Campaign Updates

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 200, New Bedu Empire Home System of Refuge
The Bedu government, under Consul Virena, concludes a partnership agreement with the Bjering.  Consul Virena has decided that the best course for the survival of her people lay with the Bjering, thus she is determined to have her people join the nascent Bjering alliance as soon as possible.  The Bjering are currently in talks with the humans of the Tomsk Union about merging their nations, and Virena wants to ensure that her people are taken under the umbrella of this super-state that is in the formation stages. 

In the Bjering Gunnar system, Bjering Alpha Admiral released the Tomsk Union ships that had been dispatched to help guard the system against Mintek incursions and they began the long trip home.  The assembled Bjering fleets remained in the system, at least for now.  Eventually, Alpha Admiral would begin releasing the fleets to return home and begin refits to be upgraded with the latest technology. 

Month 200
Confidential Report to Alpha Admiral from Staff Intelligence
Subject: Bedu and Mintek Naval Strength as of Month 188

The following numbers are based on intelligence received from the Bedu refugees.  This intelligence was received in the form of original scan records of the encounter between the Bedu Combined Fleets and the Mintek Invasion Force. 

Bedu Main Fleet: 6xCV, 8xBC, 7xCL, 9xDD, 216xFighters
Mintek Invasion Force: 15xBC, 15xDD, 4xCT, 1xCV, 6xCVL, 14xCVE, 342xFighter(estimated)

Current Bjering Combined Fleet Strength: 3xML, 18xBC, 6xDD, 35xCT, 5xCV, 1xCVL, 15xCVS, 5xCVE, 528xFighter
Allied Fleets: 15xBC, 18xCL, 22xDD, 6xCVS, 19xCVE, 318xFighter

The report notes that the figures for the Bedu forces were firm, but that the figures for the Mintek invasion force were speculative and were entirely based on Bedu fleet reports of sightings and encounters, meaning that there could have been significant Mintek forces held in reserve and never observed. 

Month 203
The Tomsk Union achieves a breakthrough into HT-9 and reaches parity with the Bjering Consolidate.  The two announce their intention to amalgamate in six months. 

Month 204
Alpha Admiral begins releasing Bjering forces to return to the home system for refits, drawing down the forces concentrated in the Gunnar system to defend against a potential Mintek invasion. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 196, Alliance Periphery, Lothari Home System
Last month Alliance survey ships established contact with the newly discovered aliens in this system.  This month, in record time, the Alliance and the Lothari managed to establish full communications with each other.  The new aliens call themselves the Kingdom of Lothar, and while friendly, they seem to value their privacy.  To date none of the Alliance negotiators and contact personnel have seen a Lothari in the flesh, as every Lothari encountered to date has been covered in life support suits that may double as armor.  In spite of this, the Lothari have been friendly and open.  Following standard procedure, and with the agreement of the sector capital, the contact team offers the Lothari the standard Alliance trade and military treaty. 

Much to the surprise of the Alliance team, the Lothari immediately accept the offer, and become the newest associate member of the Alliance.   

Month 197, Alliance Territories, Periphery, Herzberg system
On Day five three Lothari cruisers jump out of their home system and into the Alliance frontier system of Herzberg.  They remained on the warp point for a minute or two, examining the system, and then headed inwards to probe the single habitable planet in the inner system.  There was no one there to observe them, as the Alliance survey group that had established contact with the Lothari had moved on to other duties, and the Alliance ICN hadn’t yet been established in this area. 

After probing the inner system, the Lothari cruisers set out to survey the system. 

Month 199, Alliance Territories, Periphery, Alliance Herzberg system
Lothari transports arrive in the system and begin emplacing a Lothari colony on the second planet of the system. 

Month 200, Alliance Territories, Periphery, Alliance Herzberg system
A Lothari survey squadron is finishing up its survey of the system, and by mid-month begins probing the two new warp points they found.  One of the new systems has no habitable planets, while the other has two.  The Lothari commander dispatches a ship into each system to probe it, while his last cruiser, accompanied by the two new corvette class survey ships that had just joined it, wait at the warp point to the system with the habitable planets to watch over the probe system. 

On Day 20, the Lothari survey cruiser detects Alliance populations on each of the two habitable planets.  The commander is under strict orders to withdraw if he can do so while remaining undetected.  The survey cruiser is far beyond the detection range of the colonies, and so he turns back towards his entry point.  One day later, however, he detects drive fields at the edge of his detection range.  Fearing that he must be on their scanners as well, the commander sends a contact message to the drive field contact in Alliance standard.  Shortly after detecting the drive fields, and before they could have received the message, the contact turns towards the withdrawing Lothari cruiser.  Knowing he’s been detected, the Lothari captain, following his orders, comes to a halt and sends a message to the cruiser waiting on the warp point.  Several hours later the Lothari ship receives a response.  It is from an Alliance naval officer, informing them that they are in Alliance territory, and ordering them to stand by for questioning.  The Lothari ship has already come to a halt, so they remain in place.

On Day 22, the drive field contact has closed enough that the Lothari cruiser can resolve its number and types.  It is an Alliance force of four destroyers.  The Lothari survey cruiser is armed, but its commander is unsure if he could take on four Alliance destroyers in a standup fight.  Fortunately, his orders are clear.  If detected in Alliance space he is under no circumstances to initiate hostile actions.  In fact, he has dropped his drive field and his shields are down, to indicate his peaceful intent. 

The Alliance squadron closes to eight light seconds and comes to a halt, after which its commander demands to know the purpose of a Lothari warship in Alliance space.  The Alliance commander’s tone is terse, and the demand is clear.  Following his orders, the Lothari captain apologizes, and states that they did not know that the system belonged to the Alliance until they detected the colonies in the inner system.  After discovering the colonies, they were withdrawing, as their treaty with the Alliance required them to do.  The Lothari commander did not reveal the location of the warp point he had used to enter the system, but the implication of the message he had sent was that they had used a warp point from their own territories to enter the system, rather than from the Alliance’s Herzberg system.  It took more questioning before the Alliance commander realized that the Lothari ships had to have come through the Herzberg system.  Under direct questioning, the Lothari commander admitted as much, although he seemed mystified as to why the Alliance commander would care. 

The Alliance squadron commander, for her part, was confused.  The Lothari were friendly, and had signed a treaty with the Alliance recognizing that the Herzberg system, and all of the systems beyond it, were Alliance territory.  And yet now they find them here, in an Alliance colony system.  This was most disturbing.  The Alliance commander issued orders for the Lothari survey cruiser to return to Lothar space, and stated that her squadron would accompany the ship to ensure that it got where it was going. 

On Day 26 the Lothari survey cruiser and the escorting Alliance destroyers arrived at the warp point to the Herzberg system.  As the Alliance ships prepared to transit, they received a message from the Lothari ship.  The Lothari commander stated that the Herzberg system was Lothari territory, but that the Alliance squadron would be allowed to enter.  Alarmed, the squadron commander cancelled her transit orders and questioned the Lothari commander, who admitted that the Lothari had colonized the habitable world in the Herzberg system, in essence making it their territory.  At that point the Alliance squadron commander ordered the Lothari ship to depart Alliance territory, and sent a message back to the Sector Capital requesting guidance. 

Month 201, Day 2, Herzberg system
The meeting took place at the warp point into the Herzberg system from Alliance territory.  The Alliance squadron commander, having received orders from the Sector Capital, agreed to the Lothari occupation of the Herzberg system, and its single habitable planet.  After all, the system was far from the population centers of the Alliance, and the planet was rated ‘poor’ on the resource scale.  The Sector governor had decided that if the Lothari wanted it, they could have it.  The squadron commander communicated this fact to the Lothari, who enthusiastically agreed.  The squadron commander also communicated the fact that there would be no further retreats by the Alliance.  The next system down-chain was the Liawak system, and it had been settled by the Alliance and would remain Alliance territory.  The Alliance would take a dim view of any further territorial seizures by the Lothari. 

