Chapter 2: The Veil
Years 1008 through 1011
May 1008The Fellshard researchers were able to quickly develop Commercial grade Nuclear Thermal Engines after the Indrett spies stole the original plans. The Fellshard begin production of the Condorra in a years time. Dahanii raiders stole Geological Survey Sensor technology from House Indrett (perhaps they wanted to show the Dahanii method of acquiring technology.) Indrett commander Coldaris Phoenix, a legally well-versed and knowing Dundari, is able to sanction House Indrett militia to attack nomadic Dahanii tribes. The Indrett forces began to march towards the ancient city of Falldaris, but with the objective of scorching any tribe that attempts to stop their march. If successful, House Indrett would be in control of Falldaris and the Dahanii would be exiled from the city.
May 13th 1008 at 10:00 AMThe Dahanii tribes that fought back were massacred, with a little over 400 Dahanii Hunters killed in the fighting. The Dahanii in the ancient city retreated into the dunes of the nearby wastes. May 13th is remembered as a day of mourning for the Dahanii tribes, the Bloody March.
May 18th, 1008The Dahanii retaliate by stealing engine component technology from the Indrett researchers. The engine is then improved by the Dahanii craftsmen. The first Dahanii Survey Ship (named Falskar) is a modified hull of the Seid class Survey Ship. However, they noticed a crucial error of the Indrett engine design (by 50 tons.) The Dahanii make their own improvements.
Dahanii oracles tell a message humorously addressed to the Indrett:
Math was never a strength of the martial Indrett people.January 1009House Indrett finishes the construction of the Seid Survey Ship. House Captain Niobe Orestes is placed in charge as the Commanding Officer of the Seid. The Seid's first trip is to the planet of Falldaris II and Falldaris III. Falldaris II is a Venusian world with very high pressure and temperatures, while Falldaris III is a Super-Jovian gas giant. Citizens of House Indrett begin to migrate into the city of Falldaris. The Dahanii Tribes near the city are captured.
February 7th, 1009Surprisingly, the Dahanii's quick thinking allowed them to complete construction of the Falskar class Survey Ship. The vessel takes off from the dunes of the vast Dahanii north. Many sources say that the launch of the Falskar was "a frightful tremor that forebode the end of the Dundari race." House Indrias witches finish scrying the power of Nuclear Thermal Engines. After capturing a scientist from House Indrett, the technology completed for House Indrias. Now they only require the engine's design to be researched.
April, 1009House Indrett survey reports come in from the Seid:
Falldaris-A II Duranium 27,084,800 Acc 0.1
Corbomite 14,745,600 Acc 0.8
Vendarite 56,550,400 Acc 0.1
Sorium 20,793,600 Acc 0.1
Uridium 28,729,600 Acc 0.1
Corundium 37,945,600 Acc 0.1
The House economic and industrial experts begin working for the Indrett Navy in order to construct commercial vessels to transport automated mines to these worlds for resource extraction. Several organizations are created within House Indrett's jurisdiction to oversee the finances, industry, and logistics of the House's assets
House Fellshard, after many setbacks, completes the design of the Condorra class Survey Ship. They have made various improvements of the original design (that the Indrett spies stole) such as improved economic engines, fuelage, and survey capacity.
Condorra class Survey Ship 5,185 tons 69 Crew 442.9 BP TCS 104 TH 125 EM 0
1205 km/s Armour 1-26 Shields 0-0 HTK 20 Sensors 0/0/0/3 DCR 2 PPV 0
Maint Life 2.08 Years MSP 106 AFR 108% IFR 1.5% 1YR 33 5YR 492 Max Repair 100 MSP
Baron Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 24 months Morale Check Required
Commercial Nuclear Thermal Engine EP62.5 (2) Power 125.0 Fuel Use 10.06% Signature 62.5 Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 250,000 Litres Range 86.2 billion km (828 days at full power)
Geological Survey Sensors (3) 3 Survey Points Per Hour
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
This design is classed as a Survey Ship for auto-assignment purposes
August 1009The planet of Falldaris-II is renamed to Mordetala by House Indrett. Mordetala is planned to have a small settlement to operate automated mining outposts on the planet with a mass driver. The Seid continues surveying the Falldaris system. The Seid's standing order is to survey the celestial bodies of the Falldaris system and to return home when the deployment is exceeded or when fuel is at half capacity.
September 1009Falldaris-I is renamed to Felmar by House Indrett. Like Mordetala, Felmar is a venusian high mineral world with plans for settlements in the atmosphere for operation of automated mines and a mass driver.
April 1010House Fellshard completes production of the Condorra, House Captain Hedgeblood is anointed as the Commanding Officer of the vessel. The Condorra's voyage towards the vast unknown of the Falldaris system begins. In addition, House Fellshard mystics begin to divine possible interstellar travel methods.
September 1010House Fellshard's trading company known as Drago-Az begins developing commercial vessels for future commerce. House Fellshard military begin to develop a Cadre formation sized at 25000 tons and a Supply Skiff for longer deployments. Meanwhile, House Indrias mines begin to run dry of minerals. House Indrett trains a replacement Militia Phalanx to replenish troops lost in the Bloody March.
November 1010House Indrett create more plans for intersystem settlements: vendarite rich moon of Falldaris VIII is renamed to Opuletis. The abundant resources of Falldaris VII's moon (now named Decanis) is rich in Gallicite, Vendarite, and Uridium. Another moon of Falldaris VII (now known as Valsall) is rich in Duranium. Falldaris VII is renamed to Arlem, an ancient king of the Indrett. Arlem is a gas giant with no resources but her moons are noted to be plentiful and bountiful.
Opuletis Vendarite 6,859,161 Acc 0.9
Corundium 142,884 Acc 0.1
Valsall Duranium 1,213,682 Acc 0.6
Decanis Duranium 64,800 Acc 0.5
Neutronium 1,600 Acc 0.4
Corbomite 547,600 Acc 0.6
Boronide 774,400 Acc 0.9
Vendarite 1,795,600 Acc 0.6
Sorium 3,600 Acc 0.9
Uridium 1,299,600 Acc 0.5
Gallicite 1,440,000 Acc 1
The Indrett engineers finish the design of a system ranged logistics transport called the Irate. Her hull's design is meant for system wide transportation of automines, mass drivers, etc. After the Seid's report of no habitable worlds came in, House Indrett decided to work on extracting as many resources from the system. At the moment, no premonitions of leaving the Falldaris system have been received by any faction's researchers or witches. Besides the Fellshard, who keep it a coveted secret.
Irate class Transport 30,867 tons 49 Crew 253.9 BP TCS 617 TH 125 EM 0
202 km/s Armour 1-87 Shields 0-0 HTK 25 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 1 PPV 0
MSP 5 Max Repair 50 MSP
Cargo 25,000 Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 1
Knight Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months
Commercial Nuclear Thermal Engine EP62.5 (2) Power 125.0 Fuel Use 11.18% Signature 62.5 Explosion 5%
Fuel Capacity 500,000 Litres Range 26 billion km (1490 days at full power)
Many scholars in this period note the lack of combat between factions. This period becomes known as the "Veiled War" because of the clandestine nature of this cold war.