Two days after Lexington and the three Spruances left the system, a second 7000 ton ship glided into formation with the first. There was no hostile action, or even communication, from the second ship but the Nihon were obviously ready to deal with anything emerging from the jump point.
While the ships of the geological and gravitational surveys fleets were heading to Earth, the UTS command structure remained unaware of the situation and normal operations continued. The first two research projects for the hyper drive were completed, yielding a base model that would double the size of the basic engine and a more compact version that would increase engine size by only eighty percent. With further research technology, it was hoped that considerably greater size reduction could be achieved. UTS scientists began the task of transforming their theoretical research into a working engine, using the following design.
Hyper Ion Drive
Power Output: 60 Explosion Chance: 5 Engine Efficiency: 0.7
Engine Size: 9 Engine HTK: 4 Internal Armour: 0
Cost: 45 Crew: 45
Materials Required: 11.25x Duranium 0x Neutronium 33.75x Gallicite
Hyper Capable
Development Cost for Project: 1200RP
In Helsinki, adjacent to the key junction system of Warsaw, the Second Gravitational Survey Fleet completed its operations on June 3rd 2056, finding no new jump points.
On June 7th, Intrepid, Fletcher, Sprague and Turner transited into the Sol system with news of the dramatic events in Berlin. Their report send shockwaves reverberating through the UTS government, as officials scrambled to react to the new reality of another sentient race. Their concern was increased by the fact the Nihon were a mere twelve billion kilometers from Earth due to the proximity of the jump points in Sol, Washington, Lisbon, Brussels and Berlin. Fortunately, the Lexington and the three Spruances entered Brussels from Berlin before the geological survey ships left the system so the updated information gained from communication with the aliens was available, including the Nihon statement that they did not possess jump technology. While this could have been a ruse to deny knowledge of their capabilities, the opinion of Naval Intelligence was that the statement was probably correct as no Nihon ships had been encountered outside their own system and the slow speed of their ships was indicative of a lower level of technology than the UTS, although they may simply have emphasised firepower or protection over speed.
The Governor-General decided to send a diplomatic mission to the Nihon Empire while assembling a military force at the Brussels