The Lothari commander agreed, without complaint or hedging, and assured the D’Bringi squadron commander that there would be no further misunderstandings.  The D’Bringi captain doubted that this had been a misunderstanding, but was under orders to press no further, and so let it go.  He did make it clear that there would be Alliance warships stationed at the border to ensure that there were no further problems.  And so, the incident was over, at least for now. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 203, Bedu Home System
The 1st Carrier Strike Group arrived over Alowan Prime mid-month, joining the Fast Attack Group.  The plan had originally been to send a probe through the newly discovered warp point in the system, which an alien ship had been observed exiting the system through, once the fleet strength in the system was sufficient.  However, with the contact efforts with the Ascendancy moving forward, high command on the home world was loath to begin contact efforts with a second race while efforts with the Ascendancy were underway.   
 
Month 205, Mintek Union
The Mintek reach a trade agreement with the Ascendancy.  This actually puts the Mintek in a bit of a bind.  Standard operating procedure would dictate that the Mintek move heavy naval forces into the system that was closest to their new trade partner, should that trade partner react badly to the presence of Mintek ‘traders’ in their border systems.  That is not possible at this time, as the Mintek fleet is split between widely separated commitments.  The Fast Attack Group remains in the Bedu home system, guarding against possible Bjering aggression.  The Assault Group has been redeployed back to the home system to guard against an attack by the enigmatic race that probed the system through a previously unknown closed warp point.  The First and Second Carrier Strike Groups are split, with the 1st deployed to the Alowan system to guard the system against the race that probed the newly discovered warp point in that system, while the 2nd is deployed to the contact point with the Ascendancy. 

Unable to recall any of the deployed forces, the Mintek government decides to proceed cautiously with the Ascendancy, limiting their attempts to spread the faith, at least for now. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 203, Aurarii Republic
After months of effort, the Alliance manages to establish full communications with the Aurarii Republic.  The Aurarii are somewhat standoffish, and recently concluded a war with their neighbors in their system, which appeared to have been touched off by the Doraz efforts to establish contact with the newly discovered races. 

Following established procedures, the contact and negotiating team offer the Aurarii a standard Alliance membership, which amounts to a trade and military alliance.  The Aurarii immediately reject the offer, but then counter with an offer of a trade relationship.  The Alliance team accept, and while preparations are made to establish the trade network, the Aurarii agree to meet with representatives of the other Alliance races. 

The Aurarii continue negotiations with the Alliance representatives, and by the end of the month reveal the fact that their system has no other warp points, meaning that they are isolated in a dead-end system.  They are very interested in purchasing access to unexplored systems from the Alliance, or the Doraz, if necessary.  While promising, this revelation causes some consternation amongst the Alliance negotiators.  The Aurarii system is located in Doraz space, and is linked to the main line of Doraz expansion via a barren white dwarf system.  That system has a total of four warp points, one of which leads back to Doraz space, one to the Aurarii system, while the other two lead to two starless nexuses.  One of those has been surveyed and has no additional warp points, while the second is currently being surveyed.  If that system has no additional warp points, then the nearest unexplored system would be six transits away, all of it through settled Doraz space.  For now, the negotiators decide not to reveal this fact, in the hopes that the survey effort in the nearby starless nexus discovers at least one open warp point. 

Month 204, Doraz Contingency
Working through Alliance intermediaries, the Doraz come to an agreement with the Aurarii.  They will transfer control of the white dwarf system adjacent to the Aurarii system, along with the starless nexus adjacent to it, and the newly discovered system on the far side of that nexus.  Although that system doesn’t have any habitable worlds, it does offer the potential for expansion to the Aurarii, who otherwise would be isolated in their home system.  The Aurarii agreed to a one-time payment of a substantial amount of resources to the Doraz for these systems. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 196, Villiers System, Zir Territories
The first group of Alliance ships has arrived in the system.  The group includes five medium shipyard ships and their escort of three light cruisers and three destroyers.  The shipyard ships settle into orbit over the main Zir colony in the system and immediately begin work on building bases to fortify the system.  By the end of the month an additional three light cruisers and three CVE’s have arrived to bolster the orbital defenses around the construction assets assembling in the system. 

Month 200, Villiers System, Zir Territories
As of Day 1, the lead elements of the Alliance 6th Fleet have arrived in the Villiers system.  All told, the Alliance has nine battlecruisers, three heavy cruisers, nine light cruisers, three strike cruisers, six escort carriers, six destroyers, three corvette-scouts, and six corvette-carriers in the system to bolster the Zir fleet elements stationed there.  In addition, the Alliance has moved a mobile shipyard to the system, six medium shipyard ships, and nineteen repair ships to the system to build defenses.  So far, the construction ships have built twelve BS0’s with 110 fighters, all of which have been stationed in orbit around the main Zir colony, where the construction ships are based.  Finally, a number of mines and laser buoys have been built, but are waiting to be emplaced when their control bases are deployed.  All told, thirty-seven prefabbed bases of various sizes are en route to the Villiers system, where the waiting repair ships will assemble them. 

The main battle groups of the 6th Fleet are one month away, at the Zir Home system, and thanks to the supply dumps relocated to the Villiers system months ago there will be enough supplies to support the fleet once it arrives. 

Month 202, Villers System, Alliance Periphery (Zir Territory)
The Alliance 6th Fleet is fully assembled in the Zir frontier system, and numerous Alliance construction units are present and fully engaged in building up the defenses of the system.  This system has an astounding five habitable planets and thirteen warp points, four of which lead to inhabited systems.  Fortunately, two of them lead to systems belonging to the Colonial Union, and the entry points into those systems are closed and located in the outer systems, meaning that the CU doesn’t know that they exist and likely can’t find them.  The other two links, though, are problematic.  One is a closed link that leads to the Mintek Home System, and is both an incredible opportunity and an incredible threat.  That warp link opens in the Mintek inner system, and the Zir were definitely detected probing the system, meaning that the Mintek know that there is a closed warp point deep within their home system.  The other warp link leads to a heavily populated planet of aliens unknown to the Alliance, which might be good or bad, but worryingly, the warp point in the alien system is open, and thus detectable by the locals, and it appears they at least suspect it exists.  Rather than rush into a hasty assault into Mintek territory, the Alliance has decided to build up its forces in the system, and establish defenses around the planets and the warp points, before they do anything else. 

The Zir have established colonies on all five of the planets, only one of which is considered benign for their race.  Three of the habitable planets are rated as ‘rich’, fortunately including the one benign planet, and the Zir have shipped in enough colonists to raise the population of the benign planet to medium sized, allowing for large scale colonization of the other system bodies from the medium population.  The Zir have just given the Alliance permission to plant a colony on one of the system’s planets that is rated ‘harsh’ for them, but benign for one of the Alliance’s races, and Alliance colonists will be on their way shortly to begin establishing a colony to support the fleet and fortifications. 

