The Galaxy Awaits ... Choose Your Path!

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

Failures of Imagination

Frank Borman once famously used those words to describe the training accident that killed three Apollo astronauts more than 120 years ago.  As the Navy's engineers attempted to hammer out effective ship designs for Operation Frozen Vengeance, they became watchwords again.  It seemed that another point in history had been reached where not all the possibilities had been fully considered. 

History is a very strange thing sometimes.  So many times it has happened that the course of a man, an army, a nation has been governed by an occurence of seeming incredible improbability.  Smooth progress often seems rather more the exception than the norm.  SPACE has over its history had such periods, but also many where humankind advanced by fits and starts.  Great plans can be made and erected only to find they've been built with an insecure foundation, or in the wrong place entirely. 

At the beginning of 2088, it seemed that at the moment the most important consideration was a ball of rock, smaller than many regional geological features on Earth, more than 11 billion kilometers away.  The history of Sedna itself is an example of both the failures, and successes, of human imagination.  It was not discovered until 2003, and less than two years after it was surveyed the civilians began mining it in November 2046 -- more than 40 years ago.  This was an achievement beyond amazement at the time, given the very basic state of even SPACE's spaceflight capabilities.  Jump Theory had just been discovered and we were in the nuclear thermal age of propulsion.  It was the very unlikelihood of it that even made it possible:  the Ministry of Resource Development(MRD) had failed to file the necessary paperwork mandating the 1600-km-wide dwarf planet as an official colony, thereby precluding any civilian involvement, because it had been deemed unnecessary:  the idea of any private sector group going to the at-the-time astronomical expense of traveling that far from Earth was ludicrous.  Ludicrous, that is until it happened.  Fortunes were invested in the very speculative enterprise, and where SPACE's imagination failed, theirs succeeded almost beyond measure. 

For 41 years and counting, Sedna has been Sol's best source of duranium and the most plentiful outside of Venus.  It now contributes almost a third of the total mineral haul and about two-thirds of that vital building block without which any major TN application is flatly impossible.  Compared to any other known material, duranium's tensile strength is simply not approached.  It is virtually priceless. 

As the plans for the new ships were designed, re-designed, and pored over, cracks in the Frozen Vengeance concept appeared.  The first was that the new ships would have to be larger and more expensive than originally thought, and with less capability.  Engineering was unable to come up with a reasonable design that would allow for more than 3600-3800 km/s, far faster than the current Nimitz/Brooklyn ships but not as fast as was hoped.  The meson turrets and fire controls were more massive than had been originally considered and functionally impractical. 

At the same time, questions began to be more fully considered as to what would happen after Frozen Vengeance.  If the operation failed, there was certainly a marginal risk.  Humanity's survival to this point was due mostly to the fact that the Ratamli apparently do not consider us a significant threat.  An attack could change that, but what had not been fully considered before was what would happen if we succeeded?  An attempt to subdue the entire Epsilon Eridani system was the logical answer.  This is where Sedna came in:  any such attempt would likely be occuring around the turn of the century, in the middle of what is the expected timeframe for the coming mineral crash.  Failure or success would both result in the same problem:  a need to divert a lot of resources to the combat wing of the Navy at a time when it will likely be the least affordable. 

Faced with these factors, and an revised analysis giving a low chance of success, Burt Stonerock was virtually forced to conclude that continuing the operation would be a clear case of throwing good money after bad.  Thirty years after the fact emotions still run high in some quarters, particularly in the Navy, but the economic base to fight and win a technologically inferior war does not yet exist.  Without it, beginning the fight is now deemed a fruitless enterprise.  A significant amount of research capacity has been diverted to Frozen Vengeance the last few years, but aside from that, there has been little wasted.

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

JANUARY - JUNE 2088

With a punitive expedition tabled indefinitely, SPACE still needed to find a more modern approach to defending Sol.  Every analysis showed the same problem:  the missile bases were good for PR, but might not be good for anything else.  The best chance for defense would be at the jump points themselves.  If a hostile force ever penetrated into the Sol system, they quite probably -- particularly if the technology gap is as significant as it appears to be -- could simply assault Earth and the colonies at range.  Bottling them up with a dedicated jump point defense was the only option that allows some chance no matter what their capabilities.  Thus began the planning for the Guardian.  A small warship designated as a corvette, it would need a few small systems but nothing requiring a major effort.  A full design spec is expected in months. 

Back to normal business.  To start the year, Lt. Bertha Trammel heads out to Saturn to take her first command on one of the Long Beach harvesters.  This is notable only because she has the highest scores in combat initiative ever seen despite being only a year and a half out of the academy.  Quite literally off the previous charts, she's redefined what's possible possessing an almost preternatural sense of what her opponent's next several moves will be.  It will be interesting to see where this tactical genius takes her in the SPACE Navy. 

It was a quiet-ish first couple of months.  The first real news at all was completion of retooling for the new Tarawas, with the announcement that theirs would be one of the most cost-effective refits.  Only about 40% of the cost of a new ship would be needed.  Late February was the timeline here.  March began with a major advancement in planetary sensor capabilities(Dr. Julio Kuchler).  Techniques effectively increasing the detection range of tracking stations by more than a third are involved, allowing for more advance warning in the case of any approaching threat.  His efforts will next be put toward improving our missile tracking techniques in an attempt to make beam point defense a more viable option.  A few days later Reinmuth governor Philomena Hubner, a mid-level administrator at best who did not leave a particularly lasting impact, retired at 64.  Once among the most important mining outposts, Reinmuth still has 34 automines and is one of the biggest neutronium sources, assuring it will maintain relevance for decades. 

New developments continued to come fast and furious in March.  The last of the new Iowa XR tankers was finished on March 12, and about the same time the decision was made to cease shipyard expansions.  None were vitally needed now -- it would be nice to keep the P&A Group SY expanding as preparation for eventual larger harvesters but far more important was to preserve as much duranium as possible.  Meanwhile it was discovered that there was a miscalculation in the jump shuttle:  the plans would require a slightly larger jump drive, requiring another round of testing before that design could proceed. More harvesters finished their refits, research was completed on the first of the new Guardian systems, the Venus Ticonderoga 82 sensor base was made operational ... and March wasn't even over yet.  Before it was, Dr. Deborah Barnhouse(42) became the first elite scientist in the Defensive Systems field, most notable for advances in armor and thermal emissions masking, in probably a decade or more.  Theoretical Cloaking Theory concepts is her current tasking.

April was a busy month as well.  The completion of another terraforming installation and deployment to Luna was a big piece of welcome news to start the month.  It ended well also, with the finalization of the blueprints for the new jump defense ship:

Guardian Jump Defense Missile Corvette
Size:  1.9 kt
Crew:  85
Speed:  947 km/s
Fuel:  50k(8.1b km range)
Armament:  5 anti-ship missile launchers(Exorcist 85i-S, short-range variant currently being researched).  1 Fire Control each with 4.6 million km range. 
Cost:  279k

The Guardian concept is presently planned to be the first and best line of defense against an invasion.  Should the worst happen it will launch two volleys of missiles and then retreat.  Multiple squadrons are planned on a rotating basis at both Lalande and Epsilon Eridani jump points.  Niehuis SY will do the honors, first retooling and then building the first pair of ships while adding slipways to be able to handle several at once eventually.  The first will enter production in about two months, late June. 

Summer began with the announcement that the plans for the jump shuttle were finalized.  Well, two of them in this case:

Caldwell(J) Jump Shuttle
Size:  1.5 kt
Crew:  33
Speed:  2100 km/s
Fuel:  600k(30.5 billion range)
Cost:  243k

The range is not as much as would have been preferred here.  This will be used for transitioning VIPs between systems. 

George Washington Survey Shuttle
Size:  1.15 kt
Crew:  27
Speed:  1565 km/s
Fuel:  350k(94 billion range)
Cost:  181k

As the name suggests, the George Washington is optimized for deploying ground survey teams.  It is smaller and cheaper due to the use of more efficient thrusters, which also allows it to carry much less fuel.   

In similarly timed political news, Director Stonerock has improved his terraforming oversight, marginally accelerated work on Mars and Luna.  At present Mars has 6.4% of the needed oxygen in it's atmosphere, while Luna which just started has 0.4%.  Venus surpasses Titan, the last of the inner-system colonies to do so. Both are about 18 million strong. 

On June 24, the first Guardians entered construction.  Niehuis SY will also be adding slipways to facilitate faster servicing and construction of the corvettes.  While it has not taken the form the Navy desired or intended, this will unquestionably be a better tool for defending the system than what they currently possess.  Meanwhile the preparations to colonize Luyten continue as well ...


Earth

January 1 -- Final Portland II transport scrapped. 

Mid-January -- Another Long Beach refit completed. 

February 26 -- Retooling finished for Tarawa

February 30 -- First New Iowa XR finished and will await the return of the ESFs.  Scrapping of the old Iowas begins. 

March 12 -- Second and final of the new Iowa XRs completed. 

March 24 -- Another five long beach harvesters are refit and make the journey back to Saturn. 

April -- Second terraforming installation complete and departs for Luna. 

May 7 -- Last of the 'old' Nimitz/Brooklyn navy ships finishes their fleet training.  At this point their role is to join the Alaska bases in a last-ditch defense of Earth. 

May 28 -- Iowa tanker scrapped. 

May 30 -- First of the Tarawa collier refits finished. 

June 9 -- Last of the Iowas scrapped. 

June 24 -- Niehuis SY begins the first pair of Guardians, along with adding a third slipway.  At the moment each slipway can build two per year. 


Personnel

June 11 -- Director Stonerock has improved his terraforming oversight, marginally accelerated work on Mars and Luna.   


Research

** March 2 -- Planetary Sensor Strength improved(Julio Kuchler)

** March 16 -- The missile fire controls for the Guardian are complete(Carl Fosberg).  New miniaturized magazine still needed.

** April 25 -- Elyse Buckler finishes the new magazine for the Guardian corvettes. 

** May 15 -- In another development that might be useful someday at best, Dante Sawatzky finishes work on improving shield regeneration abilities. 

