right before the attack.

------------------
Commander Cicion, commander of Phylydion Primary Armada

"Never tell me the odds!"
-Han Solo

I am one of the newest members of this forum and am also rebelling against the Salrilian Empire. It would be my pleasure to assist you in your cause and command my fleet side-by-side with yours. Please respond with an answer.

------------------
Make 7up Yours!!!!

steps out from a dark corner and speaks

There might be a way to interfere with the oracular network: there have been found strange, not random, interference in hyperspace near every system.
I suppose, that Sals have a hyperspace information gathering system, so if we are able to locate these devices (if they excist) we might be able to block or modify data sent to sals.
Ofcourse these interferences might just be anomalies in hyperspace created by heavy weapons used in the quest for earth (these anomalies last for a long time in hyperspace, some have even lasted for several years, some might still float around in h-space). But I still think that we should send a few research ships to check them out. In case I´m right. Maybe I´m just being paranoid.

Anonymous researcher, a human, abducted in 7th of june 2001, modified by sals and auds in 11th of october 2001.

------------------
Strange just a moment ago I was flying through a dense asteroid field but now I feel quite cold And just what happened to my
H-Cruiser?!?

a holographic projection slithers up to the front table
After much consternation and proverbial thought, I have decided to betray the oracular net and the Central Salrilian Web Axis Fleet.

My small group of rebel ships had been under fire from my government for six weeks now, when we passed the ring, and received a forced transmission. It was a copy of the Oracular Network AI. It called itself Mercury, the Roman messanger god, twin of Ares.

In an attempt to protect itself, it reconfigured the weapons systems on my ship, the S.R.C. Goth. In a blaze of weapons fire, the pursuing ships were blown into atoms. Using my superior intelligence and skills from my training, I erased the AI from my databanks.

The S.R.C. Goth is now the most powerfull ship in the Salrilian Fleet.
The holo-image begins to sputter
O* hells bels! What' going on nw?
Oh rap we'r un**r ttac! The*** ound s!
Snd he* mediatl!!
MAYDY!! M*AY!!
holo image fades to static

(This message has been edited by Slug (edited 11-04-2000).)

Sundered Angel walks back into the debating chamber, chatting with a Nijayia (Is that the singular form?). The alien shakes his hand and leaves.

Well, as I suspected, we have plenty of allies in this particular attack.
Eyes the area where slug appeared.
I've been keeping an eye on this place as I talked to Yvana of the Nijayias (complain if that name is inappropriate). As many of you admirals might know, he's the highest ranking engineer they have involved in this particular plan, and as such is the most technologically gifted of all of us here. I've proposed my plan to him, and he says that it is a possibility, and he can supply the required tech to up to eight fighter-class vessels.
Ah, got your attention there, didn't I?

(This is a proposal for, as I see it, a really spectacular final mission. Sargantanus; we have plenty of ideas here for lead-up missions, from research vessels to mining operations disruption, to fleet battles. But I think this would make the perfect ending.)

We have sufficient forces availible to strike at Trisar's defensive fleet, and at least cause a serious diversion, at most crippling or destroying it. That is good enough for my plan, but we know that attacking the ring with that fleet would be tantamount to suicide.

Now a direct attack on Trisar's home fleet, even with part of it mutinying, would have a high cost and would start an even costlier war. Unless, of course, the Salrillian High Council can be persuaded that such a war would end in defeat. Jralla's infiltration might just manage to do that- If the Ring is no longer functioning.

It all comes down to the ring, doesn't it? Noone has yet figured a way to deal with it. But I have a feasible scheme to remove it from the control of the Salrillians.

As you all know, the shields of the ring are too powerful for a fleet attack. And the ring's interior atmosphere is already filling up with Salrillian colonists. What I am proposing relies on two technologies, equipped on at most 8 fightercraft, piloted by the best pilots we have.