Current Force Levels
Alliance 6th Fleet:
24xBC, 21xCA, 18xCL, 12xDD, 3xCTS, 1xCVL, 7xCVS, 22xCVE, 2xDDV, 5xCT(Pinnace), 19xCTV, 20xPinnace, 694xF0

Alliance Fortifications, Villiers System
6xBS2, 18xBS0, 170xF0

1st Repair Group
20xRepair Ship(Machine Shop)

Construction Group
1xMobile Shipyard(shipyard)

Light Construction Group
6xMobile Shipyard(Mobile Shipyard)

Automated Weapons
590xMF, 170xBSB-L

Under Construction
1xBS3

Prefabbed Units Being Assembled
15xBS0, 3xBS2

 Reinforcements en route to Villiers, ETA Month 204
7xMobile Shipyard(shipyard)

Zir Frontier Fleet
6xDD, 12xFG, 20xCT

Mobile Construction Unit
1xMobile Shipyard(shipyard) – conducting refits to Frontier Fleet units   

[Kurt (OP)]

Bjering Alliance Update, Month205

Bjering
Total Income (All Sources): 49,500 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 31,609 Mcr’s (63%)

Primary Fleet Deployments
Alpha Fleet (Gunnar System): 3xBC, 3xCVS, 3xDD, 4xCT, 18xF0, 36xF1
Beta Fleet (Home System): 1xCV,3xBC, 1xCVL, 4xCVS, 1xCVE, 6xCT, 54xF1
Delta Fleet (Home System): 1xCV, 3xBC, 5xCVS, 3xDD, 1xCVE, 8xCT, 30xF1, 108xF0
Epsilon Fleet (Home System): 3xBC, 2xCVS, 2xCVE, 8xCT, 60xF1
Gamma Fleet (Tomsk System): 6xBC, 1xCVE, 8xCT, 12xF1
Strategic Reserve (Home System): 3xMLR, 3xCV, 1xCVS, 1xCT, 6xFT(Supply), 18xF0, 108xF1

Construction: 192xF1, 5xMSY
Refits: 2xMLR, 1xCV, 3xBC, 2xCT

With the situation in the Mintek stabilized, and the defenses in the Gunnar system sufficient to at least act as a road-block to slow a possible Mintek attack down, Alpha Admiral has been rotating fleets back to the home system to receive refits with the latest technology.  At the end of Month 205, Alpha Admiral declared the emergency with the Bedu and Mintek to be over, and has decided to reorganize the fleet, with reduced out-system deployments.  When the redeployment is complete, one fleet each will be deployed to the Gunnar system and the Tomsk system, while the other three fleets and the Strategic Reserve will remain in the home system. 

With the Mintek threat receding, the Bjering government is turning to focus on the upcoming amalgamation with the Tomsk Union.  There is great excitement among the Bjering people towards the upcoming union with the humans, and there is much hope that this will herald a new age of peace and prosperity. 

Tomsk Union
Total Income (All Sources): 56,243 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 17,102 MCr’s (30%)

Fleet Dispositions
Home Fleet (Tomsk): 9xBC, 1xCVS, 9xCL, 19xCVE, 22xDD, 7xES, 252xF0
Fortress Moon (over the Capital): 6xOffensive PDC (196 HS)
Planetary Defenses (Capital): 7xPDC (anti-msl, 84 HS), 5,000 PCF (some based in the PDC’s and thus hidden),
Orbital Defenses (Capital): 2xArmed SS (6xSY each, 1,057 HS), 1xAst Fort (259 HS), 96xF0, 5xApin
Warp Point Defenses (WP to Colonial Union): 12xBS2, 3xES, 9xCVE, 108xF0, 700xMF, 180xDSB-L, 700xIDEW-E, 395xIDEW-P

Under Construction: 1xAst Fort (259 HS), 120xMF, 110xIDEW-E
Refits: 3xBC, 6xBS2, 1xCL, 5xDD

Much like the Bjering, the Tomsk government is almost totally absorbed by the upcoming amalgamation.  There is much anticipation and excitement throughout the population, mostly because the people of the Tomsk Union view this merger as a final assurance of their independence from the Colonial Union. 

The Tomsk Union continues to face a critical shortage of populations large enough to support colonization.  The Union currently boasts four planets large enough to support colonization without severely depleting themselves, and while three of the four have grown enough to support founding a new colony out of their population, there doesn’t appear to be a long-term solution to this problem.   

Tolan Trade Federation
Total Income (All Sources): 13,780 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 3,740 MCr’s (20.5%)

Fleet Dispositions
Home Fleet: 6xBC, 3xCVS, 6xCL, 54xF0

Since being granted access to unexplored systems by the Tomsk Union, the Tolani have completed surveys of two new systems and have established a settlement sized population on a habitable planet in one of the new systems.  With peaceful relations established with the Tomsk Union, Bjering Consolidate, and the Alliance, the Tolani felt safe enough to reduce the size of their fleet so that they could focus their limited resources on colonization and industrial expansion. 

Aldrean Contemplative Association
Income (All sources): 234 MCr’s

The Aldreans are making excellent progress towards reaching Ind-1 tech level, with Bjering assistance. 

Total Alliance Income (Bjering and Tomsk): 105,743 MCr’s
Total Alliance Fleet Strength: 3xML, 5xCV, 27xBC, 1xCVL, 16xCVS, 9xCL, 25xDD, 33xCVE, 35xCT, 10xES, 234xF0, 660xF1
Total Alliance SY’s: 43xSY, 7xMSY, 13xMS

[Kurt (OP)]

Colonial Union Update, Month 205
Total Income (All Sources): 98,224 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 48,036 MCr’s (49%)

United Colonial Defense Fleet Dispositions:
1st Battle Group (Sligo): 3xSD, 3xBB, 9xBC, 6xCA, 6xDD

Kowloon Patrol Group: 3xCA, 1xFGS, 1xEXS (trade contact point with the Bjering)
Managua Patrol Group: 2xFGS, 6xCT, 1xEXS (suspected closed warp point in the system)
Sandhurst Patrol Group: 3xDD, 3xCVE, 2xFGS, 3xEXS, 51xF0 (known contact point with the Alliance beyond this system)
Zephrain Patrol Group: 3xCVE, 1xFGS, 3xEX, 51xF0 (Known contact point with the Bjering)
Galloway’s Star Patrol Group: 4xEXS (Known contact point with the Alliance)
Centaurus Patrol Group: 13xEXS (Known contact point with the Alliance)

Epsilon Eridani Squadron: 3xSD, 6xCA, 3xDD, 1xFGS, 3xCT, 6xES, 9xCVE, 187xF0
Sigma Draconis Squadron: 3xBC, 1xDDC, 1xFGS, 5xEXS
Sligo Squadron: 12xBC, 3xCA, 6xDD, 15xCVE, 2xEX, 1xFT(Supply), 255xF0
Sol Squadron: 6xSD, 3xCA, 3xCL, 9xCVE, 6xDD, 1xFGS, 1xCT, 6xES, 2xFT(supply), 153xF0
Kirov Squadron (Border Defense): 6xBC, 3xCA, 3xDD, 4xFGS, 3xCT, 5xEXS
Redwing Squadron (Tlatelolco Watch): 3xSD, 3xBC, 1xCVS, 1xCVE, 12xDD, 7xFGS, 1xEXS, 44xF0
Union Assault Corps (Redwing System): 8xCA, 34xCL

Under Construction: 1xCVL
Refits: 11xSD, 7xBC, 11xBS3, 3xCA, 1xBS2, 4xDD, 5xFG, 1xAstF

The Colonial Union has been experiencing an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity, but recent months have seen the Union descend into political chaos.  In Month 193, several major press organizations broke revelations about mistreatment of Tlatelolco natives in the Redwing system, along with numerous treaty violations alleged to have been undertaken by the Colonial Union government.  The reaction of the general population to these revelations has been mixed, but generally negative.  Unlike the Tarok, in the Sligo system, the Tlatelolco, considered gentle giants by most, have always been viewed positively by the Union public, and the only reason the occupation of their home world didn’t meet more resistance in the Senate was because the Tlatelolco declined to resist the occupation with violence.  This, on top of the continuing scandal of the administrations lies and coverups over the battle in the Tomsk system in month 182, has caused the New Dawnists in control of the government to go into full damage-control mode, which means they mostly refuse to comment on anything, no matter how damaging.  The opposition, united under the leadership of Senator Semenov, appear to be moving towards calling for a motion of no confidence, which, at this point, would almost certainly pass, causing the government to fall.  This would lead to a complete reorganization of the government, likely with Senator Semenov in a leading position.   

Because of the political drama, the Union is almost totally focused inwards, and is ignorant of most developments in the other major nations. 

The last major expansion of the Colonial Union Defense Force was the construction of the carrier fleet, but aside from that the fleet size has been fairly stable, with only a minor expansion of the Union Assault Corps in recent months.  The Union’s shipyards are almost completely concentrated on refitting the fleet to HT-8 standards, and the refits are nearing completion, for the most part. 