** New jump drive finished(Irving Steinmeyer).  Ready for use with jump shuttle. 

** June 25 -- Reynaldo Darrington's research team has developed new ways of increasing the random spread of 'combat jumps' from 100k km to 250k, though it does require a slightly larger jump drive to achieve this effect. 

Colonial Developments

March 17 -- Venus Ticonderoga 82 finished. 

June 7 -- Sedna expands to 51 CMCs.

Mid-June -- Ticonderoga 82 construction begins on Io.

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

JULY - DECEMBER 2088

On July 6, Bessie Wallander(SF, 52) becomes the fourth active elite research lead and second in the still-strong sensors field along with Kuchler.  At present her work is very long-term, working on the next generation of thermal sensors.  Her lab space is doubled to four in order to allow it to proceed at a quicker pace, an exception to the usual rule of three.  Retooling for the new George Washington survey shuttle finishes in the middle of the month, with an initial pair expected later this year. 

At about the same time, a 17th automine is deployed to Whipple and this is determined to be a sufficient quantity.  That allows for 35 years of duranium production, about 70 of mercassium.  While duranium continues to increase for the time being, nearly at 20kt now which may be a record high, neutronium/corundium/mercassium are all stagnant or declining barely enough to be perceptible.  As the best available untapped source in Sol of the first pair of that trio, it's time to develop Herschel-Riggolet.  Three shipments of are expected to the comet(a total of 14 automines and a mass driver) which is still 7.7b km distant -- they'll be stashed on Venus until a full order is ready. 

August brought more important news.   It's not often these days that a new branch of technology opens up, but that happened on the 18th as Alphonse Lambeth finished a report detailing a collection of new techniques for living on hostile words.  Effectively this will result in a 5% reduction in needed infrastructure.  All of the Mars/Luna types(atmosphere not breathable but otherwhise suitable) will require 190 instead of 200 per million, Titan is down from 700 to 665, etc.  This will result in a marginal but very significant in the aggregate savings as colonization proceeds.  Further advances are considered inevitable, and will be highly prioritized now in the LG research field.  The less infrastructure we build the less duranium we have to expend -- a ton saved is a ton earned.  A Division HQ structural protocol for the army is Lambeth's next barrel of fun.

A rash of civilian ships were scrapped about a week later.  About a dozen, the most seen to date at any one time, and while they are usually disposed of when a new more modern ship is built almost none were replaced.  Half were Voliva vessels.   It appears their declining fortunes may be starting to hit them where it hurts.  It could be the beginning of a downturn in the civilian sector of the economy as whole however, and that would be a more serious matter ...

The month wasn't done yet.  On the 28th the massive retooling efforts for the North Carolina jump superfreighter were finished ... and a surprising effect noticed. . It seems the yard is also capable of building the 'normal' South Carolina superfreighters without retooling.  Engineering speculates it is likely possible, if desired at some point, to build a jump capable version of the Spruance, Fletcher, Gato, Long Beach, etc. if warranted and build both versions from the same shipyard, saving on shipyard and retooling costs. 

As for the North Carolina itself, two will be built initially at a cost in excess of 7.6 million credits,  more than three kilotons of duranium, and lesser amounts of other minerals.  It's the front-end effort that's needed though to be ready for the colonization push.  By late next year the first should be ready, the final pieced needed to be in place for moving initial equipment to Luyten, should the order be given ...

With the finalizing of the new Sentinel 420.7 sensor package a week into September, a modernized version of the sensor vessels was readied.

Forrestal 88i Sensor Vessel
Size:  650t
Crew:  13(14)
Speed:  5538 km/s(3692)
Fuel:  100k(47.6 b km range)(up from 50k to ensure enough range for large systems)
Sensor Range:  4.6m km(3.2m km)
Cost:  154k(95.6k)

More expensive this time around but significantly higher performance.  At the start of October the  Krohn naval shipyard was finished to handle them.  With the new sensors, engines, expanded fuel tanks refitting is not an option.  For the next couple years or so adding slipways and replacing the current Forrestal fleet will keep it busy. 

At the end of the month there was a rather ironic political development.  Burt Stonerock's decisive leadership has him as a polarizing figure, but one growing in popularity overall.  A few important officials have flocked to his cause, which is somewhat humorous given that he's the only director SPACE has ever had get to the Office without a significant amount of this kind of groundwork done ahead of time.  Seems he's put the cart before the horse, so to speak. 

The last couple months were mostly about the ground geology teams.  On November 19th the ball got rolling with the deployment of the first two GW shuttles.  As with the diplomatic teams, the selections were made from those not in vital major responsibilities already in their respective branches of service. Several of the best were restricted from this duty in that way.  A real discussion point was had with rising star Dr. Elliot Monks(DS, 34) -- it was decided his services are best used in research even though he would be able to strengthen the survey efforts.  Selection for the teams gifted eight lieutenant commanders, two lieutenants, and even an ensign(Marcus Zavier) an immediate pass to Commander rank for their service.  Other than a pair of out-of-work scientists, the Navy contributed all the team members.  It also provided an opportunity to resolve the ex-Caldwell commanders left out of work when that class shrunk.  There were nine such individuals previously, none after the reassignments.   

While those were being carried out, the first two Guardian missile frigates -- for which the missiles have not finished being tested, much less been built -- were finished.   Then the CS Forbes, first of the colony ships, made it's way free from the docks.  It was Christmas Eve afternoon when all were assembled.  The launch was delayed about 40 hours or so for them to enjoy the holiday with family and friends, and early in the morning on the 26th the two shuttles, four teams between them, departed for Luyten 726-8.  Their work was a vital step in assuring full knowledge of the system before mining operations began.  Leading the teams are Cmdr. Gloria Synnott, Dr. Edna Hanzel, Cmdr. Chance Perj, and Cmdr. Lena Rackham. 

The race was on.  Next year should bring the beginning of human interstellar colonization, the next step towards a brighter future. 


Earth

July 4 -- Long Beach finished with refit. 

July 15 -- International SY finishes retooling for the GW.  Two will be built, expected to be finished around Thanksgiving. 

August 28 -- Retooling finished for the North Carolina jump superfreighters. 

September 6 -- Tarawa refit completed.

September 8 -- New research lab completed. 

September 12 -- Another group of five harvesters refit.  30 down, 11 to go. 

October 1 -- Krohn SY operational. 

Mid-December -- Another Long Beach refit, and two Guardians completed.

December 22 -- CS Forbes finished.  Second colony ship begun. 


Personnel

August 4 -- Noble Stephson(BG, 27) gives terraforming research a shot in the arm by moving up to accomplished in the biology field and nabbing a second lab for his efforts.

August 9 -- Fleet Admiral Mitchell Feeser is at it again, seeing a minor increase in his intelligence skills. 

Mid-December -- Lt. Cmdr. Dirk Blade made the short list as a long-shot candidate for Logistics Officer in the SLF, one of the openings that came about as a result of the geoteam assignments, but was passed over. 


Colonial Developments

Late August -- 12 civilian ships scrapped ... and only one replaced.  Half were Voliva vessels.

November 30 -- Sedna up to 52 now.


Research

** September 6 -- The new sensor package(Sentinel 420.7) is ready.

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

JANUARY - JUNE 2089

With Sedna now under two decades supply MRD has been instructed to track duranium usage more closely.  An annual report as follows will be presented:

Duranium Production Report

Sedna:  11.1 kt(52 CMCs at 0.9)
Others:  6.06 kt
Stockpile:  21.5 kt
Stockpile +/-: 
Forecast: 

The +/- and Forecast will show change in the current stockpile and projected 'post-Sedna' readiness, but require a year's change in the numbers first.  For now the policy is to maintain a somewhat reduced amount of naval investment until there is confidence there is enough output to sustain basic economic investment. 

On January 22nd, the ground geosurvey teams jumped to Luyten, and began their mission confirming deposits there and searching for new ones.  Another week, and the testing of the new Exorcist(S) missile, for the Guardian corvettes, was completed by Deacon Palmer III.  200 are ordered which should be more than enough for the initial wave.

Breaking News:  Alien Ruins Found!

On February 23, Josef Canterberry's Explorer, part of ESF Bravo, jumped in from Van Maanen with a priority message for Fleet HQ.   Just before Christmas last year, while surveying the recently discovered system of 40 Eridani, one of the Prospectors assigned to Bravo detected what they believe to be evidence of a former alien civilization.  It appears to have most likely been a relatively small ... whatever it was, and whether through time or more likely hostile action, almost completely destroyed as well.  Intel classifies it as a definite alien ruin, a 'Destroyed Outpost'. 

Though the possibilities of making any useful discovery might be somewhat slim, there was strong agreement that an attempt must be made anyway.  This is another first in SPACE's efforts to learn more about our galactic neighborhood -- indisputable evidence of alien civilization that we can, at least theoretically, study unmolested.  This is proof that ours is not the first spacefaring struggle that has ever happened in this part of the galaxy.  It will also almost certainly not be the last, but any chance we have of learning from those who came before us and failed is considered invaluable. 

Two more George Washington shuttles are begun immediately.  The first step is to take a xenology team out there to learn what they can about the site, those who originally built it, etc.  If warranted, construction brigades can be sent in later to excavate anything useful. 

March brought the next blow to essential mining operations as neutronioum was exhausted on long-running supplier Faye.  Two weeks later as April dawned the first shipment of mines departed for Herschel-Riggolet, and the ebb and flow continued.  There was more good news from research.  A jump in one of our propulsion leads was noticed earlier in the year, but this time it was in the Logistics field.  John Dangel(58) has made a major leap to join the elite ranks.  There are now five at that status, two in Logistics.  He's working on the next step in reducing colonization costs.  It's a rather enormous project(20 million credits in total), and he now has five labs to carry on the work.  Most of the novices are out of work now with all the high-level research going on.  We have 26 projects in 53 labs, marking the first time the average laboratory complexes per project has gone over two apiece.  It's definitely a rising tide right now -- the coming years should bring some exciting things.    April finished out with a renewed focus on mining from Director Stonerock, who is now an elite administrator in such matters.  Output increases were soon seen from all over Sol, which as always is a good thing in general but also double-edged:  available deposits will now run out that much faster as well. 

