Once More, With Feeling

[cats]

Forgot about this.

Whoopsie.

[ACH0225]

I like how nobody has noticed the Strigiforme province full of humans that is in active insurrection like the current human factions used to be. Here is my rant on the topic.

Spoiler:

Yep, some areas much like the current human factions are in revolt. You might be asking yourself, "Well ACH, didn't they already all break away?" The answer, my geopolitically ignorant hypothetical reader, is most definitely not. While some human areas were able to break away(in fact, most of them did) the Strigiforme are not just going to give away territory, the inhabiting species be damned. At the Peace Conference Prior to This RP, the Strigi coughed up the actively rebelling territories, notably Terra. They did not, however, give every human area their freedom. I would assume the nameless, faceless leaders and diplomats negotiating the peace treaty would know this, and also know that the Strigi will not willingly give out territory. Thusly, after the negotiations, the human Diplomats likely circled the remaining human areas in the Strigiforme and scribbled next to them, "try to get later". Now, the provinces themselves are pretty miffed; they want the whole human-nation self-determination shebang too. They likely fought some, too; maybe not as hard as the rest, and that's why they weren't ceded out. They now get to face harsher and harsher rulers in the Strigiforme due to their revolutions, facing pogroms and racial conflict and the like. They also get to watch as their comrades who did get independence watch this and sit around with their thumbs up their asses. Now, mentally they know that trying to invade the Strigi to free them is dumb and a bad idea, but they still are living horrible lives and looking for something to blame. So, now they are revolting from the Strigi, getting absolutely murdered. Well, now they can get some covert arms from those other big, industrialized human nations, right? Well, so far no; none of you have elected to send them some shite. Now that I bring this to your attention, you have a few options as I see them.

1) Continue to sit on your asses and do nothing- Safest option, but you gain nothing and lose the opportunity for new territory/hurting the Strigi. If everyone or most people do this, Strigi will most definitely win; the current rebellion is smaller and less potent than the prior one

2) Help them covertly- They're using captured Strigi shit supplemented with molotovs and gardening implements. You have the capability to send them real guns and tanks and space fighters. Strigi will definitely notice, but they can't really take action directly. Expect a shadow war with Strigiforme Special Services groups, with varying levels of trouble. Outcome is pretty variable here; you might get territory, you might have all your reactors melt down or shit from sabotage.

3) War- Most extreme option, straight up war. You might be able to take some territory by force, but likely very little at high cost. The Strigiforme have been shedding 'fat' over time, and have lost most non-Strigiforme majority areas. This is one of the last ones, and certainly the largest current one. You might get the territory, but this is the riskiest. No idea what would happen.

4) Make your own- Independent thought

Please, don't ignore my really blatant plot-starters.

Tl;Dr: Humans in Strigi rebelling. Stop ignoring.

[Vinyl]

I had no idea they were there. I don't recall reading anything on them prior.

[Professor Fenway]

Sorry about not noticing. NR has now noticed after being told of situation by agents.
_______________________________________________________________________
[Meta]The Plasma Shield has been perfected and production is being rolled out. Due to the nature of recent events, details and schematics on the Plasma Shield are being shared with the Novan Commonwealth for mutual benefit.

The Hierarch has approved a large-scale covert operation within rebelling Strigiforme-Human territory. Unmarked and generic convoys are planned to be sent to select worlds of high strategic importance to the Hierarchy. These freighters will deliver military hardware to the rebels, complete with instructions and basic training on using the hardware. Operatives and strategists will also be planted to guide the revolutionaries and to guide strategic and tactical operations.

These freighters are being equipped with plasma shielding and two specially modified jump drives per ship. The jump drives have had certain safeguards removed, allowing for the ship to jump into-and out of- a planet's atmosphere. The plasma shielding is expected to protect the ship from atmospheric interference from the jump, and the dual drives will ease the load on jumping into an atmosphere.

Time is of the essence- three systems have been chosen for Operation Nemesis, with more pending on the success of the operation.

In addition, the Hierarchy is debating on whether to send Fusion Coil Splicer units with the freighters; being autonomous, they can be deployed in massive numbers separately, but the risk of the technology falling into enemy hands is high, and the Splicers can be easily traced back to NR, despite having never been used or even revealed to any empire.