Total CU Fleet Strength: 15xSD, 3xBB, 33xBC, 1xCVS, 32xCA, 37xCL, 40xCVE, 40xDD, 16xCT, 20xFGS, 14xES, 36xEXS, 741xF0
Total CU Shipyards: 37xSY, 13xMSY

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 205 Update
Mintek Universal Union

Total Income: 68,114 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 43,271 MCr’s (63.5%)

Current Fleet Deployments:
1st Assault Group (Home System): 9xSD, 3xCV, 2xCA, 4xDD, 126xF1
1st Carrier Strike Group (Alowan Home System): 1xCV, 6xCVL, 1xCVS, 3xDD, 15xCVE, 1xCT, 375xF1, 7xApin
2nd Carrier Strike Group (Gobabis System, contact point with the Ascendancy): 2xCV, 3xCVL, 3xDD, 5xCVE, 216xF1, 4xApin
Fast Attack Group (Bedu Home, contact point with the Bjering): 15xBC, 13xDD, 3xCT
Strategic Reserve: 1xBC, 2xFT(Pod Carrier), 8xFT4(Supply ship)
Alowan System Defense Fleet: 18xDD

Mintek Prime Defenses: 1xAF(267 HS), 2xSS(CV)(100 HS), 3xPDC(AM)(75xHS), 186xF1, 3xApin
Mintek Secundus Defenses: 2xSS(CV)(100 HS), 3xPDC(AM)(75xHS), 156xF1
Mintek Tertius Defenses: 1xSSCV, 1xPDC(AM), 78xF1
Mintek System WP#1(Phyriseq System) Defenses: 1xAF (267 HS), 1xAF(223 HS), 9xBS5, 30xF1, 3xApin

Ephesos System Fortifications (Alliance contact point)
1xAsteroid Fort (267 HS), 30xF0, 3xApin

Alowan Home system Defenses
3xBS5, 3xSSCV, 2xAstFort(223 HS), 294xF1, 170xMF

Bedu System Defenses
4xBS5

Under Construction (Mintek Home System): 2xBC, 2xPDC(AM)
Under Construction (Alowan Home System): 120xMF
Refitting: 3xBS5

The Mintek Universal Union is in the curious situation of being much better off than they were just 10 months ago, and yet under multiple existential external threats.  Worse, they cannot concentrate forces to counteract any one of the threats without uncovering themselves against all of the other threats.  The threats, as the Mintek see them, are as follows:

Bjering: The Bjering have offered a haven to the war-criminal former leaders of the Bedu, who stripped their economy and fled before they could be apprehended once their own people turned on them.  While the Bjering seemed reasonable during the negotiations, and indeed they returned the stolen freighters that the bedu criminals made off with, they subsequently refused further contact and sealed their borders.  This willful blindness and forceful repudiation of the true faith is suspicious in and of itself, and given the fact that they are undoubtedly allowing the former Bedu leaders to fill their minds with misinformation they almost certainly will try to ‘liberate’ Bedu territory at some point.  This possibility must be defended against, and, indeed, the plight of the Bjering people, who are living in enforced ignorance, cannot be underestimated.  They are being misled by their own government, and held in ignorance, something that no Mintek of good conscience can condone. 

The D’Bringi Empire: The Mintek Universal Union currently has three known points of contact with the D’Bringi and their dupes.  One is in the Mintek Home system, and is known to both sides and heavily fortified.  The second is in the Ephesos system, and is a closed warp link into D’Bringi space.  The D’Bringi know of the closed warp point, as the Mintek launch an attack into D’Bringi space, however, they were not able to discover the location of the warp point before they forced the Mintek liberation group out of their space.  The warp point in Mintek space is lightly fortified, but there has been no sign of D’Bringi probes.  The third link is in the Delphi system, where the evil D’Bringi launched an attack that depopulated a colony of innocent farmers.  Fortunately, the link from the Delphi system back to the rest of the Union was through a closed warp point that the D’Bringi were unable to discover, ending the threat from this route.  Although no additional points of contact have been discovered, the D’Bringi remain a large and growing threat, and there is always the possibility that they will discover a new route into Union space, or that they will launch an attack into the heart of the Union from the Phyriseq system.

Unknown Threat: Almost three years ago a single ship appeared deep within the Mintek home system and then disappeared through a previously undetected warp point in the inner system.  No ships have reappeared, but this is a threat that cannot be overestimated.  The fact that someone has discovered a warp link into the inner system of the Union’s capital, and then never returned, argues that they have malign intentions.  The fact that the exact location of the warp point is unknown makes it impossible to fortify, meaning that there is a race out there that has a route into the core of the Union.  The fact that that race might be the D’Bringi, or one of their allies, or the Bjering, keeps Mintek defense planners up at night, and has driven the fortification of the three heavily populated planets in the Mintek home system.   Indeed, the fortifications in the Mintek home system consume almost eight percent of the maintenance budget of the Navy and Fortification Command, and this percentage would have been higher if it wasn’t for the fact that the Union’s finances have been severely constrained for some time.  Because the warp point’s location is unknown Fleet Command feels it necessary to keep at least part of the fleet in the home system at all times.   

Unknown Contact in the Alowan Home System: During the warp point survey of the Alowan system in Month 195, an unknown drive field contact was detected close to a newly discovered warp point in the outer system.  The contact disappeared through the warp point and hasn’t returned, which is suspicious.  Fortunately, the location of the warp point is known, and efforts have begun to fortify the warp point have begun.  Fleet units have been diverted to the Alowan system to back stop the defenses until they can be built up. 

The Ascendancy: Because of the Fleet’s other commitments, the Mintek government has decided to tread lightly with the Ascendancy.  Given the consistency in the way that the other unenlightened races have reacted to Mintek attempts to spread the truth within their territories, it appears likely that the Ascendancy too would react poorly.  Because the fleet is stretched so thin, the government has decided to move slowly in our efforts to spread enlightenment, in the hopes that the Ascendancy will react better than the previous races that the Mintek have contacted.  Still, the threat from an unenlightened race cannot be discounted, so forces have been deployed to the contact system to ensure the security of Mintek territory. 

Unquestionably the biggest threat, at least in the minds of the Union’s security experts, is the undiscovered closed warp point in the Mintek home system.  Although the discovering race is unknown, the possibility of a large fleet entering the Mintek system at a random time, possibly when the Mintek fleets are far away, is a nightmare that won’t go away.  To give the Union time to deal with the existing threats, the Mintek government has decided to avoid contact with any newly discovered race, and to limit their actions in the Alowan system to building up defenses at the warp point to the unknown race, rather than establishing contact.  As the defenses in the Alowan system and the Bedu system are built up, this will all the fleet to concentrate forces in the home system to counter the unknown race that entered the system through the closed warp point, and to become more active in enlightening the Ascendancy, as the contact point with that race is only one jump from the home system.  In the meantime, significant amounts of resources have been expended colonizing new systems and expanding the populations on planets with rich and very rich ratings. 

Total Fleet Strength
6xCV, 9xCVL, 1xCVS, 20xCVE, 9xSD, 16xBC, 2xCA, 12xCL, 41xDD, 12xCT, 717xF1
Total Shipyards:
77xSY, 15xMSY

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 202, Day 30, Chirq Home System
Three Rehorish battlecruisers arrive over Chirq Prime, bolstering the forces already in the system.  Interrogation of the Khozuni troops, and astrographic records recovered from Chirq governmental archives, have revealed the location of the Khozun home world.  A combat group will depart in one day to probe the Khozun system and determine the level of threat presented by the Khozuni.

Meanwhile, massive amounts of aid from the Alliance are pouring into the Chirq system to help the Chirq get back on their feet. 

Month 203, Rehorish Prime
Rehorish leaders, becoming concerned about the events in Chirq territories, order some of the mothball reserve to be reactivated.  In a matter of days work begins on reactivating three CVL’s, six light cruisers, and six destroyers. 