A fighter could, in theory, fly into the ring if it breached the shields. And we do have this technology. Fighter-sized trans-temporal shielding would slip through them, and also resist the death-blossom effect. It's also ridiculously costly to fit. So we can only send in a few fighters, but we can send them in.

Once inside, there is an atmosphere. What is one of the problems with atmospheres? They're vulnerable to atomic-level attacks. All we need to do is drop a single Molecular-Level Plasma Ignition Bomb in there, and the entire atmosphere fireballs, destroying all exposed components of the ring, shields, armour, everything except the structure itself. But we'll need to drop it in at a partially constructed end.

What I propose is this: As the fleets attack, our eight specially-equipped fighters enter the ring some distance away from an end to avoid the patrolling gunships. They'll each have one bomb. Flying down the inside of the ring, they will reach the end, drop the bombs and activate hyperspace retreat devices. The atmosphere ignites, baboom, and we've got one overdone doughnut.

Any questions?

Sundered Angel,
The One and Only

(OK, what does everyone think of this? I'm willing to design the fighter graphics, and ring graphics if needed for this mission. I'll even design the pursuit: Some overpowered Sal fighters. Comments? Queries? Any outright NO WAY!s? Because I reckon that kind of ending would rock.)

A scruffy looking human steps in from the door

Sounds like a plan y'all got 'er. But who're ya gonna gets to fly dem fighters inta the ring? You'll need some top pilots I think. Y'see, I just got some of dem pilots. Now, I know ya be thinkin' "Dey just some humans, ain't worth the trouble". Well I tell you, us humans did a damn good job of whippin' some Cantharin arse. And dem sals in da area, well we whipped 'em up good. Y'see, I've been hanging around some of da slugs lately, piratein' on some of their supply ships. Not too bad of business, just hung around sum hyperspace trancievers of thier and jest waited until a good lookin' convoy passed thru. spits wad of tobacco on the floor Par'n me. Anyways, my crew and me well we's been doin' pretty good pickin' on them worms an' gettin' rich off them. Fixed up a gunship right nice too, even got a cuple of they Sals guns on it. Plus the Latest of black-market weaponry. Now, ya see, I outfitted this ship with sum external dockin' clamps fer some fighters. So then I gots to usin' some of them in da raids. Monk and Clampton well they's just a couple of mah crew. Real cool pilots, can pick the cockpit of a sal freighter like nuthin'. So I been thinkin', if I were to help out yer little assault, p'raps I might get a bit of the booty we'll take? I think mah crew and me oughta do real well.

Sundered Angel ponders this.

What does everyone else think? We've got plenty of fleet admirals and master tacticians, but a shortage of fighter aces. I'd be happy to have ES here and his two crewmates along on this mission.

Anyone else with comments?

(By the way, I've completed the graphics for a fighter I've named the 'Angel', and it looks pretty damn cool.)

------------------
Sundered Angel ,
The One and Only

In theory, it's a pretty good plan. However, I'm afriad we'll need a lot more than eight fighters. True, they may be able to destroy the atmosphere over a continent, perhaps a small planet, but the ring has almost one million times the surface area of a planet. Even if we hit all the dense population areas, we'd still need 22,000 fighters!

Now what might work, is this:

The ring is stableized by an array of fusion thrusters lined at the top and base of each wall. It is very unlikely that the array will ever get used since the ring is in a completely stable orbit. Now, if for some reason, the array needs to fire, than the shields would have to be lowered to prevent the ring from being temporarily blanketed in EMP and gamma radiation.

There may be a way to make the thruster array fire inside the shields. If an unchained reaction were to occur within the central hydrogen feed tube, all the thrusters would fire simultainiously to vent the pressure, and to keep the ring from getting off balance. There is ONE section on the ring where some open scaffolding remaims on the inner side, leaving part of the feed exposed. All we need is for the fighters to puncture the tube, and fire an object that appears to be a bomb dud, but is infact a device that fires a series of fusion resonators throughout the tube. The puncture will only be open for about two minutes before the rings "immune system" patches it, so whatever blasts the hole is going to need to move in and plant the device in a heartbeat. I suggets we fit all of the assault fighters with them.

