First ContactThe TransPacific Alliance seemed to have little interest in extrasolar exploration. Although TPA scout ships were occasionally sighted beyond Sol, they never appeared until jump points were stabilized. Was it possible the entire TPA jump program was a failed experiment or even elaborate hoax?
In any case the bloc concentrated its efforts on the Solar System, in particular the comet of Machholz. While small colonies were detected on other small bodies, Europa, and Venus, NorCom Intelligence noted nearly 400 installations on Machholz, and the comet was continually visited by large amounts of freighters. The TPA also expended considerable resources harvesting the atmospheric sorium reserves of Saturn.
The diplomatic situation between NorCom and the TPA was generally good, with a trade agreement doing much to normalize relations, but there was some cause for concern. Over 20 destroyers and large cruisers launched from TPA yards between 2402 and 2404, and TPA survey ships sometimes transmitted rude messages to NorCom vessels, particularly stabilization ships. Perhaps most concerning was evidence that NorCom's technological advantage was beginning to erode. Intelligence obtained in 2405 indicated that the TPA was designing third-generation warships with ion engine technology such as the
Zhengzhou III.Zhengzhou III class Escort Cruiser 18 358 tons 357 Crew 2 424.6 BP TCS 367 TH 1 450 EM 0
3949 km/s Armour 5-61 Shields 0-0 HTK 103 Sensors 0/0/0/0 DCR 8 PPV 28
Maint Life 0.73 Years MSP 660 AFR 337% IFR 4.7% 1YR 909 5YR 13 640 Max Repair 593.68 MSP
Magazine 1 968
Captain Control Rating 3 BRG AUX CIC
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
Ion Drive EP362.5 (4) Power 1450.0 Fuel Use 58.72% Signature 362.5 Explosion 10%
Fuel Capacity 1 250 000 Litres Range 20.9 billion km (61 days at full power)
Size 1 Missile Launcher (28) Missile Size: 1 Rate of Fire 10
Missile Fire Control FC13-R1 (6) Range 13.5m km Resolution 1
Revolver AMM (1968) Speed: 43 800 km/s End: 0.5m Range: 1.2m km WH: 1 Size: 1.0000 TH: 204/122/61
Active Search Sensor AS11-R1 (1) GPS 72 Range 11.7m km MCR 1.1m km Resolution 1
Missile to hit chances are vs targets moving at 3000 km/s, 5000 km/s and 10,000 km/s
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
The ruins in both Osiris and Amaterasu were identified as belonging to the long-vanished Kingdom of Ipava. Among other treasures, excavations uncovered eight usable Particle Beam-6 weapons and three J16000(6-750) jump drives, far in advance of NorCom technology. The alien particle beams were installed in two new
Tiger-class cruisers:
Tiger class Cruiser 12,000 tons 323 Crew 1,981.1 BP TCS 240 TH 960 EM 0
4000 km/s Armour 8-46 Shields 0-0 HTK 92 Sensors 24/8/0/0 DCR 8 PPV 48.32
Maint Life 4.46 Years MSP 1,265 AFR 144% IFR 2.0% 1YR 103 5YR 1,544 Max Repair 120 MSP
Cryogenic Berths 200
Captain Control Rating 2 BRG AUX
Intended Deployment Time: 12 months Morale Check Required
General Atomics NP240M (4) Power 960 Fuel Use 78.08% Signature 240 Explosion 12%
Fuel Capacity 800,000 Litres Range 15.4 billion km (44 days at full power)
Particle Beam-6 (4) Range 192,000km TS: 4,000 km/s Power 15-5 ROF 15
Twin SAAB-Bofors Gauss Cannon R300-25.00 Turret (4x6) Range 30,000km TS: 16000 km/s Power 0-0 RM 30,000 km ROF 5
SAAB-Bofors R32-TS16000 (2) Max Range: 32,000 km TS: 16,000 km/s 69 38 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Winter Systems R192-TS4000 (2) Max Range: 192,000 km TS: 4,000 km/s 95 90 84 79 74 69 64 58 53 48
General Atomics GCFR R14 (3) Total Power Output 42.3 Exp 5%
Battery Pack (8) Total Power Output 0 Exp 5%
NorTronics AS30-R20 (1) GPS 960 Range 30m km Resolution 20
NorTronics AS6-R1 (1) GPS 16 Range 6.4m km MCR 574.5k km Resolution 1
NorTronics EM1.0-8.0 (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
NorTronics TH3.00-24.00 (1) Sensitivity 24 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 38.7m km
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
The mysterious constructs existing belong the Ipavan ruins in Amaterasu were believed to date from a far earlier epoch in history, at least a hundred million years ago - if such a concept applied to star systems that the latest research had revealed were not only spread across space but according to measurements of cosmic background radiation time as well. The pyramidal structures on Amaterasu II were some form of ancient terraforming installation of incredibly advanced design that were speculated to increase research productivity in the biogenetics area by as much as 80%, while the spherical cavern on Amaterasu III was best described as an "etheric calibration chamber," boosting sensor research by nearly a third.
NorCom industry and research now had two major focuses. The first was constructing terraforming stations for Mars, Osiris, and Amaterasu and improving the technology required to make them habitable without assistance, and the second was improving realspace and jump propulsion technology. As NorCom's reach expanded it was becoming clear that the four existing
Stargazer-class exploration ships were inadequate.
The new
Soyuz-class explorer was 25% faster and had double the range and endurance of the
Stargazers thanks to ion engines and a new compact jump drive. Furthermore, it would prove relatively easy to refit the
Stargazers to the same standard, giving NorCom eight modern explorers relatively quickly.
Soyuz class Exploration Ship 4,000 tons 94 Crew 478.7 BP TCS 80 TH 240 EM 0
3000 km/s JR 3-50 Armour 1-22 Shields 0-0 HTK 30 Sensors 8/8/1/1 DCR 2 PPV 0
Maint Life 6.65 Years MSP 589 AFR 64% IFR 0.9% 1YR 23 5YR 346 Max Repair 100 MSP
Commander Control Rating 1 BRG
Intended Deployment Time: 32 months Morale Check Required
Horizon Foundation J4000(3-50) Military Jump Drive Max Ship Size 4000 tons Distance 50k km Squadron Size 3
General Atomics Ion120M (2) Power 240 Fuel Use 13.23% Signature 120 Explosion 6%
Fuel Capacity 300,000 Litres Range 102.1 billion km (393 days at full power)
Battery Pack (8) Total Power Output 0 Exp 5%
NorTronics AS6-R1 (1) GPS 16 Range 6.4m km MCR 574.5k km Resolution 1
NorTronics TH1.0-8.0 (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
NorTronics EM1.0-8.0 (1) Sensitivity 8 Detect Sig Strength 1000: 22.4m km
Geological Survey Sensors (1) 1 Survey Points Per Hour
Gravitational Survey Sensors (1) 1 Survey Points Per Hour
This design is classed as a Military Vessel for maintenance purposes
The second
Soyuz-class explorer,
Mir, jumped through an unexplored jump point in the Pantagruel system beyond Osiris on her maiden voyage, entering the Jaganath system on March 31, 2408. After traversing over 5 billion kilometers to the inner system and conducting some preliminary surveys, in the morning of May 24
Mir detected two alien craft on an intercept course at 5155 kilometers per second. Within five hours six vessels closed on
Mir and tore her apart with six strength-6 and 26 strength-1 blasts. Thirty-one of the crew, not including Commander Jessie Clip, survived.
A few hours later their lifepod transponders abruptly ceased transmitting.