Month 203, Chirq Home System
Vast amounts of aide poor into the Chirq system from all over the Alliance, giving a welcome boost to the Chirq economy.  While every race in the Alliance contributed to this aide, the bulk of the resources come from the Zir, who for whatever reason, feel motivated to assist the Chirq in their time of need.     

Month 203, Day 25, Khozun Prime
The Alliance Probe Force, sent from Chirq Prime, arrived over the Khozuni home world on this day.  The probe force was composed of a battlecruiser, two light cruisers, and two corvette-carriers, all crewed by Rehorish.  They found a planet in the midst of an all-out war, with at least four sides.  Weapons of all sorts were in use on the surface, up to and including nuclear weapons on occasion.  None of the warring factions on the planet answered the Rehorish calls for surrender.  A CD was sent to the rest of the squadron on Chirq Prime requesting ground forces.  An Alliance survey group arrives in-system before the end of the month, to begin surveying the system for additional warp points. 

Month 204, Khozun Prime
Rehorish ground troops land on Khozun Prime.  The Khozuni, who have been fighting a vicious four-sided war, immediately turn on the aliens and launch all out attacks.  The Rehorish powered armor troops in the vanguard of their attack shrugged off the Khozuni laser rifles and sonic weapons, while Rehorish gatling lasers, brilliant missiles, and plasma cannon gutted every attack before it could really get started.  In short order the Khozuni were all but defeated, although they continued to resist.   

The Alliance survey group assigned to explore the Khozuni system discovers three additional warp points.  Two of the systems beyond these new warp points contain habitable planets, but probes find no trace that the Khozun have ever entered the systems.

Month 204, Rehorish Prime
Commander Takahashi clicked his mandibles together and closed down the terminal on his desk.  It had been a long day, and he was ready for the weekend.  He left his office and waived to the unit secretary, then entered the lift, his mind already far away.  He had been in the Navy for over twenty years at this point, and it was beginning to get repetitive.  Still, though, the old instincts never entirely left one, no matter how long they’ve been out of the field.  When he left the Naval HQ building and entered the sub-surface entrance to the public transit system, he recognized something that had been bothering his subconscious for several minutes.  He had picked up a tail. 

He hadn’t always been in charge of an intelligence analysis team.  In his early years of service, he had been recruited into the Navy’s elite Naval Infantry teams, and from there into the Naval Intelligence Action Teams, where he had served with distinction until the near catastrophic accident that had nearly cut short his life and his career in the navy.  It had been one of those things, not enemy action but rather a training accident, and it had left him maimed and much slower than he had been before.  Fortunately, he had many friends within the Navy who had recognized his potential, so they had moved him into the management side of things, and eventually he had ended up commanding the Core Sector Naval Intelligence Coordination Team (CSNICT).  The team was chock full of bright young analysts who, while accomplished and educated, had little real-world experience.  The Navy firmly believed in leavening its analysis teams with personnel with real intelligence service, so Commander Takahashi was a natural fit.  He found most of his analysts to be refreshing in their energy and enthusiasm, if a bit trying in their naiveté.   

So, when he realized that he had spotted the same shadowy figure several times before, always just far enough behind him to be a bit difficult to spot, his senses went into overdrive.  By the time he had entered the tube capsule for the trip to his home, he was pretty sure that whomever was following him was an amateur.  Often, they were too close, allowing him to spot them, or they were so far back that they had to rush to catch up, making them very visible.  Mostly, though, the fact that it was always the same person he saw was what convinced him they didn’t know what they were doing.  A professional would have been better at it, and harder to spot, but almost certainly would have not tried to follow him without a team of people, who could rotate so that he never saw one of them for more than a few minutes at a time. 

By the time they had reached his stop he had decided to force the situation.  The pad where the tube capsule stopped was well lit and patrolled, meaning if the situation got out of hand there would be help close by.  So, when he exited the tube capsule, he immediately ducked behind a pillar, disappearing before his shadow could exit the capsule.  Sure enough, after a few seconds a Rehorish bundled in bulky rain gear rushed into view, frantically looking around.  Smoothly he stepped up behind them and said “looking for me?”

The furtive Rehorish nearly jumped a foot into the air and nearly fell.  Indeed, they would have fallen if he hadn’t reached out and steadied them.  It was then that he got his first look at his shadow.  “Heiko?”

Heiko Yamamoto, an analyst from his team, bowed low and began chittering an apology.  He could see that she was shaking.  Any sense of threat had evaporated, leaving him mere confused.  “Heiko!  What is going on?  Why are you following me?”

The young analyst paused and shook herself, settling her disarranged antenna and wing covers, before looking directly at him for the first time.  “Sir, I am sorry, but I didn’t know what to do!  I discovered something today, and it scared me.  I didn’t know what to do!”

Commander Takahashi stared at his subordinate for a few seconds, realizing what might be going on.  The analysts in his team were uniformly bright and eager, and were good at their jobs.  Almost to a person, though, they lacked real-world experience.  Most of them thought of themselves as ‘super-spies’, imagining themselves as the dashing heroes the entertainment venues loved.  This in spite of the fact that none of them had ever been field agents, and indeed, he would have been surprised to discover that any had even ever been in a fight.  Sometimes his most difficult job was reigning them in from fanciful flights of imagination, when a series of random events or facts would convince them that there was an empire-wide conspiracy or threat.  Heiko had never been one of those, though, and so this sudden deviation in behavior was concerning.  He looked around.  There was a small beverage shop across the concourse, so he gestured in that direction.  “Let’s sit and we can discuss this.”

She allowed him to help her to a bench, and then he ordered hot beverages and snacks for the both of them.  Once they were settled, and the food and drinks were in front of them, he nodded.  “Why don’t you explain what’s going on, and why we couldn’t talk in my office.”

She visibly gathered herself, looked around the shop, then looked back at him.  “Sir, we’ve all been working on the Chirq situation, you know that.  And it just doesn’t make any sense!”

He settled back on his bench.  He should have known.  There were many anomalies surrounding the situation in and around the Chirq system, and it was driving a lot of uncertainty here at headquarters.  That uncertainly had evidently risen all the way to the top levels of the admiralty, as for the last several months the yards over the home planet had been filled with ships being reactivated from the reserves, or brought up to the current standards.  He had known his people were unsettled, but he had obviously underestimated the extent of their concern.  “Go on.”

She peered around the shop nervously, then continued.  “Well, sir, most of us have been concentrating on collating the reports coming out of the mission to Chirq and the Khozuni home world, trying to refine of the overall picture of what has been going on out there.  Some of us, though, have been focusing on the anomalies.  Specifically, the comms problems that prevented Sector HQ from realizing there was a problem until it was too late. 

His antennae dipped as he concentrated.  “I thought that was down to the fact that the Khozuni destroyed the ICN links?”

She gestured in the negative.  “That was the initial assumption, but no.  Two things argue against that.  First, how did the Khozuni, who we now know were to too low-tech to even have ICN systems themselves, know exactly where our ICN relays were?  And secondly, our analysis shows that for almost two months before the Khozuni attack, we were not communicating directly with the scout squadron deployed to protect Chirq Prime, but rather an automated system that was simulating routine reports and regular traffic to fool HQ into believing that we knew where those ships were, and what their status was.”  She looked around the concourse nervously again.  “This implies an inside job, and a massive penetration of our systems.  The Khozuni, who are low-tech, knew exactly where our relays were, how to disrupt them, and something, somewhere in our network, fooled us into believing we still had contact with those ships.”

Commander Takahashi settled back; his head tilted contemplatively.  He knew that the admiralty was very concerned about what had happened, far beyond the relatively low level of forces actually committed would reflect, and he was beginning to suspect that his team had begun unravelling something that would lead to a major crisis for the Alliance.  “How firm is all of this?”

