Once More, With Feeling

[Error]

//Indeed.//

The CSN has announced their decision to leave ship names to the vessel's first Commander; while current vessels keep their name, future ones are obligated to keep their given name. One Fleet Captain remarked, 'Should get interesting.'

[Ivan2006]

OOC: gonna wrap up some projects I've had going for some time
BIC:
A prototype of the Ray-class planetary attack craft has been completed and is being evaluated.
The designs for the two other new ship classes, the Sawfish-class area defense cruiser and the Egriea-class strike corvette, have been finalized and are entering prototype stage.

Graphene Processor-based psionic communications have reached operational capability and are being rolled out to the military.
[meta]Research on physical manipulation via psionics has had promising results, and it is expected that with enough power, a psionic tractor beam - like device could be built. However, the power requirements are still tremendous for moving heavy loads. Research to both make this technology more energy efficient and weaponizing it is commencing.[/meta]
The process of replacing the Macaian infantry with human-sized robots has been finished. Both domestic designs and Hexalani vehicles are being considered for the mechanization of these troops.

A major law reform now alllows for non-government news stations to openly broadcast in the ME.
Several independent and foreign channels are expected to make their way to the ME soon.

[Vinyl]

An initial wave of CNBC stations are being built in major Macaian areas. They will deliver more localized news, the series being CNBCm.

The ME and Hexalan have also mutually established embassy-garrisons at eachother's capitals.

[Archduke Daynel, PhD]

Thanks to the gravitational repulse drives, planetside shipyards are now feasible, and construction has begun of two on Technoma and one on the recently settled planet of Freya 075d (common name pending). TechTron do not have any official plans of sharing the technology in the nearest future.

Colonization of newfound planets is going along nicely, research has begun on the possibility of applying 3D-printing technology to construction.

[Ivan2006]

The ME has requested permission to licence-build graphene electronics from Tech Tron, with the proposed licence cost being 150% of the profits TechTron would otherwise make of producing and selling them.
This move is said to be aimed at supporting domestic industry.

[Archduke Daynel, PhD]

The Macaian request has been accepted.

Miniaturized gravitational repulse drives are being implemented in the already advanced suits of TechTron soldiers. Officials state that "Jetpacks are, sadly, a hopeless dream, but this solution should prove a very fine alternative."

[Vinyl]

The Hexalan Corporation has donated several large sums of credits to the ME, a bit over enough to cover the cost of their recently acquired license.

[cats]

Longpost is long.

Butik Space, Periphery, Aboard Butik Assualt Carrier Muraun

Thirty-three empty caskets streaked past the viewport. Thirty-three for the crew of the scout vessel that had the misfortune of coming across one of the mines sent by NR. The commanding officer of Muraun, Nukai Edrenthanis, watched as the silver boxes plummeted into the abyss.

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

Butik Space, Butik, Capital Palace, Admiralty Board Wing

A researcher stood at the narrow end of the conference room. The Imperial Minister Butik Lauraun sat in his mobile chair alongside the Merek High Ambassador. The researcher continued in his presentation, "The alien defense system is not entirely dissimilar to our own radiation shielding which creates an electromagnetic bubble around the craft that protects it from stellar winds. Though this system's field is much more, uh, concentrated." The researcher spoke quickly and was far too animate. Butik Lauraun ignored his blatant disuse of formalities. "That concentration allows the system to force a huge amount of charged ions to the field's surface."

Lauraun nodded slowly, a blank expression plastered on his massive face.

"At least that's what we gathered from the readings taken during the brief, uh, skirmish." The researcher paused as his eyes darted around the room to each of the admirals situated around the table. "We've experimented with field manipulation, the concept is similar to, uhm, the coagulated plasma weaponry I've demonstrated-"

Lauraun interrupted the rambling batii, "Will we be able to replicate this mechanism?"

"I believe so, the device that was salvaged from the wreckage was largely undamaged an-"

"How long?"

"The process of reverse engineering... Then there's prototyping, further development, our manufacturing plants were devastated by Karesh-"

"How long?" Lauraun repeated, louder.

The researcher stammered, then said, "If we're lucky, six months. Maybe a year."

Lauraun heaved himself from his chair and planted his hands on the table to steady himself. He leaned toward the researcher, "I was told you had something important. Something that could win two wars! Now our time is wasted on... conjecture and estimation while my fleets are already on the edge of known space, prepared to attack." He settled back into his chair. "A year. Bah! What's the effectiveness of this device?"

"We... Uh... We don't know yet, sir. Theoretically, passively, without interfering with any other ship systems, it could produce enough to equate to about, uh, a centimeter of the currently used armor... More depending on the amount of energy."

One of the admirals leaned toward Lauraun, "One half meter is the standard, sir."

The Imperial Minister pinched his eye's orbital bone. The High Ambassador chose this time to speak, "Butik obviously doesn't have the time to pursue this. Offensive action has already been taken against your nation. You've lost a warship to a foreign mine already and every day we're closer to the next incident. The next loss might be civilian. Give the device to Merek, my Commander has already pledged to assist you in any way. Allow us to produce the shields, our factories are intact."