The summer began with one of the Army's veteran generals, Rey Hoel, retiring on June 3rd.  Stability at the top of the military has been a great strength for years, but such things come and go.  Good things were seen in the personal development of a number of top Navy personnel.  The middle of the month saw a new civilian firm join the fray, emphasizing the strength of the civilian economy, and completion of the run of Exorcist(S) missiles.  It was decided to cancel the final 20 ordnance factories on order.  Speed has greatly increased with the current 130 and there will be no need in the near future for more missiles.  This is the kind of project that SPACE has in the 'would be nice' category, a luxury that is not really a reasonable indulgence with the focus on future economic viability. 

The second quarter closed with an important moment.  Another pair of George Washington shuttles were finished, and with them the first-ever human xenology team assembled.  It will be led by Cmdr. Clifford Christo, with the other members of the team Cmdr. Gaye Franco, Lt. Cmdr. Allison Kime, Lt. Cmdr. Adolfo Legler, and Lt. Valerie Mclarty.  As with the geology teams all are given automatic promotions to Commander rank.  Their mission is as vital as it is historic.  They will attempt to decipher the ruins on 40 Eridani A-II, learning all they can about the site.  When that work is complete, assuming they find anything, construction brigades will be called in to excavate whatever is useful.  Should this step be necessary clearly a new jump-capable version of the Burke transports will be needed, another task for the propulsion scientists. 

A crucial last six months of the decade awaits.  The 2080s will close with initial efforts in colonization as well as xeneological ruin investigation.  These efforts will alter the course of human history permanently.  Much depends on those who have been chosen to carry them out.   


Colonial Developments

Mid-January -- Sorium exhausted on Machholz.  Neutronium and uridium remain there, but it won't be long before what was once one of the most productive mining colonies becomes a mere footnote. 

January 22 -- The ground survey teams jump to Luyten. 

February 11 -- Europa begins construction of it's new sensor base(Ticonderoga 82).  Only Ganymede remains.  Mars has passed Luna again as more of the colonists are coming from Luna these days, for some reason.  It's a constant tug of war with those two. 

March 11 -- Tracking station deployed to Mercury. 

March 19 -- Neutronium deposits exhausted on Faye.  There's several more years of sorium, but mercassium, over a quarter-century's worth, is what will keep the mines running. 

April -- The first shipment departs for Herschel-Riggolet.  There are now only three untapped short-period comets left in Sol. 

April 17 -- Callisto Ticonderoga finished. 

June 9 -- Long Beach refit finished. 

June 13 -- Dyett Freight Company founded. 


Earth

January 30 -- First of the new Forrestals is ready. 

March 4 -- Four more Long Beach are refit.  The final four take their turn now. 

March 5 -- Second slipway added to Krohn SY.  A third will be added and another Forrestal as well. 

May 28 -- Second of the new Forrestals finished. 

June 14 -- Exorcist(S)(x200) finished. 

June 27 -- New GW Shuttles ready.


Research

January 30 -- Deacon Palmer III finishes testing of the new Exorcist S missile for the Guardians. 


Personnel

Mid-March -- Irving Steinmeyer(PP, 30) moves up to Accomplished.  You can never have too many capable propulsion scientists. 

April 15 -- Rita Kersey gives Defensive Systems another young researcher with good potential.  Not the best timing right now though, she'll struggle to get project approval in the present environment.  A full third of the project leads are now unemployed at the moment. 

April 17 -- A single colonel is dismissed from the Army. 

Late April -- Stonerock elite in mining now(50%), escalating production. 

Early May -- Mitchel Feeser improves operations to the accomplished tier.   

Late May -- Commodore Ronald Dunkin is now an elite trainer, continuing his improvement in recent years.  The 38-year-old is making a strong case to be Feeser's eventual replacement. 

June 3 -- Brig. Gen Rey Hoel(60) retires. 

June 6 -- Commodore Graham During, not heard from in quite some time, has become an elite trainer.

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

JULY - DECEMBER 2089

On the 8th of July the xenology team departed, it's long journey to 40 Eridani and into history beginning.  It's nearly a four-month journey each way.  Relief shuttles will need to be sent periodically if it is a particularly lengthy stay as is feared, but it's a small cost considering the potential rewards. 

Two weeks later they were still in-system as training exercises began for the first squadron of four Guardians.  Many other things would still continue.  August began with Hipolito Greig being dispatched to the distant outpost on Herschel-Rigollet, mines still en route.  Greig is just five months out of the academy but definitely the best mining administrator among the recent graduates. 

The event of the year was definitely August 11, when the two North Carolina jump ships were given launch clearance.  This simultaneously lowered the mineral drain the shipyards are putting on the stockpiles and allowed for first steps in colonization.  Ground surveys are still not complete, but some equipment can still be shipped in.  The first group consisted of a North Carolina jump ship, a South Carolina superfreighter, and a Spruance transport.  A GW jump shuttle would follow later with administrators.  It soon became obvious that many trips would be required.  The second jumpship along with a pair of South Carolina superfreighters departed shortly afterwards.  The initial haul was three mass drivers, three construction factories, startup minerals, 150,000 colonists, and enough infrastructure for about 415,000 people.  Quite literally the next day one of the geoshuttles in Luyten(Perj & Rackham teams) returned with the news that all comets have been surveyed with no change in the evaluations.  The survey of the first planet is still ongoing.  Since they are on the same side of the system, they will now proceed to Barnard's Star for verification there. 

Within a week there was another bit of important news.  The lengthy Long Beach refits are now finally over, and Guardian production could now accelerate with a third slipway ready at Niehuis. 

A third terraforming installation was finished at the start of September, and sent to Luna temporarily though it'll be transported to New Genesis eventually.  A big development in BOG saw Earth governor Delois Woznicki manage to step up to maximum administrative skill, making the 60-year-old who is still in excellent healthy qualified for and the clear favorite to replace Stonerock whenever he goes.  Rather amazing considering she was barely qualified for a minor colony less than a decade ago.  Then in mid-October the last of the ordnance factories is finally completed, with the space diverted to other elective tasks. 

At the end of October the first colonization group jumped out to Luyten en route to New Genesis, and it was time to get the initial administrators in place there.  A steady stream of graduates has swelled the unemployed BOG members to a dozen, a number that will now be cut in half.  They'll have to 'rough it' aboard the George Washington shuttle as opposed to the increased speed and comfort of the Caldwell J, but such are the necessities of the initial colonization effort here.  Michael Reneau(26), a creative natural leader with a knack for finances and terraforming will be the first governor of New Genesis.  There are no major mining talents available -- those naturally already have jobs -- but a couple minor ones are among those assigned to the five mining outposts.  Luyten A-I, by far the most important with it's considerable duranium deposits, will be led by newcomer Edison Fredrickson. 

At almost exactly the same time, on November 3, Deborah Barnhouse presented her report on Cloaking Theory.  There is more work to do before any such device could be successfully deployed, and they are not considered a major focus right now anyway.  It did open up a new avenue of research and possibilities for the future however.  One potential application is this kind of device could make it safer for scout/survey ships to operate in hostile systems.  The main effect was proof of concept demonstration of the theoretical principles involved in hiding a ship's signature from active sensors, and a basic structure for further practical research.  That structure involves three avenues:  minimum size and efficiency which are similar to the jump drive version of those technologies, affecting the size of ship which can be cloaked, and sensor reduction which defines the amount of protection to cloak affords(a % by which hostile active sensors have their range inhibited).  Barnhouse turns her attention to ceramic composite armour, one of two long-term and far more immediately practical and valuable projects in the field of defensive systems.   

It turned out to be a big month for the leadership corps, especially in terms of research.  By November 10th, Norris Gunterman(29, PP) had joined the elite ranks.  He's had a meteoric rise and has the potential now to join the ranks of legendary scientists in the annals of SPACE given how quickly he's reached the top of the profession.  Improving capacitor recharge rates, which allows for less delay between shots in our beam weapons, is his present task.  This is now six elite researchers, a number not seen in many years. 

The year finished quietly over the last several weeks.  Humanity's reach continues to spread.  Between the colonization groups in Luyten(New Genesis), ESFs Alpha and Bravo which are still out there somewhere, and the xenology team which should have arrived and begin its work in 40 Eridani by now, there are now human operations ongoing in at least four systems beyond Sol.  It has become typical for at least as much if not more activity to be conducted in other systems as there is here.  Most of it is either unknown or revealed well after the fact, as is the nature of interstellar travel, but it has been an unquestionably historic decade for SPACE.  What other secret treasures -- and dangers -- the galaxy holds for us in the decades and centuries to come can only be guessed at from this vantage point. 


Earth

July 3 -- Forrestal 88i finished. 

July 22 -- Training exercises begin for the first squadron of four Guardians. 

August 9 -- Krohn SY adds a third slipway.  One more is to be built. 

August 11 -- The two North Carolina jump ships are finished. 

Mid-August -- Long Beach refits complete, slipway added to Niehuis SY.  Work begins on a fourth, and another Guardian enters production.  Two of the Long Beach's remain at Earth for eventual transit to Luyten since Saturn is presently directly opposite the system from the jump.  The other two head there for harvester duty. 

September -- Terraforming Installation finished.

September 25 -- New research lab.  Lately advances have been few and far between so it's a chance for a fresh directon. 

September 27 -- Forrestal finished.  Caldwell J retool begins. 

October 25 -- Retooling finished for the Caldwell J jump shuttle.  Regular Caldwell is too differen to be built at the same shipyard.  Two hulls are begun. 

November 1 -- Forrestal finished. 

December 7 -- Forrestal finished.

December 11 -- Two guardians finished.   


Colonial Developments

July 9 -- Sedna up to 53. 

Late September -- Ganymede's sensor base is the last to be started. 

September 29 -- Sedna expands to 54. 

Mid-November -- Io sensor base finished. 

December 11 -- A second shipment of automines leaves for Herschel-Rigollet. 



Personnel

August -- Hipolito Greig gets his start on distant Herschel-Riggolet. 

August 11 -- A bit of late-career success for Commodore Ali Mandujano, who ups training skill to the accomplished range. 

August 12 -- Russell Salvucci(pop growth) and Ricardo Bloise(Wealth) increased skills. 

Late August -- Health problems for Evelyn Kaczor(Venus, 48), but they do not appear to be immediately serious.   