Her antenna quivered.  “Sir, its much worse than that.  Once I realized that something or someone was in our network, substituting reports to cover their activities, I ran a search.  I analyzed the reports we know to be false for commonalities, then searched through the network for reports that matched those commonalities.  That is all within my classification level, because the reports themselves are low level readiness and fitness reports filed almost automatically by every ship and station in the fleet.”  She paused gathering herself. 

He leaned forward, intrigued in spite of himself.  “Well?”

“Sir, I found that twenty-three corvette-carriers and three battlecruisers are having their reports substituted or filed automatically from within the network.  That includes the three corvettes that were supposed to be guarding Chirq Prime and are currently missing, and the three that were stationed over Bir Prime.  We have no way of knowing where any of those ships are.”

Commander Takahashi sat back, stunned.  Twenty-three ships missing?  How could this be?  He didn’t have the exact numbers at hand, but that was over a third of the entire class.  While he was struggling with this, she leaned forwards, regaining his attention. 

“Sir, there’s more.  I ran that search this morning when I first came in.  I re-ran it just before I left, just to confirm my findings.  My second search came up negative, so I checked.  Every report that had been flagged by my initial search was gone.  They were all deleted.  I checked, and there is no record that those reports were ever filed, and no deletion tags, like there should have been.  That’s when I got scared.  Someone is in our system, and if they can see my searches, and react to them, then there is no telling what they can do.  I knew I couldn’t talk in the office, not around all of those computers connected to the network.  So, I followed you.  I wanted to talk to you away from the office.”

The enormity of the situation was beginning to sink in, and suddenly Takahashi felt more sympathy for his excitable subordinates.  Now he was glancing around the concourse, watching for surveillance, just like she was.  In a situation like this, how much paranoia was enough?

“One more thing, sir.  I ran a check on those ships.  The only thing they have in common is that they are all crewed and officered by D’Bringi.  Every single one of them.”

Commander Takahashi’s mandibles fell open.  There it was.  The other shoe.  The wedge that could drive the Alliance apart.  He gathered himself.  “Very well.  You’ve done well.”

She looked distressed.  “What are you going to do, sir?”

“We are all going to be very busy, Heiko, but first things first.  You are coming with me.  We are going straight to Tai-shu Okada’s house.”

“We’re going to see the Tai-shu?”  She looked shocked.  Tai-shu Okada was the commanding officer of 1st Fleet, the naval force assigned to protect the home world and the systems surrounding it. 

“Well, we may not see him, but I guarantee we’ll get a hearing with someone high up if we show up at his residence.  I expect that by morning we’ll all be removed to a secure site in a remote location, where we can begin working to unravel this mess.  Let’s go!”

As expected, they did not get to see the Tai-shu that evening, but they did meet with several on his staff, and indeed, Commander Takahashi was correct, by morning the entire working group had been rounded up by naval security forces and moved to a secure location.  Their first task was to set up a separate network, secure from whatever had affected the main naval network, from which they could begin working to figure out what was going on. 

Month 205, Rehorish Prime
On day 1 four destroyers left Rehorish Prime, bound for widely separated points within the Alliance.  They all left orbit sedately, at standard cruising speed, with orders to join various fleet detachments.  One day after leaving orbit, their captains opened the written sealed orders they had received before leaving, and almost as one accelerated to maximum speed towards new, widely scattered locations in the Alliance.  Their orders were to risk burnout to reach their destinations, give sealed written orders to specified officers at their destination, and to physically confirm the location of all ships at that location.  Their orders were given the highest priority, and could not be countermanded by other officers.  The ship commanders were given one-time codes to report their findings through the ICN, but were also ordered to risk burnout to return to Rehorish Prime to report in person once their mission was complete.  The Admiralty was not relying on the ICN for this mission. 

The first ship to reach its goal was the DDE-005.  The ship reached the Kure system and the 3rd Fleet just eight and a half days after leaving Rehorish Prime.  The 3rd Fleet was assigned to the Kure system to defend against a Mintek incursion from a suspected closed warp point, and from the Colonial Union, if necessary.  The fleet was commanded by a known and trusted Rehorish officer, Cho-sho Banzan, and was composed primarily of Rehorish fleet units, with a substantial contingent of D’Bringi units.  The DDE rendezvoused with the fleet flagship, where its commander met with Cho-sho Banzan and turned over a set of sealed orders.  During this meeting the DDE scanned the fleet anchorage.  The scan confirmed that most of the fleet was present, but that six corvette-carriers were missing.  This matched the information developed by the Intelligence team on Rehorish Prime exactly.  Discrete inquiries determined that the corvettes were believed to be on patrol of the surrounding systems, a duty that was supposed to be rotated among the fleet’s nine corvette carriers and three T’Pau corvette scouts.  Except, Cho-sho Banzan’s staff determined, much to their amazement, that the same six corvettes had been missing for over two months, all apparently permanently assigned to the patrols, which were not supposed to take more than three weeks, and that their absence had been missed because reports had been received and the duty rotation logs had been altered to ensure that the same six ships always were on patrol.  DDE-005’s commander dutifully sent off a coded report, then turned his ship for home. 
 
The DDE-004 was the second ship to reach its goal.  The ship suffered a burnout just as it entered the T’Pau system, but proceeded to T’Pau orbit without any other difficulties.  Upon arriving in orbit, its commander shuttled over to Cho-sho Tok’s flagship, the heavy cruiser Pride of T’Pau.  Once there, the captain hand-delivered his messages, then retreated to his ship, which immediately left orbit bound for D’Bringi Prime.  While present in T’Pau orbit, the Rehorish destroyer confirmed the location and physical presence of the eighteen ships assigned to the T’Pau home system.  All were present and accounted for, as expected.  Its mission in this system complete, the DDE-004 set out for D’Bringi Prime, which was just one additional jump away.   Four and a half days later the DDE arrived over D’Bringi Prime.  In this case the destroyer’s captain didn’t meet with the 2nd Fleet’s commanding officer.  Instead, the ship dropped off standard fleet communiques it had been carrying to the 2nd Fleet command, and while in orbit it surveyed the 2nd Fleet to determine if the ships that were reported as present were actually present.  Fortunately, nothing was amiss, and every ship that was supposed to be there was present. 

The final probe ship that would reach its target this month was the DDE-003.  The probe ship was supposed to arrive over Bir Prime twenty-one days after departing, but during its high-speed transit it lost two engines to burnouts and so was late.  It actually arrived at Bir Prime twenty-five days into the month.  The Bir had just reached HT-1, with the help of the Alliance, and were busily colonizing their home system and building their first survey ships.  When the Alliance destroyer reached orbit, they found a world overjoyed at their arrival.  It seemed that the corvette-carrier squadron assigned to defend their system had gone on patrol several months ago and never returned.  The Bir government had reported this fact to the Sector capital, but had received no response.  The destroyer’s captain reassured the Bir that everything was okay, and sent his own coded message back through the ICN reporting the missing ships. 

The final ship, the DDE-008, wouldn’t reach its target until next month.  The 8th Fleet in the Villiers system was the Alliance’s largest single concentration of ships, and the Admiralty on Rehorish Prime was very concerned about the state of that fleet. 

The confirmation that the ships assigned to guard the Bir were missing reached Rehorish Prime on Day 25.  At that point it was obvious that something was very wrong, even if the exact form of the trouble refused to take shape.  One thing was clear, though.  The D’Bringi were at the heart of the trouble. 