Lauraun sighed, nodded, and spoke. "Someone fetch me my leg. I need a walk. You," he wept his arm toward the admirals, "finalize your offensive plans." he pointed to the researcher, "hand the device over to Merek, as well as any progress you've made so far."

A messenger entered, carrying a prosthetic leg.

Lauraun took his prosthesis and turned toward the Merek Ambassador. "My friend, help me to my feet."

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

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

A fleetmaster entered the room where High Commander Merek Iedrae was speaking with a small group of her diplomats. "Commander."

The Commander motioned for the diplomats to leave.

The fleetmaster said, approaching Iedrae, "your ambassador has secured a piece of alien technology from Butik."

Iedrae looked up from the documents she was reading. Luckily, she had decided to cover her ruined eye today. "What kind of technology?"

"A shielding device of some kind." Replied the fleetmaster.

"Our liar continues to exceed my expectations. Have our scientists begin work immediately."

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

Shihe space, orbit above Shihe, Capital Ship Rahn, Office of Shihe Rahn.

Rahn sat among screens that displayed the leaders of the various member states of the Alliance. The meeting had gone on for some time, most of which was filled with needless formalities, and Rahn was becoming bored.

The United Mundesh representative said, "So these... Macaians?"

"Macaian, yes." Karesh Nihen said.

"So these Macaians, we're going to try the adapted welcome procedure?"

"Yes. Simple enough, right?" Rahn confirmed lazily, a hint of contempt hidden in her tone. "That is of little importance now, we can contact the Novans if we need any assistance. We should discuss the Butik situation."

"Butik situation?" Inquired the head of Karth's government.

"Intelligence gathered by my sensor net suggests that Butik has made contact with another outside faction that may be related to NR." Nihen explained. "That contact ended badly. I and Rahn believe that Butik is preparing for an all-out war with the foreign nation."

When Nihen finished his sentence, Rahn continued, "The question is: will Butik's actions be perceived as an offense from our entire race and what could we do to prevent that?"

"And Merek." Nihen interjected. "Their High Commander has covertly expressed a desire to dissolve existing feuds and war contracts and join the Alliance. She also stated that she was willing to use her ties with Butik to manipulate it under her terms. This could be of use to us."

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

A full diplomatic fleet is en route to the Macaian contact point.

The Novans have been contacted via hyperpulse. The Alliance wishes to discuss urgent matters involving the galactic community.

[Error]

An acknowledgement has been sent; several diplomats and a Staff Commander are en-route via the carrier Hades to a contact point just outside Alliance space.

- - -
Pegasus has been returned to the yard for an interspace drive to be fitted; the second of her class, yet to be named, is approaching completion, with only some internal systems, hangar systems, and weapons to be fitted.

The Commonwealth-based corporation Quantum Lock Shipyards has announced something of a novelty in spaceflight; small, single- or double-seat craft for touring, exploration, cargo, and to a limited extent, combat. These craft are mostly prototypes, but base variants are available to anyone wishing to purchase them, with controls configurable for all known species.

[Meta]A third Prowler has been completed; Apocrypha, in turn, has been returned to the shipyards for a full refit and update. [/meta]

[Ivan2006]

The Macaian diplomatic convoi has exchanged further information and formalities with the Batiss and has learnt of their Clan-society.
The ME proposes exchange of information on other known species and factions.
The Macaian government is now making the discovery of the Batiss public.

Edit: adjusted to remove accidental metagaming/godmoding

[Error]

Holy metagaming, batman. You have no guaruntee the Batiss told you about those NC/NR contacts unless Mercury sez so.

Gr8 b8 m8 i r8 8/8

[Ivan2006]

fixed

[Professor Fenway]

[Meta]NR Probes in Butik space have transmitted images of an assembling offensive fleet. One probe self-destructed after being intercepted by an enemy ship; from the data collected from another nearby probe, the enemy ships do not appear to have substantial energy shielding, which would normally absorb a nuclear blast.

Operation Nemesis has been cancelled and aid to the rebelling factions is being cut off. All agents are being pulled back, and the NR government will no longer interfere. On the other hand, fleets and battle forces are being readied for an imminent invasion and war. A fleet of 12 ships with augmented hardware (Plasma shielding and long-duration Fusion Coil Splicers) ((The destroyers previously had normal photonic shielding, not plasma shielding, which is much stronger. But the concepts are very similar)) is being sent to further scout their space and to determine strengths and weaknesses in the enemy fleet. At this stage, diplomacy is out of the question.[/Meta]

The government has announced that the Planetary Class 'Planet Cracker' is far ahead of schedule [meta]due to the Ion Lance being, surprisingly, effective in fine construction at lower power levels, and other factors such as material surplus[/meta]. The Gravitational Anchors and lifting modules have been completed, with the rest of the ship underway across NeoRoman space.

[Vinyl]

Hexalan has offered to provide long-term assistance with the construction of the 'Planetary-class' vessel.

Hexalan reminds NeoRome of their standing offer.

[Error]

Either Hexalan is genuinely being helpful, scamming like mad, or trying desperately to get intel agents into every empire possible.

Not sure which.