Early October -- Commodore Emile Jeffcoat gets into the act, increasing training skill(accomplished). 

November 4 -- Lena Bohannan(CP, 35) steps up to accomplished, claiming a second laboratory. 

November 10 -- Health concerns for Deborah Barnhouse, Commodore Tommy Huntley has accomplished political connections now, and Norris Gunterman joins the elite ranks.   

December 14 -- Errol Igoe(Titan) has strengthened his political position marginally. 


Research

November 3 -- Cloaking Theory complete(Deborah Barnhouse).

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

MINISTRY OF RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL REPORT

 The SOS Report will now be offered every five years instead of four beginning with this year(there is no longer the regular election cycle to follow, and that seemed most sensible).  It is 2090, a new decade is upon us and also a new era of colonization.  As MRD prepared it's portion of the latest SOS, it was found that the situation was ... well, truly distressing. 

Duranium Production Report

Sedna:  11.8 kt(54 CMCs at 0.9, 18.1 years)
Others:  6.27 kt
Stockpile:  27.3 kt
Stockpile +/-:  +5.8 kt
Forecast:  51%

When the Long Beach refits were finished and the North Carolina jump ships as well in the late summer, the duranium stockpile began to surge upwards after only marginal savings earlier in the year.  The initial forecast shows that despite banking several kilotons this year, at current production and consumption rates we will only be producing just over half the duranium we need post-Sedna. 

This was only part of the story.  As the SOS will detail, several important duranium sources will be exhausted before the end of the final decade of the 21st century.  It is very possible the forecast will drop from half to a third or less at this point.  When this became clear, Director Stonerock authorized a new approach to mining operations requiring more specific and detailed oversight.  From the early days of SPACE to the present, the mineral resources have been managed in a fairly general way.  Supply levels of less than 5kt in any mineral have been considered a crisis point, less than 10kt a matter of concern, and mines generally deployed to improve supply of whatever mineral looked like it was the most vital need at the time, or else to whatever location could provide the largest total haul. 

This generally worked well, but is no longer adequate.  As the Navy has ramped up, it's ravenous appetite has meant much greater swings in usage.  Additionally, the ongoing depletion of sources throughout Sol has resulted in a constantly changing balance of supply.  Finally, diversification and shifting industrial priorities have made these swings even more significant. 

The methodology used to estimate supply readiness with the duranium report will be extended to all minerals, and used to guide mine deployment and redeployment as needed.  It will be a few years, probably until the '95 SOS Report, before MRD has a particularly refined handle on the situation.  A strict policy of suspending all non-essential mineral use is in place for the time being. 

Post-Sedna Outlook

Forecasts and projections of exactly what the supply situation will look like a couple of years from now are guesstimates at best.  Having said that, it is still quite useful to consider the most likely scenarios.  At the moment there is still the huge(14.8 mt @ 0.5) duranium deposit on Venus, as well as 439 kt remaining on Triton and a couple of distant asteroids in the 100-200 kt range with good accessibility.  It's not a case where SPACE will forseeably run out of duranium completely after Sedna goes dark.  The capability to build new equipment and installations will continue.  The question is how much, since focusing mines completely on duranium would mean shortages elsewhere and maintenance efforts consume a certain amount as well.  At the moment the worst-case scenario is that somewhere around a third to a half of Earth's factories might go silent at some point along with the present moratorium on all non-essential naval construction.  Essentially the threat is of a significant depression.

It is expected that SPACE will be able to build it's way out eventually.  With enough mines on Venus, Luyten A-I, and any other extrasolar sources that might be found there is little question progress will continue.  The transition could be very rough and lengthy(decades) however, given the expense of building automines and the massive amount of them which will be needed.

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

We are almost caught up, current game date is May 1 2090 so just a few months and a couple updates out.  I've been fighting with the 2090 SOS Report, as it doesn't seem to want to post.  I think I'm going to wait a bit since Erik is back and working on the forum issues again. 

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

STATE OF SPACE, 2090

I.  IMPERIAL HOLDINGS

IA.  Populated Colonies

Earth(1.92b, 542 CF, 130 OF, 75 REF, 54 RL, 4 AC, 3 GFT, 5 DSTS, 15.2k MF, 1 SP, 1 SC, 3x Alaska MB, Alaska 82 MB)
Mars(90.7m, Ticonderoga 82 SB, 1 TI)**
Luna(86.5m, Ticonderoga 82 SB, 2 TI)
Mercury(30.3m, 1 DSTS, Ticonderoga 82 SB)
Venus(21.1m, Ticonderoga 82 SB)
Titan(19.0m, 1 DSTS, Alaska MB)
New Genesis(150k, 3 CF)
Io(130k, Ticonderog 82 SB)
Europa(120k, Ticonderoga SB)
Ganymede(120k, Ticonderoga SB)
Callisto(120k, Ticonderoga 82 SB)

** Note:  TI is new, stands for Terraforming Installation

Total Population:  2.17b(+10.7%)

Long-standing trends continued in the second half of the 2080s.  The share of humanity living on Earth continues to slowly decline, aided by new technology slightly reducing infrastructure requirements in this case.  The big news is the New Genesis colony in Luyten 726-8, less than three weeks old as of this writing. 

IB.  Outposts

Sedna(54 CMC, 14.1 eff, 18.5 kt) -- uridium(9.1)
Triton(117 AM, 20.3 eff, 5.99 kt) -- vendarite(7.2)
Earth(50 SM, 6.2 eff, 781 t)
Borrelly(39.8 AM, 32 eff, 2.29 kt) -- duranium(9.5)
Halley's Comet(36 AM, 33 eff, 2.35 kt) -- corbomite(4.0)
Reinmuth(33.8 AM, 30 eff, 1.83 kt) -- boronide(7.7)
Stephan-Oterma(28 AM, 25 eff, 1.26 kt)
Machholz(27.6 AM, 15 eff, 745 t) -- neutronium(8.7)
Neujmin(25.8 AM, 25 eff, 1.16 kt) -- duranium(0.9)
Titan(25 SM, 5.6 eff, 315 t)
Faye(25 AM, 14 eff, 630 t) -- sorium(6.8 )
Comas Sola(25 AM, 19 eff, 897 kt) -- tritanium(2.7), duranium(4.8 )
Schaumasse(21.8 AM, 36 eff, 1.48 kt) -- uridium(8.4)
Crommelin(20.4 AM, 26 eff, 954 t) -- sorium(5.1), duranium(8.8 )
Wolf-Harrington(17.8 AM, 40 eff, 1.34 kt) -- uridium(3.2), mercassium(9.5)
Whipple(17 AM, 43 eff, 1.38 kt) -- uridium(0.4)
Swift-Tuttle(15 AM, 71 eff, 1.92 kt) -- uridium(1.0), neutronium(7.7), boronide(9.9)
Tempel-Tuttle(14 AM, 40 eff, 1.16 kt)
Callisto(10 SM, 6 eff, 12 t)
Van Biesbroeck(10 AM, 55 eff, 990 t)
Prokne(10 AM, 6.4 eff, 115 t)
Wild(8 AM, 34 eff, 490 t)
Wolf(8 AM, 26 eff, 375 t)
Herschel-Rigollet(4 AM, 54 eff, 464 t) -- corbomite(1.9)

Total Production:  47.4 kt(+26%)  Sedna has seen an explosion as noted elsewhere.  A full one-third expansion of operations, advancements in mining techniques, and improved local management combined for an increase of 58% in the output from the dominant force in SPACE mining operations, despite the beginning of death throes for the uridium portion.  Overall the mining sector annihilated the previous high of five years ago by more than a quarter. 

IC.  Mineral Supply & Usage

** With the new scrutiny being devoted to MRDs mineral assessment, a color-coded approach has been devised with five levels defined, replacing the original four with adjusted definitions.  It is strongly emphasized here that the initial evaluation presented is fairly speculatory.  Once a few  years of supply and usage data come in, MRD will be able to make much more accurate determinations. **

White Status Minerals --  No shortfall is expected in the next century, regardless of expenditures.  Essentially this is a level where we couldn't use it all if we tried.

** Sorium(64.4 kt stockpiled, 1.93 kt annual yield).  Most current sources are expected to dry up in the next couple of decades, but this is tentatively considered irrelevant since it is rarely used industrially.  The most likely scenario to change this probably is the possibility that a strategically important system without local fuel is discovered.  In that scenario refineries might be transported there which would result in a massive change in usage.  Barring that type of operation though, the status is extremely safe.  Stockpiles have grown eight kilotons in the past five years, and consistently since the harvesters were deployed to Saturn decades ago. 

** Uridium(150 kt, 8.55 kt).  A massive 23-kiloton gain.  Over three-quarters of the supply comes from Sedna, so this will stabilize when that expires sometime in the final year or two of the coming decade most likely.  The sheer massive amount available makes it difficult to imagine any potential shipbuilding initiative draining it at this time. 

** Corbomite(99.4 kt, 4.42 kt).  A 20-kiloton gain and over half the supply comes from Triton, which has over half a megaton remaining and will see increased investment if anything due to the importance of it's duranium reserves.  Combine that with the fact that it's one of the most rarely-used minerals and it's easy to see why corbomite is considered the safest at the present time.  It's highly doubtful anyone alive today will live to see a time when it becomes the slightest concern. 

Green Status Minerals -- These are considered safe for the next 20 years or so, but could potentially become concerns in the decades after that.  They tend to be high-stockpile but also high-usage substances. 

** Vendarite(77.4 kt, 1.79 kt).  A healthy rise of 6 kt+ in the last five years, but Triton contributes more than half and when that runs out in the latter half of the next decade there will only be a relatively meager supply coming in.  It sees fairly limited use in ship construction, espescially in the survey carriers.  Given the magnitude of the stockpile even an eventual slow decline would be a very minor issue. 

** Tritanium(59.7 kt, 3.48 kt).  Aside from duranium, no other mineral comes in greater quantity.  It is used fairly heavily but the greatest need is for ordnance factories which is a rare project and not one currently required.  Some ship construction of course and it is used in other factories to a lesser degree, which will pretty much be a constant need for the forseeable future.  The stockpile rose 7kt over the past five years, and it has a highly diversified group of fairly long-term sources. 