While the 1st Fleet prepared for war, Tai-shu Okada decided to make a bold move.  If the D’Bringi were at the heart of the trouble, then he would go to a D’Bringi to find out what was going on.  In spite of the fact that D’Bringi society had been ‘secularizing’, evolving away from its central focus on the major clans, the old clan chiefs were still central figures in D’Bringi society.  And of the three clan chiefs, Skull-Splitter was the best, in Okada’s opinion, to approach about this matter.  Clan Chief T’Qek was deeply immersed in Alliance matters, and currently serving as Assistant Chancellor of the Alliance Council.  Clan Chief Burning Blade was the de facto ruler of D’Bringi Prime, and thus possibly involved in what it was that was going on.  Although Skull Splitter would be a natural for whatever conspiracy was bubbling beneath the surface, as the commander of the 4th Fleet, Okada had spent time with the bluff old D’Bringi and couldn’t imagine him involved in some sort of plot to undermine the Alliance that he had worked so hard to build.  Skull-splitter and his forces would be the natural place to start, so Tai-shu Okada and his entourage set out for the 4th Fleet’s home base in the Phyriseq system aboard three destroyers.  The destroyers moved at top military speed, risking burning out their drives, to shorten the trip.  Their ETA was seventeen days.  Unfortunately for Okada and the Rehorish, events were already racing ahead, outpacing their lagging response. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Alliance Update, Month 205
Grand Alliance:
Total Income (All Sources): 186,733 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 99,609 MCr’s (53%)

Fleet Dispositions:
Alliance 1st Fleet (Rehorish Home): 6xCA, 4xCVL, 6xCL, 15xDD, 120xF0, 1xFT(supply)
1st Fleet Task Group 1.1 (Chirq Prime): 2xBC, 1xCL, 3xDD, 1xCTV, 6xF0
1st Fleet Task Group 1.11 (Khozun Prime): 1xBC, 2xCL, 2xCTV, 12xF0
1st Fleet Task Group 1.2 (Kunamoto): 3xCVE, 2xCTV, 57xF1
 Alliance 2nd Fleet (D’Bringi Home): 7xCV, 7xBC, 3xCA, 294xF1
Alliance 3rd Fleet (Kure System): 12xBC, 2xCA, 3xCL, 5xCVS, 6xDD, 2xCTS, 9xCTV, 174xF0
Alliance 4th Fleet (Phyriseq System): 18xBC, 14xCA, 1xCVS, 2xCVE, 12xDD, 66xF0
4th Fleet Task Group 4.1 (Herzberg): 1xCVE, 3xDD, 12xF0
Alliance 5th Fleet (T’Pau Home): 8xCA, 3xCVE, 45xF1
Alliance 6th Fleet (Villiers): 24xBC, 1xCVL, 15xCA, 6xCAV, 6xCVS, 18xCL, 22xCVE, 12xDD, 2xDDV, 5xDD(pinnace), 19xCTV, 3xCTS, 5xFT(supply), 20xPinnace, 694xF0
6th Fleet, Support Group (Villiers): 3xCL, 2xCVE, 5xFT1, 500xCrated F0
6th Fleet, Aurarii Contact Group (Stone): 3xCTV, 1xFT(Supply), 18xF0
Alliance Strategic Reserve (Chruqua Nexus): 12xBB
Border Patrol (Roban): 3xCTV, 18xF0
Border Patrol (Juath): 3xCTV, 18xF0 (known contact with Mintek, closed warp point location not known by Mintek)
Border Patrol (Kawasaki): 3xCA, 3xCVE, 6xDD, 36xF0 (Upstream from the Kure system)
Border Patrol (Phyriseq WP #5): 3xCA, 6xDD (contact point with the Confederated Systems)
Border Patrol (Sapporo): 6xCL, 6xDD (Contact point with the Confederated Systems)
Patrol Group – Bir (Bir Home): 3xCTV, 18xF0
Patrol Group – Chirq (Chirq Home): 3xCTV, 18xF0 – Missing, fate unknown

Under Construction: 1xSD(proto), 3xCV, 2xBC, 2xDD, 2xBS4,1xBS0, 10xF1
Assemble Prefab:
Refits: 13xBC, 5xCVL, 15xCA, 18xCL, 5xDD, 5xCVE, 1xAstFort, 9xBS3, 1xSS(SY)

*Note: The above fleet dispositions are as they are reported to the various fleet headquarters.  It is becoming clear, at least to the Rehorish, that something is wrong and at least some D’Bringi ships are not where they are supposed to be, but that is not widely known. 

It is becoming increasingly clear that all is not well within the Alliance.  The last several races encountered and then inducted into the Alliance as associate members are proving to be troublesome.  The first action of the Aurarii upon being contacted by the Doraz was to conquer the other intelligent race in their system, and for some reason the Aurorii have developed an intense dislike for the Doraz, Chirq, and Zir races, and will not communicate with them or deal with them in any way.  They do not seem to have the same problem with the other races of the Alliance, and seem willing to deal with them in a fair and equitable manner, but their intense dislike for those three races bodes ill for their continued participation in the Alliance.  The Lothari, too, have proven to be problematic.  While apparently open and friendly, the Lothari race’s first action on expanding into interstellar space was to seize and colonize the Alliance system adjacent to their home system.  When confronted, they claimed that they didn’t know that the system, which had not yet been exploited by the Alliance, was claimed by the Alliance.  This is blatantly untrue, as the treaty clearly indicated that that system was owned by the Alliance and would be the point of contact between the two races.  Still, the system was far from other Alliance population centers, and the habitable world in the system was rated poor on the mineral wealth scale, so in the interests of peace the Alliance decided to cede the system to the Kingdom of Lothar.  A small naval force has been stationed at the border to deter any further expansion, and the Lothari will be viewed with more caution in the future. 

In addition to the difficulties with those races, the Alliance Council and the Naval high command have reached epic levels of frustration with the Zir.  Some time ago the Zir discovered a warp nexus system with no less than thirteen warp points and five habitable planets, an incredible find.  However, four of the warp links in the system led to inhabited systems.  Two of the systems are claimed by the Colonial Union, one by an unknown race, and one of the warp links, incredibly, leads to the Mintek Home System.  For some reason known only to them, the Zir sat on this information for quite a while before revealing it to the Alliance.  Once they revealed the information the Alliance began a massive response, transferring dozens of ships and construction assets to help the Zir secure the Villiers system so that it could be used as a jumping off point to establish peaceful contact with the unknown aliens, and so that the massive fleet stationed in the system could once and for all end the conflict between the Mintek and the Alliance.  By month 205 the Alliance 6th Fleet is assembled and consists of one hundred and thirty-three ships with almost seven hundred fighters, while the Alliance fortifications in the system number fifty-eight, with two-hundred and eighty fighters of their own.  But the Zir themselves have done little to increase their readiness in the system.  Although they have built up and modernized their fleet, their deployment to the Villiers system lags, and they haven’t even begun work on fortifications for the Villiers system.  The Zir government does not seem to feel any sort of urgency, and when confronted claims that their buildup is going as expected.  When the Alliance suggested that the 6th Fleet be allowed to conduct independent operations into the systems connecting to the Villiers system, the Zir government firmly rejected that proposal, stating that operations would only begin once the Zir fleet was ready.  Because this system is deep within Zir territory, and indeed is the jewel of the Zir colonial empire, the Alliance cannot act unilaterally.  Such an action would cause all of the other associate members to question the Alliance’s intentions in their own territory as well, something that the Alliance has no interest in exploring.  All of that means that the Alliance’s massive commitment of ships languishes in the Villiers system, waiting, while the Zir apparently dither.  Meanwhile, those ships could be used elsewhere, showing the flag to the Lothar, patrolling the interface between the Aurarii and the Doraz, or reinforcing the other fleets and national capitals. 

Because of the delays imposed by the Zir, the Alliance Navy has decided to push forward with a massive program of refits to modernize the fleet.  In addition, the government has approved a massive expansion to the munitions available to the fleet to provide anti-matter weaponry and improved fighters weapons fleet-wide.  This munitions improvement program will likely be paid for over several months, as it is projected to be very expensive and could cripple the budget if the Alliance tried to pay for it all at once. 

In addition to all of the above, the Rehorish have become convinced that something is very wrong with the D’Bringi.  This information has been communicated to the Alliance’s other member race, the T’Pau, but the Rehorish have otherwise kept this information close.  So far, the Rehorish have only been able to confirm that a relatively small number of corvette-carriers are missing, however, the fact that any warships armed with nuclear weapons are missing is very disturbing, as is the fact that the most secure naval intelligence and communications networks have obviously been penetrated by someone.  The Rehorish high command has gone on alert, and no new refits will be started so that the maximum number of ships will be available to respond to any emergencies, even if they are older designs. 