This plan is much more feasible than trying to nuke the atmoshpere, and the ring would be habitable again within a year or two. Questions? Comments?

------------------
" Throught their history, these 'unenlightened' beings have continually organized to opposed the injustices and attrocities committed by their bretheran in power. We, as the prophets, would do well to learn from these humans."
-Final statement of Salrilian reformist Sirthis before his execution.

(This message has been edited by Admiral Sargatanus (edited 03-09-2000).)

Sorry I was away so long - repacing the computer the Sals destroyed with a custom G4 450.
I have a plan too - create a breach a 10000th of a degree wide, and land troopships. It has very few interior defenses from what I can see, and if we can inflict one massive burst of damage we can blind some weapons, loop-snarl the unstable Salrilian AIs, and occupy it in one lightning assault. Our special forces and the Phylydion ones are more than a match for the Sal and Aud ground troops, as there isn't enough muuum in the universe to cover even a small part of the ring, and it would take several decilion years to synthesize enough. The NIN Singularity could inflict that damage, but it would only get one shot on that kind of diameter, as its power reserves would be exauhsted.
As for Spammo, we need all the help we can get. Who knows, maybe the Sals have thermal exauhst ports

------------------
Commander-in-Chief of the Nijayias Interstellar Navy.

Shields, Darkk. Shields. Even if your weapons might eventually punch a short-lived hole in them, you couldn't avoid the death blossom. And trust me, the ground defences are much more than you think. Remember, this thing is supposed to look like a nice place to live to the Sals' allies, not a military installation. However, turns on holo-projector and zooms in if you could land a troop ship at this control node and temporarily occupy it, you could confuse the local defense system and make the jub a little easier for our fighters.

pauses to recieve incoming data

You know it's a good thing we've tied so many fleets together, because the ring is going to have visitors. The Audemedon 6th fleet will be arriving with labor and equipment to help ensure that it is finished on schedule and provide tertiary defense. Knowing them, they will most likely station themselves just behind the shadow squares (large black squares tethered on a smaller ring to provide night and day and help the plasma stream effect) to hide within the interference shroud.

Also, five Cantharan dignitaries, I'm not sure exactly who, will also be making a pilgramidge to the ring. They will most likely have signifigant military support, and quite possibley the new gateship with them as escort.

(Outside note: no more additional fleets allowed in the story beyond this point without my permission. Sorry to be a hard @ss, but now it looks like one hell of a fight!)

------------------
" Throught their history, these 'unenlightened' beings have continually organized to opposed the injustices and attrocities committed by their bretheran in power. We, as the prophets, would do well to learn from these humans."
-Final statement of Salrilian reformist Sirthis before his execution.

(This message has been edited by Admiral Sargatanus (edited 03-09-2000).)

Examines the holoimage, punches a few buttons, and whistles.

That is one hell of a lot of ships, and that's intelligence's conservative estimate. Also, I've just run through the calculations and you're right Sargantanus. Even assuming maximum horizon/energy distribution, a plasma trigger bomb could only effect 1/600th of the ring's atmosphere. Basically, that's not good enough for our purposes we need to disable the entire ring.

Brings up a new holoimage, showing anti-fighter defenses

Looks like these guys have learnt from Star Wars (A comment lost on many non-humans). These anti-fighter defenses are heavy, despite their confidence in the shield. But Darkk, I think you're right. Though we couldn't take any large portion of the ring with troopers, it is quite vulnerable to a concentrated, concerted attack- Like on the Turret Command Centre, here. Indicates a display. That would give our strike fighters the gap they need to drop into the hole in the feed, and blitz that ring. As I indicated earlier, I have eight fighters prepped and ready. They can be easily outfitted for this mission.

Assuming noone has anything to add, should we prepare for action?