Yellow Status Minerals -- These are those minerals which are generally around the 'tipping point'.  There is enough for current needs, no further supplies are expected to be necessary for a decade or so, but not a big enough stockpile or enough current supply for long-term comfort.  'Bears watching' is the general approach here. 

** Boronide(37.8 kt, 1.98 kt).  Stagnant over the last cycle.  There are not many sources, and over 30% of the supply, from Reinmuth and Swift-Tuttle, will go away in the coming decade.  As the major building block material of fuel tanks, boronide will be needed in significant quantities indefinitely. 

Amber Status Minerals -- These are those which are not yet at crisis point but where the current supply status will require a change, either investment or reduced production, within the next decade.  These have a smallish stockpile and will mostly be in decline as well. 

The big four minerals have now essentially become the big five with gallicite joining them as a significant concern. 

** Mercassium(16.0 kt, 2.11 kt)  A decline of 3.5 kt in the last five years.  At that rate it would take about 23 years to run out.  There are multiple long-term sources, but Wolf-Harrington will deplete around the turn of the century and others may see mines diverted to increase duranium supply. 

** Gallicite(19.2 kt, 796t)  Falling like a rock(-12 kt) mostly because this is by far the lowest-yield mineral right now.  There's just not much coming in.  Until that changes further missile production is pretty much an impossibility which greatly limits military options. 

** Corundium(8.83 kt, 1.13 kt).  Mostly stagnant, up a few hundred tons during the last cycle.  It's really a case of limited supply here again, and of course the need for automines will have basically no forseeable end so it's a priority.  Even more fun is that among the current sources, only Herschel-Rigollet is expected to still be one in twenty years.  New Genesis will bring in more from a couple of decent comet sources around the Luyten system by then, but that's just a stopgap. 

** Duranium(27.3 kt, 18 kt).  As mentioned duranium is sharply on the rise, but it is still listed here because it's a very temporary situation.  Several comets amounting to multiple kilotons in annual yield will cease their contributions in the coming years, followed by the Sedna crash.  There's no question duranium will be the epicenter around which MRD's efforts in the coming decades will revolve. 

** Neutronium(16.2 kt, 3.16 kt).  Effectively stagnant for decades now, neutronium is down 1.3 kt this past cycle.  Multiple comets rich in the mineral and the present naval restrictions should keep it from being an urgent issue, though a significant source in Machholz is scheduled to deplete before the end of the decade/century.  Additional investment will need to be made before a full naval ramp-up can ever happen though. 

Red Status Minerals -- Less than a five-year supply.  This is the emergency, immediate-action-required level. 

** None at the present time. 

ID.  Income

Taxes(population):  58.4m
Taxes(civ. tourism):  23.9m
Taxes(civ. shipping):  7.29m
Taxes(civ. fuel):  329k

Total:  89.8m(+42%)

Improved financial administration resulted in considerably less waste, while the tourism sector continues to explode.  Taxes on civilian spaceflight operations now account for over a third of all income, ensuring a limitless future in terms of finances for SPACE.  The mineral crisis is definitely not reflected in this sector. 

Balance:  947m(+136 m)

IE.  Expenses

Mineral Purchases:  13.2m
Research:  12.8m
Shipbuilding:  10.5m
Installation Construction:  6.2m
Maintenance Facilities:  1.48m
PDC Construction:  1.34m
Shipyard Modifications:  1.23m
Ordnance Production:  672k
GU Maintenance:  602k
Maintenance Supplies:  153k

Total:  48.2m(+18%)

The hilariously large gap between income and expenses is expected to do nothing but grow as raw materials become more and more of a determiner.  Sedna's minerals are over a quarter of current outlays, and when that goes away and as naval operations are minimized, expenses will be only a third to a half of income at most in the projections.  If only all of SPACE operations were so healthy. 

II. SHIPYARDS

IIA.  Commercial Yards

Estalerios Navais do Montego(ENDM)(2 slipways, 171 kt capacity)
** Idle
Tod & MacGregor(2 slipways, 166 kt capacity)
** Idle
P&A Group(6, 101 kt)
** Idle 
Vegesacker Werft(1, 66.5 kt)
** Idle
Howaldswerke/Deutsche Werft(HDW)(1, 55.3 kt)
** Building CS Pineda, second of the Spruance colony ships
Oregon Shipbuilding(2, 50.7 kt)
** Idle
Vickers-Armstrong(4, 17.4 kt)
** Idle
Kvaerner-Masa(1, 10 kt)
** Idle

IIB.  Naval Yards

Wartsila(1, 17.6 kt)
** Idle.
Yokohama Dock Co.(1, 15.2 kt)
** Idle.
Baltimore Marine(2, 12.2 kt)
** Idle.
Permanant(1, 10.1 kt)
** Idle
C. Mitchell & Co.(1, 6.53 kt)
** Idle
Niehuis and van den Berg(3, 4.14 kt)
** Adding fourth slipway(October 2090), building Guardian(February 2090)
International(2, 4.14 kt)
** Idle
KSEC(4, 1.66 kt)
** Building Caldwell(J)(x2), April 2090
Krohn(3, 1 kt)
** Building Forrestal(x3), various times

There's a lot of bored workers, a fact that won't change anytime soon due to the mineral crash. 

III.  ARMY TRAINING FACILITIES

IIIA.  Earth

** Three active training facilities
** All three idle

IV.  INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY

IVA.  Earth

Research Lab(20%) -- November 2090.  Under the division of fifths the rate is one every 13-14 months.  Inadequate, but it's something. 
Automated Mines(19%) -- About 9/year.
Construction Factories(12%) -- These will be built pretty much indefinitely at this point for industrial expansion & colonization startups.  10-11/year.
PDC Alaska 82(9%) -- A little over two bases left for Earth, late 2098 is the current ETA. 
Mass Driver(7%) -- Three remaining, early 2091
Military Academy(6%) -- Summer 2091
Naval Shipyard(6%) -- Final 'reserve' one, mid-2092
Prefab PDC Alaska 82(5%) -- An upgraded base for Titan, September 2090
Terraforming Installation(4%) -- 2091
Commercial Shipyards(4%) -- Also a final 'reserve' shipyard, March 2092
Prefab PDC Ticonderoga 82(2%) -- Final one for the moment, intended for New Genesis.  Ready in April. 
DSTS(2%) -- July 2090
Maintenance Supplies(2%) -- Still over 1,000 tons needed.  Mid-2091.
Infrastructure(1%) -- Mid-2095 for the current run. 

A lot of projects are close to wrapping up. 

V A. PRIORITY RESEARCH PROJECTS

** Divisional HQ(Alphonse Lambeth) -- October/November 2090
** Ceramic Composite Armour(Deborah Barnhouse) -- December 2090/January 2091
** Capacitor Recharge Rates(Norris Gunterman) -- December 2090/January 2091
** Freighter Jump Drive(Jerry Bartholf) -- Early 2091
** Missile Tracking(Julio Kuchler) -- Early 2092
** Thermal Sensor Sensitivity(Bessie Wallander) -- Late 2092/Early 2093
** Colonization Cost Reduction(John Dangel) -- Early 2094

There's almost no prototyping going on right now, it's all big-picture stuff aimed at the long-term. 

V B.  NOTABLE SCIENTISTS

** Biology/Genetics
Noble Stephson(Accomplished)

** Construction/Production
Carmelo Costanza(Accomplished)
Lena Bohannan(Accomplished)

** Energy Weapons
Leonel Wessels(Accomplished)
Minh Klausner(Accomplished)
Freddy Salsgiver(Accomplished)

** Logistics/Ground Combat
John Dangel(Elite)
Alphonse Lambeth(Elite)
Stanley Kogut(Accomplished)

** Missiles/Kinetic Weapons
None!

** Power/Propulsion
Norris Gunterman(Elite)
David Gruis(Accomplished)
Alejandro Otteson(Accomplished)
Reynaldo Darrington(Accomplished)
Irving Steinmeyer(Accomplished)

** Sensors/Fire Control
Julio Kuchler(Elite)
Bessie Wallander(Elite)

Overall it's been a great five years for the Research Directorate.  Most of the holes have been filled.  Biogenetics is weak but nobody really cares.  There's a couple of construction researchers on their way up, logistics is a strength again, and the propulsion field has absurd quality depth.  Missile research is still the biggest problem, though it ironically doesn't matter quite as much with the problems in acquiring enough gallicite to build any.  Another emerging issue is that the vital sensors field is very top-heavy.  Kuchler and Wallander are both in their mid-50s so this isn't a problem now, but could become one if no fresh blood emerges. 


VI.  ACTIVE NAVAL ASSETS

VI A.  Military Bases

Alaska(4, 59.5 kt, 1020 crew, major missile base)
Alaska 82(1, 22.7kt, 709 crew, major missile base)
Ticonderoga 82(6, 3.7kt, 24 crew, sensor base)
Ticonderoga(2, 3.0kt, 16 crew, sensor base)

Total:  13 installations(-13%), 289 kt(-16%), 4.97k crew(-12%)

Two Ticondergoa upgrades remain, and most of the Alaska's are yet to be replaced.  The old Tennessee bases have been swept away. 

VI B. Combat Ships

GB Brooklyn '72(4, 13.5 kt, 356 crew, 2379 km/s, 1.75 m fuel, beam-armed)
GB Brooklyn '81(2, 10.5 kt, 282 crew, 2380 km/s, 1.25 m fuel, beam-armed)
MC Guardian(5, 1.9 kt, 85 crew, 947 km/s, 50k fuel, jump defense missile corvette)
MB Nimitz(3, 14 kt, 373 crew, 2437 km/s, 1.75m fuel, missile-armed)
MB Nimitz '76c(4, 10.3 kt, 273 crew, 2439 km/s, 1.25 m fuel, missile-armed)

Total:  18 ships(+50%), 168 kt(+14%), 4.62k crew(+18%), 20m fuel(+8%)

The new Guardians will soon to be ready to take up postions at the jump points, while the others will remain at Earth. 

