Once More, With Feeling

[Shadowcatbot]

OOC wise what are we likely to notice/run into and what will the response of the natives be to our varying groups?

[Error]

Reports of oddities and strage happenings have come to the Commonwealth government; investigation has revealed a number of previously-thought-improbable psions - or psykers - on Novus. Two have agreed to medical studies; a number of Kassaan physicians and neurologists are examining them now.

- - -
The third Pegasus-class battlecarrier is complete; due to expenses, however, it is expected to be the last for some time. During trials, the ship's first commander decided upon the name - CSV Eyes Turned Skywards. It is expected the in-design Valkyrie-class will replace their larger predecessors in the shipyards.

[Professor Fenway]

OOC: Utter hostility. But they're still civilians, cowards.

BIC:

As they swept through another empty room, Lieutenant Ashley pressed the mic on her headset for a transmission. "Command, this is Alpha Squad. All the technology we're finding is extremely outdated. Aluminum frame fighters, copper wiring, and some sort of tube-based screens. No electronics in sight, unless they're the big bulking rows of machines in some of the rooms. We've encountered no resistance."

"Acknowledged, Alpha," replied Karlyus from the Unceasing. "Keep making your way to what we believe to be the command center. Scans also indicate that all lifesigns are drawing away from your squad. Whoever they are, they don't want to fight. At least, not now."

[Error]

'Looks like the goddamn Nostromo in there.' Mathias muttered to his XO. Lifting his handset, he linked to Karlyus.

'Karlyus, Mathias. Our team says there's no indication of any military presence yet; can you confirm?'

Covering the mouthpiece a moment, he nodded to his executive. 'Get an infantry team over there. And get me a hyperpulse link to the homeworld, ASAP.'

[Professor Fenway]

"We've been running tests Mathias," Karlyus responded. He sighed. "All the weapon signatures were falsified. No other teams have encountered resistance. This was a civilian ship." He reached to close the channel before noticing something. A gravitational fluctuation. A moment later, one of his officers came up behind him.

"Sir," he said. "The ship's gravity field has just failed. The ship is falling back into the atmosphere."

"How long have we got?"

"20 minutes." Karlyus turned to the broadcast channel.

"This is Karlyus. Scans indicate the ship is falling back into the atmosphere and will begin reentry in 20 minutes. Abort the mission. Take back anything you can. You won't survive the atmosphere of the planet, so don't take any chances."

[ACH0225]

The assault team received a notification, and began returning to their ship. As they turned, however, they heard a raspy breath from behind a low wall. On investigation, they recovered an insectpid creature, wholly unconscious. Putting it in a pressurized container, they returned to their ship.

As the city ship descends, the stealth ship remains gripped to the side. At the very last possible moment, in order to evade detection, they detach. Skimming, so to speak, the atmosphere, they cruise away from the other forces in system.

[Vinyl]

As they felt the ship start to fall, they received the order, pack-up and get out of there in the T-20 minutes left. Passing through cleared areas, the lot managed to make a safe return to the transport. They were going to pull the plug anyways, nothing noteworthy was found during the sweep.

[Error]

'All teams heading back. Raptors 303, 304, and 906 are two minutes out.'

Mathias nodded and sighed. 'Send that sensor data down to Science.'

[Ivan2006]

The Macaian Empire has made their previously secret research on Psionic manipulation public.
Psionic thrusters, which differ from conventional plasma thrusters in their lower fuel efficiency, but simultanious possibility of using somewhat more reactive and cheaper gases, such as nitrogen, as fuel, cutting down on range in exchange for lower costs, are being offered for civilian ships.
Simultaniously, the ME offers to equip search and rescue ships with psionic tractor beams.
It is to note, however, that in order to protect the technology, the devices are built to break if one were to attempt disassembly and thus maintenance is only to be executed by licensed Macaian engineering stations.

[Error]

The Commonwealth, after debating between the Clans and Parliament, has decided to offer a military alliance and free trade agreement to the Hexalan Expanses.

[Short Version: If either nation asks, the other will give them military assistance in a conflict, and no trade tariffs or taxes are imposed by either side. Also, it allows open access for any military vessel of either side to the other's space.]

[Vinyl]

Hexalan accepts the Novan alliance after long deliberations by the Board of Admirals.

Plans for revamping the navy are being started. Changes will include the introduction of new computers made using ME-made graphene processors, more resilient structural frames, more prevalent shield units, and the standardization of magnetic weaponry. It is currently unknown when the refits, shipbreaking, and new productions will finally cease. Early estimates posit that a functional force will be operational in the coming years.

[cats]

oh no it's alive

[Vinyl]

It's all Error's fault. I entirely blame him.

[Error]

*"Come at me bro" gesture*

[Error]

[Quick lore revision: due to me actually doing the math for ship mass, Novan battlecarriers are now considerably lighter (astonishingly low, at 42,500 tons) - thus, they are now landing-capable and rather more maneuverable. Fun fact: this is for a ship ~1700m long, 250m tall, and 450m wide; and only about 11x the mass of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.

Note: above calculations performed using the average density of the ship, and the rough dimensions.]