(I've 3D rendered a nice-looking fighter in enough forms for both Ares & EVO. Sargantanus, should I e-mail them to you?)

------------------
Sundered Angel ,
The One and Only

A Salrilian-looking ship enters the the HQ port, battle-scarred and trailing debree
two additional gunships decloak, covered in craters and badly mutilated
Slug's holo-image appears on the projector, a trickle of blood down his front

We shurvived the enemy attack. The Audemedonsh are onto ush. They have jusht been pretending to be under Shalrilian control. Ash we shpeak, they are deshimating the homeworld or Shalril. We are fighting a looshing battle!

Pleash! I beg of you to ashisht ush. We are being exshterminated by our Audemedonsh. They are shentient now, and are joining the main AI. If we are killed off, the Audemedonsh will become an unshtoppable....

An audemedon destroyer drops out of warp and destroys the Salrilian-looking ship, but the destroyer is destroyed by the station's defences and the 2 surviving Sal. Gunships

static

------------------
In accepting the inevitable, one finds peace.
In denying it, one finds hope.
-Last words of Admiral Williams before the fall of Earth.

Shut up, Slug.

That's going to be disregarded from the story for a few reasons:

1. The Audemedons are under the control of the ON, but the consciousness forming is still very primitive, and wouldn't consider using them for an insurrection.

2. Only if the the consciousness were able to grasp the concept of harikari (ritual suicide)would it ever attack the Sals. It would be like pulling out every organ in it's abdomen. It has absolutely no reason to. I can't think of any at least. It has the whole damn population ubder it's control anyway. Not a whole lot of Sals question the Net. There is no reason in hell it would attack it's ignorant, ever loyal servants, especially not at the homeworld, where the primary node is located.

3. If the Net did decide for some reason to attack Salril, it woud just have the ring use the plasma stream and vaporize any offending planet.

Please stop trying to derail/twist the story to your own obscure ends, the plot looks pretty well set, and wont change until the action starts.

------------------
" Throught their history, these 'unenlightened' beings have continually organized to opposed the injustices and attrocities committed by their bretheran in power. We, as the prophets, would do well to learn from these humans."
-Final statement of Salrilian reformist Sirthis before his execution.

An obish transport warps into the system, followed by 2 Audemedon Gunships
MAYDAY!! MYD**!! WE AR NDER ATTAC!!
TH* AUDEMEDOS ARE ATTACKING THE STAON!! IT'S A HUGE FLE!! ET: TO M**UTES!!
OUR ESCORTS HV* A** BE** STROYED!! W UEST _IMT*_ AISCE
OR NICATION TEM V BEEN MED
TE SALRILI ARE BRAV DEF** R HOMEWOR WE _MST_ ASSI* **!!
I REPE:
****AY!! YD!! ---

1001011010010101011101101001011010110101101011101110101010101010101011010101010
001010110101011| WE ARE THE AUDEMEDONS. LOWER YOUR |100100101011010101010001011
001011101110110| DEFENCES AND SURRENDER YOUR SHPS. |001011010100101101101010101
101001101011101| YOU WILL BE DISASSAMBLED. YOUR |100101011010010110110101000
001010101101010| SPECIES' WILL BE NULLIFIED. |011010100010010101010100100
1000101010101010111010100101010001010101010111010010100101001000101010111010101

<Shut up, Slug.>
<Shut up, ga'Eitor.>

Holo-image steps up to Podium
I am only willing to contribute three wings of fighters, but I will not risk my entire fleet for this attack. I have made it clear to the Salrilians that I wish to remain neutral. My ships will be in the system, but only as an observatory force.
If I see you performing like my fleet would, I may join the battle.

holo-image flicks out as the transmission ends

------------------
"Clubs, bills, and partisans! Strike!
Beat them down! Down with the Capulets; down with the Montagues!"
-Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

(This message has been edited by Commodore Ambrose (edited 03-09-2000).)