VI C.  Military Non-combat Ships

DC Ambassador(1, 800t, 18 crew, 1.5k km/s, 150k fuel, diplomatic jump shuttle)
CC Baltimore(2, 10 kt, 284 crew, 600 km/s, 750k fuel, command carrier)
ST Caldwell 84i(12, 950t, 15 crew, 3.32k km/s, 500k fuel, VIP-grade jump shuttle)
MV Cleveland 84i(2, 2.0 kt, 28 crew, 3k km/s, 50k fuel, supply ship)
SC Explorer(6, 850 t, 18 crew, 1411 km/s, 250k fuel, jump scout)
SB Forrestal III(14, 650 t, 14 crew, 3.69k km/s, 50k fuel, jump point sensor vessel)
SB Forrestal 88i(6, 650 t, 13 crew, 5.54k km/s, 100k fuel, jump point sensor vessel)
GSV Frontier(8, 950 t, 24 crew, 1263 km/s, 250k fuel, gravsurvey)
SVC Gearing(2, 10 kt, 158 crew, 600 km/s, 750k fuel, survey carrier)
ST George Washington(4, 1.15 kt, 27 crew, 1.57k km/s, 350k fuel, general-use jump shuttle)
GEV Prospector(6, 950 t, 24 crew, 1263 km/s, 250k fuel, geosurvey)
CO Tarawa 84 i(2, 6.0 kt, 66 crew, 1k km/s, 100k fuel, supply ship)

Total:  65 ships(-9.8%), 84.2 kt(-21%), 2.16k crew(-2.3%), 17.2 m fuel(-31%)

The shrinking of the shuttle fleet and the lower fuel required are the big stories here. 

VI D.  Commercial Vessels

TT Arleigh Burke 84i(6, 17.3 kt, 127 crew, 695 km/s, 250k fuel, brigade troop transport)
FT Fletcher 84i(2, 35.9 kt, 153 crew, 1002 km/s, 250k fuel, freighter)
FT Gato(2, 7.0 kt, 33 crew, 857 km/s, 100k fuel, small freighter)
TK Iowa 84i(4, 8.5 kt, 44 crew, 1.41k km/s, 5m fuel, fuel tanker)
TK Iowa XR(2, 9.7 kt, 53 crew, 1.03k km/s, 6m fuel, extended range fuel tanker)
TK Iowa 84i XR(2, 8.55 kt, 44 crew, 1.4k km/s, 5m fuel, extended range fuel tanker)
FH Long Beach(41, 80.8 kt, 429 crew, 445 km/s, 2.0m fuel, fuel harvester)
FJ North Carolina 87i(2, 168 kt, 995 crew, 715 km/s, 1.5m fuel, large commercial jump ship)
TT Portland 84i(2, 4.35 kt, 39 crew, 1.38k km/s, 50k fuel, troop transport)
FT South Carolina 84i(6, 163 kt, 487 crew, 735 km/s, 1.5m fuel, superfreighter)
CS Spruance 85i(1, 52.2 kt, 299 crew, 920 km/s, 550k fuel, colony ship)
SV Wickes 84i(1, 21.7 kt, 191 crew, 829 km/s, 250k fuel, salvage/recovery)

Total:  71 ships(+16%), 4.97 mt(+25%), 24.6k crew(+26%), 139m liters fuel(+55%)

A couple of the old Iowa's have yet to be retired, but mostly the growth here was in finishing up the new Long Beach harvesters. 

Grand Total:  167 assets(+4.4%), 5.51 mt(+20%), 36.4k crew(+16%), 176m liters fuel(+32%)

The fuel number can be a bit misleading since almost half of it is contained in the harvesters alone.   

Available Crew:  210k(+24%)

VI E.  Fuel Status

Earth -- 43.1m liters
Titan -- 39.9m
Callisto -- 4.83m

Total -- 87.8m liters(+263%!!)  An explosion in supply due to two factors:  the expansion of the massive harvester operations, and detanking fuel from ships that are now equipped with more efficient ion-based engines.  It would appear that fuel problems are over for the moment.   

VII.  ACTIVE ARMY ASSETS

** Brigade HQs(6)
** Construction Brigades(10)
** Assault Infantry Battalions(4)
** Mobile Infantry Battalions(12)
** Garrison Battalion(34)

Total Active-Duty Soldiers:  530k(+10%)

The current force is more or less stable for now, though garrisons will periodically be sent out-system from time to time. 

VIII.  CIVILIAN SHIPPING CORPORATIONS

Tolles Transport & Logistics(89 ships, 13.6m annual income)
Jensrud Transport and Trading(77, 8.84m)
Voliva Carrier Company(92, 7.03m)
Ridolfi Interstellar(9, 1.52m)
Hayter Container Group(3, 210k)
Suter Shipping Services(2, 160k)
Ouellet Shipping(2, 147k)
Everton Shipping & Logistics(3, 120k)
Elman Freight Services(3, 90k)
Dyett Freight Company(2, 40k)
Clavette Shipping Line(2, 20k)
Forbius Carrier Limited(1, 20k)

Total Vessels:  285(+40%)
Total Civilian Income:  31.8m(+57%)

The civilian economy has grown to the point where the rising tide is indeed lifting all ships -- well most of them at least.  There were only three effectively defunct small carriers compared to six in the last cycle.  Ridofli not-truly-Interstellar continues to grow, showing it has designs on joining the big boys, and Tolles is increasingly dominant, with a fleet nearly as large as bloated Voliva.  For the second straight cycle, gross income is up more than half. 

IX.  SPACE LEADERSHIP PROSPECTUS

** Naval Officers:  214 of 233 assigned(92%), +3%
** Ground Forces Officers:  70 of 80(88%), +12%
** Civilian Administrators:  33 of 45(73%), -5%
** Scientists:   27 of 43(63%),  -15%

Overall:  344 of 401(85.7%), +2.1%

It's a good time to be in the military, but prospects for civilians have rarely been bleaker. 

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2090

With the dawn of the final decade, Director Stonerock was preoccupied with two major issues:  the colonization of New Genesis, and the approaching mineral meltdown.  It was clear that the struggle for mankind to determine our own destiny would succeed or not based mostly on matters of economics, not naval superiority.  In particular gallicite stood out as a concern.  Half the pittance of an annual yield was being spent in maintenance of military ships.  The ESFs are due back probably late this year or early next, but even if they've discovered massive new sources that will be a long time in coming. 

A shorter-term solution is needed, and there is simply no way to justify any more military ships than absolutely required right now.  With the Guardians soon to take over jump defense and the new Alaska's going in, the old guard of the Nimitzes and Brooklyns are of only marginal use.  They were ordered to be scrapped immediately in order to save what is spent on their upkeep, and get what value can be saved out of them.  The rest of the military fleet is really pretty lean.  SPACE can afford to lose a few Caldwell 84i VIP jump shuttles, but those don't draw enough to make a significant difference(less than three tons each annually).  A decision on those can wait, and isn't that important in the grand scheme of things anyway.  Another benefit of dispensing with the 'old war-horses' now rather than later is that their captains can be transitioned into new commands on the Guardians as they are built.

With that decision made, a very busy start to the year soon commenced.  The first news took just three days, which is when Commodore Ali Mandujano, the most politically skilled officer the navy has ever had and presently in charge of the Alaska bases on Earth, retired.  Mandujano is also highly skilled in logistics, but it was her connections that allowed her to reach the upper echelon of the Navy and stay there, though she was never a serious candidate for the top spot.  She first came to prominence during a brief stay at the helm of the Excelsior(Pioneer class) during which she reported on the events of the Epsilon Eridani crisis, then made captain later that year in '64.   A brief stay in public affairs, for which she was most highly suited, was followed by nearly two decades as logistics officer for the SDF.  The last five were spent on Earth with the missile bases. 

Anytime a Commodore retires, it is an important spot to fill.  There are presently only nine positions at that rank, but more importantly it is the pool of experienced, proven men and women from which the new Fleet Admiral will be chosen when necessary.  Therefore this was an occasion to select who would be that person to join this elite group.  There are few bad candidates at this level, but the best by a considerable margin was Rocco Lett, CO of one of the Nimitz missile ships for the last several years and a lengthy tour in communications prior to that.  Too lengthy, perhaps, as his age(58) may well have caused the Navy to turn to Rosemary Tallant instead.  The Public Affairs officer for the SDF, Tallant is only 44 yet has spent almost two decades in the public eye.  She led the failed diplomatic efforts in Epsilon Eridani several years ago, but managed to escape any blame for them.  She is trusted by civilians and brass alike, and now Earth's protection is largely in her hands. 

On January 6th, the new year still less than a week old, the first colonization group from Luyten came back.  New Genesis was up and running, which was good:  but an unfortunate snag was hit with the other group.  It seems the first group of colonists took almost a full month to unload, meaning the second group just recently left New Genesis to make the journey back to Earth.  Apparently it was an engineering screw-up, as nobody had bothered to put cargo loading systems on the colony ships so everything was done with crude, outdated equipment.  The time could be slashed to just over two days for a mere 47k to add two loading beams to each Spruance 85i colony ship, just over a 2% increase in the price.  Clearly this needed to be done.  The Howaldtswerke SY quickly set to work on the retooling, which would take just under a month at a minimal cost of about 69k.  A very minor setback, but yet still an embarassing one. 

After a few weeks of fairly routine events, ESF Alpha returns more than four years after leaving Earth on February 23rd.  The task group reports a successful mission from an operational standpoint, and it's report is relayed to Fleet HQ.   

EARTH

January 14 -- Krohn SY finishes fourth slipway, which is all that is needed for now.  Another Forrestal 88i is begun. 

January 27 -- Another Forrestal finished. 

February 15 -- Guardian finished, a total of seven corvettes are now in service.


LEADERSHIP PERSONNEL

Mid-January -- GoA Gil Milstead appears to winning over the right people early(four months) into his time in the new position as head of the Army(Pol. Reliability up to 30%, or accomplished tier). 


Research & Development

January 20 -- Meson Focusing is improved to the fourth generation(Dr. Minh Klausner).   


Colonial Developments

January 28 -- Throne Trading established, a new civilian shipping line. 

Early February -- Determined to not go quietly, Sedna expands again to 55 complexes.