In other news, the first expedition team has begun mapping what appears to be a docking area, where Gluon has docked. The area is surprisingly similar to modern day docking spindles, even in layout. So far, however, nothing of interest has been located. The entire section appears to be empty of anything of value. No computers, terminals, artifacts, nothing.
[/Meta]

The primary superstructure of the Planet Cracker has been laid out.

[Error]

[Meta] The Terran Union has attempted to step up their clandestine evacuations, but Strigiforme patrols are limiting this. [/meta]

Despite rebellions and unrest, the Terran Navy has sent three relief vessels (hospital ships) into the warzone, with a note to the Strigiforme that attacking them may result in a resuming of hostilities.

Three planets have broken away from the Union via armed rebellion; the Navy is attempting to recapture Tau Ceti IV, which is now under a military dictatorship by the rebels. The Navy has begun both ground operations and precision orbital strikes.

- - -
CSV Hades, hurriedly fit with a plasma shield (With thanks to the NeoRomans), is wake-jumping a colony ship refitted as a hospital ship to the rebelling Strigiforme territories. The Novans have informed the Strigiforme the carrier will only ever act in defense of the relief ship or itself ("So don't shoot them.").

[Meta]A purpose-designed Prowler stealth vessel, CSV Blink of an Eye, has been completed; it is currently deployed to Tanis for defense and further observation of the Great Derelict. It is the first Prowler to be armed, with twin 150mm railgun.

Prototypical Ion Cannon designs have been shared with the NeoRomans, noting the heat and range issues; it is stated to be a medium-range anti-structure beam weapon. Prototype designs for a laser point-defense system have also been shared.[/meta]

[cats]

Butik/NR contact zone, aboard runner corvette Amekodo

Two drives, two capacitors, two slips, one shot. The Merek Fleetmaster/Butik High Ambassador turned to his navigation and weapons officers and asked of the status of the dual drives and ion cannon before checking their reports against his own console. He hadn't slept in nearly fifty hours, the stress of his mission and copious stimulants only added to his anxiety. He was still wearing the colors of both Butik and Merek as he gave the order to enter realspace.

The ion cannon had been modified, its radiation signature would appear slightly different from any Batii model. The slip-merge signature was masked with amplified recordings taken from the humans' drives.

Amekodo lurched into the line of alien ships. The ambassador's voice shook as he issued his command. A bolt of directed energy leapt from the runner's prow and streaked toward the Butik ships. Amekodo emptied its remaining capacitor bank into the second drive and exited realspace.

===============

Butik/NR contact zone, aboard Butik assault carrier Muraun

"Sir, energy spike... confirm weapons fire from alien fleet, doesn't match any known system."

"Shit. Send word to the rest of the fleet. Open fire, drive them back to wherever they came from."

"Aye, sir."

===============

Merek territory, Merek, Capital Palace, Chamber of High Command

The High Commander of Merek pushed her control panel away and stood from her chair. She lifted a hand and spread her thumbs, motioning for her two guards to leave the chamber. As they left, they activated an ECM and sound-sealed the doors. The scar that bisected her broad, angular face twitched as she waited. "Is it done?"

The Fleetmaster in his stained ambassador's robe bowed his head. "Your orders were carried out successfully, commander. According to scout reports, the Butik fleet took our bait, fired upon the human fleet."

"And our friend Lauraun?" Her wide-set eyes narrowed to slits as she spat the word 'friend.'

"He knows nothing, at least I think."

"Good. Then you will resume your duties as my ambassador. You've planted the seeds of dissolution, now they have to germinate. Guide Lauraun into his grave, make sure he takes his clan with him and we'll come out all the better. I don't like resorting to such a dishonorable tactic but we have no choice."

E: autocorrect

[Ivan2006]

[meta]ME research has managed to increase the force applied to objects using enhanced psionic abilities to the point where small objects can be moved.
Utilizing the computing power of graphene processors, electronic relays for telepathy are entering prototype stage, effectively making telepathy over interstellar distances possible. This technology is being developed into field-ready equipment.[/meta]

The first of the new ship classes, the Ray-class planetary attack craft, inspired by manta rays from Earth, has been revealed. So far only concept art is available to the public, but construction of the prototype has already been initiated.

[semi-meta]ME scouts have stumbled upon Batiss space. While the government has not officially made the discovery public yet, this is planned for as soon as more is known about the newly discovered civilization.[/meta]
OOC @Catsonmeth: due to technology trades, ME drives have the same signature as human ones.