[DIT_grue]

On January 6th, the new year still less than a week old, the first colonization group from Luyten came back.   New Genesis was up and running, which was good:  but an unfortunate snag was hit with the other group.   It seems the first group of colonists took almost a full month to unload, meaning the second group just recently left New Genesis to make the journey back to Earth.   Apparently it was an engineering screw-up, as nobody had bothered to put cargo loading systems on the colony ships so everything was done with crude, outdated equipment.   The time could be slashed to just over two days for a mere 47k to add two loading beams to each Spruance 85i colony ship, just over a 2% increase in the price.   Clearly this needed to be done.   The Howaldtswerke SY quickly set to work on the retooling, which would take just under a month at a minimal cost of about 69k.   A very minor setback, but yet still an embarassing one.

. . .  Why retool? I would have expected there to be no trouble whatever refitting to the corrected design in the old shipyard, it's a very minor change.  In fact, IIRC retooling cost is based purely on the new design, rather than any difference from the old one (unlike refitting); so most of that cost you're paying goes to replace perfectly good equipment with exact duplicates.

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

Force of habit:  I didn't even check to see if the refit could be done without retooling.  My mind isn't used to that concept yet I guess.  At least this time the cost was very minimal. 

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

ESF ALPHA Survey Report
Luyten 726-8 'Route'
February, 2090

Alpha's mission parameters were to survey the three systems extending away from Sol from the hub of Luyten 726-8, and then proceed further in those directions as the situation warranted. 

May 2086 - April 2087:  Nearly a year was spent in the first system, Epsilon Indi.  Tau Ceti was considered to have the best potential of the three systems and so was set to be surveyed last. 

Habitability:  Good(A-II is a 1.90-cost world, with only a trace atmosphere, right in that Mars/Luna ballpark)
Fuel Availability:  Good(A-III, a super jovian, has 16.7mt of sorium at 0.
Mineral Wealth:  Poor.  There are multiple-megaton sources of all minerals, most of it coming from A-I, but almost all at 0.1.  Other than a moon with 1.4 mt of 0.6 neutronium, there's really nothing to recommend the system here.  There's no need to travel for what can mostly be found on Venus already. 
Strategic Importance:  Miniscule.  With no other jumps found except straight back to Luyten, using the system as a refueling spot is rather pointless. 

May 2087 - May 2088 -- Lacaille 9352 was a smaller pattern, but the large number of asteroids meant that the gravsurvey actually beat out the geosurvey by several months.   

Habitability:  Very Good(A-II is another 1.9 cost world, but has an atmosphere already of appropriate thickness, just a bit more pressure than Earth's.  All that would be needed is the addition of oxygen). 
Fuel Availability:  None.  Multiple potential sources ended up barren.
Mineral Wealth:  Above average.  Like Epsilon Indi all minerals all present in massive amounts of low-accessibility, but there are also some higher-value sites.  A-I has 0.4 concentrations of duranium(270mt) and Uridium(155mt).  A-II has similar concentrations of those two with the benefit of allowing human-operated mining(lower cost, higher employment).  A-III has 2.3mt of boronide at 0.7, and there are multiple interesting moons and dwarves.  One has a megaton of 0.9 boronide, another 56kt of duranium and 116kt of vendarite both at high concentrations, a third with 157kt duranium, 95kt mercassium also highly accessible.  Yet another has 15mt of 0.5 sorium should it ever be needed industrially.  There's enough here to potentially justify either shipping in the needed fuel or mining and refining the sorium, though some minerals like neutronium would likely need to be brought in from elsewhere to support operations. 
Strategic Importance:  Miniscule.  Once again no jumps anywhere but back to Luyten. 

June 2088 - May 2089 -- Tau Ceti, the final system off the Luyten 'hub', with the first two leading nowhere. 

Habitability:  Good.  Once again A-II is the best target, a 1.90-cost planet that needs only oxygen added.  The atmosphere is thinner than in Lacaille 9352 so it would take somewhat less time to make it breathable. 
Fuel Availability:  Excellent.  It's smaller than most deposits we've found, but based on how long it takes to go through atmospheric sorium that probably won't matter.  416kt on A-V, a gas giant, at a fine 0.9 accessibility. 
Mineral Wealth:  Miniscule.  A-III has 6mt of vendarite at 0.1.  That's it, and that's all. 
Strategic Importance:  High.  Three more jumps were discovered, leading to the new systems of Proxima Centauri, TZ Arietis, and Gliese 1.  TZ Arietis is the first 'empty' or 'transit' system we've seen:  it has no moons, planets, comets, asteroids, nothing. . No bodies of any kind where potential resources could be.  It's only possible usefulness is as a system to be traversed on the way to somewhere else.  Nevertheless, this is a chokepoint system that could be used as a buffer.  Occupying it would place Luyten, Epsilon Indi, and Lacaille 9352 firmly under human control. 

June 2089 - November 2089 -- Proxima Centauri was the closest and quickest of the newly-discovered systems.  Not much was expected of it, but there was clearly more than enough time to do this survey before returning to Earth.

Habitability:  None.  There is one planet and asteroids, that's all.  The planet's gravity is more than two and a half times Earth's, too massive for any potential colonization effort. 
Fuel Availability:  None.  With only one planet as a terrestrial, there were no sources here.
Mineral Wealth:  Subpar.  The massive planet has the usual spread that most such bodies seem to:  great quantities of nine minerals, all at minimal(0.1) accessibility.  Most of the asteroid finds are too small to be worth noticing, but one with 152kt duranium(0.9), 80kt mercassium(1.0), and 147kt vendarite(0. bears reporting.  Another has six minerals, most in virtual trace amounts of about a kiloton or less, but also 22.5kt corundium(0.9).  Overall the picture is still one that doesn't merit major investment. 
Strategic Importance:  Moderate.  Jumps to the new systems of Procyon and Kapteyn's Star were discovered.  The latter has an exceptionally habitable earth-like planet that is just a little bit too cold, a 0.8 cost, and terraforming could eventually eliminate even that. 




Outlook

There were no game-changing, dramatic discoveries on Alpha's journey.  A few interesting possibilities, but no must-have systems.  Further exploration will be needed before a full assessment of the importance of the 'chokepoint' system in Tau Ceti can be made.  There's no hurry in deciding where Alpha will be sent next:  after a two-month trip back to Earth and refueling, an overhaul will take likely over a year before they are ready to leave again.  By that time ESF Bravo will probably be back with more information.

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

FEBRUARY - MAY 2090

The next few months were a period of pretty routine goings-on.  On March 1st, the cargo group from New Genesis returned, and they had a bit of a layover waiting for enough equipment to justify another trip.  There are mines ready, but they are best kept doing something on Venus while the surface geosurvey teams finish their work.  At the end of the month the colonization group returned, but they'll wait until refitting over the summer for another journey.  April brought the final chapter of the 'old navy', as the Nimitz and Brooklyn warships completing scrapping at various points throughout the month.  On the 18th, the cargo group departed for Luyten and New Genesis again with the initial terraforming installation, a little more infrastructure, one mine, a couple more factories, two more mass drivers, and the Ticonderoga 82 sensor base for the colony. 

May began with ESF Alpha reaching Earth and beginning it's overhaul, while two officers include Operations officer for the flotilla, Captain Asa Hotz, will now retire.  Alpha's next mission will not begin for about a year, giving Fleet Command about that long until sometime in the second quarter of '91 to decide where to send them next.  On the 25th, ESF Bravo made a surprising early return, nearly a year and a half left on their mission clock when they emerged from the Van Maanen jump.   Lt. Cmdr. Syrus Cassio was on the short list for an open command on one of the gravsurvey ships, but was once again passed over. 


Earth

February 30 -- Forrestal 88i finished.

April  4 -- Forrestal 88i finished. 

April  5 -- First pair of Caldwell Js, the VIP jump shuttles, are finished. 

Early April -- Ticonderoga finished. 

April 15 -- The three original Nimitzes are finished being disassembled and scrapped. 

April 18 -- The four Brooklyn '72 ships are decommissioned. 

Late April -- Four Nimitz 76c are scrapped. 

May 1 -- Ens. Misora Hinonami graduates the academy.  Only fair health, so she may not have a particularly long career if that doesn't improve.  Low initiative(168), but solid in training(100) and a few good connections(10% pol. rel.).  Also, the Brooklyn '76s are scrapped, the last of the 'old navy' to be done away with.  ESF Alpha returns to Earth and begins it's overhaul. 

May 10 -- Forrestal 88i finished. 

May 24 -- Forrestal 88i finished.  Scrapping of the old ones begins with a spare slipway now. 


Colonial Developments

May 7 -- Uridium exhausted on Whipple.  Four other minerals, including duranium and mercassium, remain on the comet. 


Leadership Personnel

May 12 -- Dr. Ross Dodge(36, SF) moves up to the Accomplished tier.  He's probably the
best hope for a top researcher in the next generation of sensors scientists.

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

ESF BRAVO SURVEY REPORT
Van Maanen 'Route'

April - October 2087 -- There are two systems off Van Maanen to explore, and YZ Ceti is tackled first before GJ 1002.  It's a small system, requiring only a few months for the gravsurvey.

Habitability:  Moderate.  There's nowhere good, but a lot of marginal places to potentially live.  Two planets are in the prohibitively expensive range, including one several times hotter than Venus, but there are eight moons in roughly the 7-9 cost range similar to Titan etc. 
Fuel Availability:  Good.  There are two sources, one with 3.24mt at 0.7, another at 799k but just 0.4. 
Mineral Wealth:  Utopia.  Incredibly, off-the-scale, potential salvation level of rich.  First up, the crushing heat of A-I brings with it the best known duranium source, 7.6mt at maximum 1.0 accessibility.  There are several 0.1 minerals here, but also 2.4mt gallicite at 0.9 which would solve that issue, vendarite(7.3mt @ 0.6), corbomite(12mt @ 0.5), and boronide(16 mt @ 0.4).  All in all a 29-efficiency, very high-yield rock.  A-VI, a super jovian, has one moon worth noting, with several large 0.1 deposits but also mercassium at 0.8, almost four megatons.  The 10th moon of A-VII, a gas giant, boasts another 6.3mt of duranium(0.9) along with 0.3 concentrations of boronide(4.16mt) and corundium(452kt).  A-VIII, another super jovian, has a fine moon as well which I think is the highest-efficiency body we have access to outside of Sol at 41.  Another 461kt of duranium(0. and 536kt gallicite(1.0) along with three of the more common minerals, corbomite, vendarite, and uridium in somewhat larger amounts.  More on exactly how rich this system is in the overall summary. 
Strategic Value:  High.  After GJ 1002 was discovered to lead to no additional systems, it became clear that YZ Ceti is another chokepoint system -- GJ 1002 and Van Maanen could be protected from here.  Jumps to 40 Eridani and Gliese 908 were discovered, and those systems explored next.   

October 2087 - June 2088 -- Gliese 908 survey operations.  The intent was to catch 40 Eridani 'on the way back' as Bravo would journey across the YZ Ceti system back to the Van Maanen point. 

Habitability: Good.  A-II is the best, a nearly breathable atmosphere but a cost at 2.53 just somewhat too cold(20+ degrees warmer than Luna though, for example).  There will be water here when the ice sheet melts if it is heated up enough.  There are three bodies in the 4-6 range, three more in the 8-9 range, and another three just over 10 colony cost.  That's ten habitable locations, which is the same number Sol has. 
Fuel Availability:  None.  Two gas giants are both barren.  The most distant super jovian known, 16b km out, was not surveyed as it was past the limit but it may be worth considering as the three 10+ cost bodies are all in it's orbit.  Otherwhise fuel would need to be shipped in.
Mineral Wealth.  A-II is not only quite habitable but also worth coming for in terms of resources.  A 40-efficiency world, it has four 0.1 minerals including gallicite and duranium, 15+mt tritanium(0.5), 1.3mt neutronium(0.6), 24+mt vendarite(0.7), 14mt corbomite(0.9), and 9.9 mt corundium(0.9).  Given the lack of major corundium and neutronium deposits in neighboring YZ Ceti, this is particularly welcome. 
Strategic Value:  Above Average.  Three new systems were found:  EZ Aquarii, the empty star of NN 3039, and Groombridge 34. 

July 2088 - June 2089 -- 40 Eridani, the other new system off of YZ Ceti.  A big pattern, but not much was expected. 

Habitability:  Above Average.  Only A-II, which needs oxygen added only to a thick atmosphere but is at 1.9 already with good temperature and gravity, can be occupied. 
Fuel Availability:  None.  The lone jovian is barren.
Mineral Wealth:  Low.  A-II has several 0.1 minerals, and there are a number of asteroids that contain resources but most of them don't have much.  One has nine high-accessibility minerals, probably the most efficient source ever found at 85, but low amounts of most.  Mercassium(17kt) is the biggest.  There are a few other similar asteroids, a second one 25kt duranium, a bit of neutronium, and 38kt gallicite among it's virtues.  The amounts simply aren't enough to warrant investment in the system.
Strategic Value:  Low.  While the discovery of an alien ruin on A-II definitely makes the system important for now, once that is excavated there will be relatively little reason to return.  The lone new system, 82 Eridani, is another 'empty' one devoid of any resources. 

October 2089 - March 2090 -- GJ 1002, the second system leading away from Van Maanen.

Habitability:  Good.  A-I is a 1.9-cost world, far better than rest.  A relatively small amount of methane will need to be drained from it's atmosphere and oxygen added, and then thickened somewhat as it's currently over 25 degrees below the optimal range.  A multi-stage but relatively short terraforming project.  In addition, there are 11 other habitable bodies, most in the 6-8 range with a couple higher.  This is another system where a network of colonies could develop.  A full dozen sites makes it a record-setter in that department, yet only the one will have limited cost. 
Fuel Availability:  Very Good.  Three sources:  5.4m @ 0.6, 156 kt @ 0.9, and 154 kt @ 1.0. 
Mineral Wealth:  Rich.  The 21st moon of the third planet, a gas giant, alone makes that distinction.  68mt of duranium @ 0.8, dwarfing the entirety of YZ Ceti by itself.  628 kt of corbomite is an irrelevant kicker.  Another moon further out in the system has another 2mt @ 0.5.  Unfortunately there is little else, most minerals would need to be shipped in. 
Strategic Value:  Very Low.  As no new systems were found, this is merely a side alleyway in galactic terms, though an important one. 

Galaxy Map
The Known Universe as of May 25, 2090





Outlook

Bravo's finds are revolutionary.  The discovery of the first alien ruins on 40 Eridani A-I would be so on their own merits, but as it is they are a mere massively important footnote.  A total of over 82mt of high-accessibility duranium was found, along with significant finds of every other major mineral.  To put that number in perspective, it dwarfs total usage by SPACE to date and at the projected minimum needs of 15kt per annum, would supply humanity for more than five millenia.  Developing those resources will be a very lengthy process, but once done the future of humanity will be highly secure from an economic standpoint.  Due to it's status as a chokepoint system, YZ Ceti becomes the top priority.  This opens up the question of whether to approach it focusing on an immediate resource grab or a long-term development potential situation. 

Overall, not counting the Sol system and the three which are inaccessible due to the alien presence, SPACE has discovered 23 systems and fully surveyed 13 of them.  A second question is where to go next.  The maximum distance allowed by the 1-year rule(a year travel there and back, resulting in at least 60% mission time on station) is 18.7 billion kilometers.  As the route list below shows, in some directions exploration is beginnig to approach that distance:

Barnard's Star - Gliese 563.2:  8.21b
Sirius - V577 Monoceri:  10.1b
Luyten - Tau Ceti - Proxima Centauri - Procyon:  10.81b(another 2.1b to Kapteyn's Star)
Luyten - Tau Ceti - Gliese 1:  11.01b(0.3b less to TZ Arietis)
Van Maanen - YZ Ceti - Gliese 908 - EZ Aquarii:  15.4b(closest, the other two offshoots are almost a billion further)
Van Maanen - YZ Ceti - 40 Eridani - 82 Eridani:  17.26b

YZ Ceti is expected to become the first outsystem base, i.e. the first system with a 10kt-capacity maintenance facility operation to support fleet assets outside of Sol.  That is well down the road though of course.  Command presently intends to send one ESF out past Barnard's Star to the Gliese 563.2 given that it's by far the closest available unexplored system, with the second heading out through Luyten to the systems beyond Tau Ceti.  There are multiple possibilities yet in that direction, but so far nothing has been found to indicate investment any further than Luyten(New Genesis colony) will be warranted anytime soon.

[Bryan Swartz (OP)]

MAY - OCTOBER 2090

The second and third quarters were filled with a lot of mostly routine developments which are detailed in the departmental summaries as usual.  The first substantial news was the departure of the colonization group to New Genesis for the second time on July 3.  Their load this time around was another 150k colonists, a deep space tracking station, two more factories, two automines, and a smattering of additional infrastructure. On August 30 the new prefabricated missile base for Titan was finally completed.  This set off a flurry of activity as the nine construction brigades on Earth were sent there to get it assembled.  The nearly 30 factories devoted to building the components for the base were also retasked.  Small accelerations across the board mean that almost all significant industrial projects are now expected to see results and/or completion by early 2092. 

In September, the current run of Forrestal 88i sensor vessels completed, leaving only the Guardian jump defense missile corvettes still being built.  Otherwhise, the shipyards are quiet.  When the construction teams arrived on Titan, early estimates indicated the base would be ready sometime in 2093.  The day after this announcement, September 23, Director Burt Stonerock made the anticipated announcement that he would be retiring in a month's time. 

In the first week of October, the Guardian phase officially began as the first squadron was deployed to the Epsilon Eridani jump point. 


Earth

June 14 -- Forrestal III scrapped, Spruance 85i finished and the first one begins refitting. 

June 28 -- Forrestal 88i finished. 

July 3 -- Forrestal III scrapped:  first Spruance refit finished.

Mid-July -- Forrestal III scrapped. 

July 25 -- ESF Bravo arrives at Earth for it's overhaul.  They'll finish some time next year as well, close behind Alpha but probably a month or two after the first flotilla is ready. 

August 2 -- Forrestal 88i finished, only one left in production. 

August 5 -- Two more Forrestal IIIs scrapped. 

August 8 -- Guardian(x3) finished.  There are now ten in service.  A second squadron begins training exercises, the first is finished and undergoing overhaul:  it will be ready to deploy after that. 

September 9th -- The 14th and, for now, last of the Forrestal 88i are finished.  The only ship construction going on now are the Guardian corvettes.  The shipyards are eerily quiet on the whole.

October 17 -- Final, fourth slipway completed for the Niehuis SY.  Starting with the next run, they will be able to build a full squadron of Guardians simultaneously.  For the first time in memory, there are no ongoing shipyard expansions of any kind. 


Colonial Developments

June 16 -- Sedna expands to 56.   

July 5 -- Europa finishes it's new Ticonderoga 82 sensor base.  Only Ganymede's remains. 

August 11 -- Sedna expands to 57. 

Mid-August -- Another shipment of automines departs for Herschel-Rigollet, expected to be the final one. 

September 22nd -- Components for the Titan base arrive, and after an engineering assessment of needed materials, minerals are shipped the next day.  Initial estimates put completion of the base sometime in 2093.


Personnel Notes

Mid-July -- Defensive Systems has two elite scientists for the first time ever as Eliot Monks(36) steps up to that level. 

August 2 -- Syrus Cassio ups initiative to 425, among the highest in the service now. 

August 20 -- Dr. Brandon Leyrer, not at all a household name for good reason, made a surprising breakthrough.  The 33-year-old Biology & Genetics scientist is up to Accomplished despite not having been given any projects to direct recently.  This would normally merit a reassessment, but there's really nothing for him to work on.  He's still behind Noble Stephson, and there's only room for one researcher in the field right now, in terraforming. 

September 19th -- Timmy Sheerin, governor at Triton, is up to elite status in mining production.  Nearly a 200-ton increase in annual duranium yield from the moon is expected to result.  A drop in the bucket, but every little bit helps. 

October 22 -- Cmdr. Jay Cin V increases training skill, still considered a novice in that category.


Research & Development

September 23rd -- Dr. Leonel Wessels completes blueprints for a larger, more powerful 20cm laser cannon. 

Early October --  Dr. Adolfo Walth finishes work on minituarizing cloaks, a ship of 1.25kt or larger can now potentially be outfitted.