[Error]

@Mercury I shall assume our diplomats have managed to scramble together a basic translator and have exchanged pleasantries and such. I shall also assume both sides of the Novan-Batii meeting have gone home, but we are in contact via probes. Fair?

[ACH0225]

Resistance to Strigiforme conquest of the rebelling sectors has intensified, with the Strigiforme lines stalling in their advances due to strengthened rebels.

[meta]The Special Services groups in rebel areas have identified several unmarked freighters entering some key worlds. These freighters have been seen jumping into the atmosphere. Capture of one is of high priority to the SS. Additionally, the cells placed in human nations are feeding back reports of possible involvement with the rebellion; Novus, NeoRome, and the Hexalan are suspected. Agents are being placed in key locations such as private weapons manufacturers, and saboteurs have planned several terrorist strikes against key shipyards in Novus space, to be claimed as the actions of a separatist group on one small Novan colony.[/meta]

[Ivan2006]

Upon being asked about the topic by various international reporters, the ME has released the following statement regarding the human rebellons in Strigiforme space:
This is a rebellion in a foreign empire with no involvement of any species present in the demographic of the Macaian Empire. As the rebellion is also not appearing to be a threat to Macaian interests, be they economical or political, and no appearent gain from supporting either side is present, the ME elects to stay neutral in the subject. Refuge camps are however being set up fpr any refuge that manages to reach ME space. Refuges will be required to emigrate again as soon as possible though, as the ME still does not permit permanent immigration of non-Macaians.

[Error]

(ACH, the Novan overtly (they sent a bunch of transmission to you) sent a hospital ship and a carrier to provide medical aid, so yeah, there will be indications of our involvement. Novus made no moves to even try and hide it.)

[ACH0225]

The Strigi figure you are doing things covertly too; they know about the hospital ships, but think you could be sending weapons, equipment, ect.

[Error]

Ah. I thought you had misinterpreted.

[Professor Fenway]

Natalie braced against the command console as the ship shook immensely. "Taking heavy fire!" Yelled the sensor operator as sparks fell from the ceiling. "Shields 40% and dropping-"

"Fire back!" Natalie screamed back. "Helm, get us out of here! We're outgunned!"

The ships shuddered as deep blue beams shot out from everywhere on the destroyers, piercing shields and wreaking havoc in the Butik fleet. But there was no telling how much damage had been done; the view was obscured by weapons fire and explosions, and it wasn't known whether the shields or hull was causing them. The destroyer swung around and began accelerating, continuing to exchange weapons fire with the fleet. Energy sparked from the ship as the warp drive extended, and with a roar the ship entered warp space. Natalie picked herself up and looked around the command room. Sparks were still flying, and one of the consoles had burst into flame. They had taken a beating.

"Damage report," said the head engineer, "decks 2, 3, 5 are heavily damaged. Secondary capacitor is on fire, and hallways 2 and 3 are blocked by debris. Shields have completely failed. Warp drive operating at 78% capacity, engines at 56% capacity."

"And the others?" Natalie asked.

"Magnus reports similar damage. No response from Limitless." Outside, the warp tunnel glowed and shifted as they passed through. They were entering a backwater NR system, the closest system their ships could get to.

"Sensors, what happened? I did not authorize any weapons fire against the unknown fleet."

"I don't know.," said the sensor operator. "Sensors were knocked out for a few seconds by a massive FTL signature which overloaded the systems. Past that, nothing. And this bird doesn't have many windows."

"Observation," Natalie said, this time to the computer. She held down a button as she did so. "Did you catch anything?"

"Weapons fire appeared to come from Limitless," responded another officer through the room's intercom. "But I can't be certain." Natalie sighed and sat down in the command chair. She slowly spun around to face the console.

"Inform the Hierarchy when we exit warp," Natalie ordered. "They need to know that something's going on."

[Vinyl]

As more and more issues arise within the Exion, all worlds are undergoing an extensive fortification project. Large amounts of mining equipment is being sent over to the ME to collect resources for the project. Efforts to boost recruitment are at an all-time high. Trade is thinning as border control is tightening, the amount of time at checkpoints is simply not worth it to many couriers.

EDIT: Changed ME system to ME in general.