Aurarii Republic
Total Income (All Sources): 86,760 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 20,366 MCr’s (53%)

Total Fleet: 6xML, 8xSD, 9xBB, 6xCV, 9xCVL, 253xF0

Under Construction: 3xSupply Ship, 13xFGX

The Aurarii are very happy with the deal they recently reached with the Alliance that gives them access to unexplored systems through which they can expand.  Additionally, they are cautiously optimistic about their relationship with the Alliance, particularly the Rehorish, whom they find to be very reasonable.  The Aurarii government deeply distrusts the Doraz, who they suspect of trying to arm the Norn Regime prior to the time they made first contact. 

For the foreseeable future the Aurarii will be focused on expanding their territory, colonizing new worlds, and building up their survey and colonization fleet. 

Bir Meritocracy
Total Income (All Sources): 1,741 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 4.9 MCr’s (0.3%)

Orbital Infrastructure: 1xSS-SY

Under Construction: 1xEX, 1xSS-SY(Ground Construction)

The Bir recently reached HT-1 and are focusing on colonizing their home system and building their own survey fleet. 

Chirq Cooperative
Total Income (All Sources): 6,780 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 447 MCr’s (6.6%)

Under Construction: 3xBS2, 1xES, 1xSS-SY(Ground Construction)

The Chirq government has undergone a restructuring since it was liberated by the Rehorish and the Alliance.  The invasion by the Khozuni, and the relative ease with which they overwhelmed the poorly prepared Chirq space and ground forces, has convinced the Chirq that they must become more unified to survive in the universe, and that they cannot depend entirely on the Alliance.  Therefore, they have abolished the Moot, which was most a debating society for the representatives of the feudal regimes that ruled most of Chirq Prime, and replaced it with the Triumvirate.  The Triumvirate consists of the three most powerful lords, with an advisory council made up of the remaining ten powerful feudal nobles that ruled the bulk of the planet. 

For now, the Chirq will concentrate on building up the defenses of their home system, and their fleet.  Although they know that they cannot field a force up to Alliance standards, they know they could have performed better against the Khozuni, who were at least a technological peer. 

Doraz Contingency
Total Income (All Sources): 18,320 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 6,889 MCr’s (37%)

Aurarii Picket Group (Sheund System): 3xCA, 3xDD, 2xCT
Home Fleet: 6xBC, 12xCA, 12xDD, 3xCT, 3xFT(Supply)

Refitting: 3xBS3, 6xCA, 2xDD

The Doraz were very disappointed with the results of their contact with the Aurarii.  From their point of view, the Aurarii are very stand-offish and remote, and their refusal to deal directly with the Doraz over the territorial issues surrounding their access to unexplored systems was galling.  All of this irritated the Doraz leadership greatly.  For all of these reasons, the Doraz are going to begin building up defenses on the border with the Aurarii, to ensure that their standoffishness does not lead to disaster. 

Kingdom of Lothar
Total Income (All Sources): 25,308 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 10,119 MCr’s (29.8%)

Total Fleet: 9xBC, 3xCA, 6xCVL, 6xCVE, 144xF2, 141xProto-Gunboat

The Kingdom has mothballed a significant percentage of the fleet now that it is clear that the Alliance is no threat, and is focusing on expanding its territory and economy. 

Torqual Free State
Total Income (All Sources): 36,619 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 12,577 MCr’s (34%)

Home Fleet: 6xBC, 25xCA, 18xCL, 15xCTS, 5xSupply FT
Equity Patrol Squadron: 3xCA, 3xCL
Unity Patrol Squadron: 3xCL

Under Construction: 3xBS2, 3xBC, 6xCT

The Torqual have completely recovered from their civil war, and the new state has proven capable, popular, and stable.  The Torqual have focused on building up their economy, with relatively small additions to their fleet, over the last ten months. 

Zir Contemplative Union
Total Income (All Sources): 47,870 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 11,618 MCr’s (24%)

Home Fleet: 6xDD, 20xFG, 66xCT, 6xFT(Supply)
Frontier Fleet (Villiers): 6xDD, 12xFG, 26xCT

Under Construction: 7xBS2, 2xBS0
Refitting: 1xBS4, 19xCT

The Zir are caught in a difficult position.  The Alliance has stationed a massive fleet in the Villiers system, something that both reassures the average Zir, and deeply worries them.  The races that dwell beyond the warp points in the Villiers system represent both a threat and an opportunity, and the Zir cannot come to grips with either the Alliance’s constant pushing to take action, or indeed, on what action to take.  A small majority of Zir want to send a peaceful contact mission into Mintek territory to attempt to negotiate a ceasefire, or even some sort of enduring peace treaty, which a smaller group want to allow the Alliance to launch their massive invasion of the Mintek home system, as it will then be out of their hands and over, so that the Zir can go back to focusing on more interesting things.  In the meantime, the Zir have been dragging their feet on the fortifications in the Villiers system, and their fleet buildup, to give them a credible reason to delay the Alliance. 


Total Alliance Income: 289,542 MCr’s
Total Alliance Upkeep: 130,693 MCr’s (45%)
Total Alliance Fleet strength: 12xBB, 7xCV, 76xBC, 97xCA, 6xCAV, 5xCVL, 12xCVS, 63xCL, 35xCVE, 95xDD, 2xDDV, 5xDD(pin), 32xFG, 97xCT, 20xCTS, 46xCTV, 396xF1, 1192xF0, 20xPinnace
Total Alliance Shipyards: 106xSY, 6xMSY, 24xMS
(Includes the Alliance, Doraz, Torqual, and Zir)

[Kurt (OP)]

The Bjering Alliance, the Alliance, and the Colonial Union all have several warp links to each other, and all have a trade relationship with each other. 

As of Month 205, the major races all have fairly good relations with each other and tensions are low.  All three major races are absorbed by internal issues and have little concern for external relations.  This can and will change at some point, but it is difficult to know when. 

Month 205 Comparison of Major Races
Mintek Universal Union
Total Income: 68,114 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 43,271 MCr’s (63.5%)
Total Fleet Strength: 6xCV, 9xCVL, 1xCVS, 20xCVE, 9xSD, 16xBC, 2xCA, 12xCL, 41xDD, 12xCT, 717xF1
Total Shipyards: 77xSY, 15xMSY

Bjering
Total Income (All Sources): 105,743 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 48,711 Mcr’s (46%)
Total Bjering Alliance Fleet Strength: 3xML, 5xCV, 27xBC, 1xCVL, 16xCVS, 9xCL, 25xDD, 33xCVE, 35xCT, 10xES, 234xF0, 660xF1
Total Bjering Alliance SY’s: 43xSY, 7xMSY, 13xMS

Colonial Union
Total Income (All Sources): 98,224 MCr’s
Total Upkeep: 48,036 MCr’s (49%)
Total CU Fleet Strength: 15xSD, 3xBB, 33xBC, 1xCVS, 32xCA, 37xCL, 40xCVE, 40xDD, 16xCT, 20xFGS, 14xES, 36xEXS, 741xF0
Total CU Shipyards: 37xSY, 13xMSY

Alliance
Total Alliance Income: 289,542 MCr’s
Total Alliance Upkeep: 130,693 MCr’s (45%)
Total Alliance Fleet strength: 12xBB, 7xCV, 76xBC, 97xCA, 6xCAV, 5xCVL, 12xCVS, 63xCL, 35xCVE, 95xDD, 2xDDV, 5xDD(pin), 32xFG, 97xCT, 20xCTS, 46xCTV, 396xF1, 1192xF0, 20xPinnace
Total Alliance Shipyards: 106xSY, 6xMSY, 24xMS
(Includes the Alliance, Doraz, Torqual, and Zir)

[Kurt (OP)]

Please refer to the map of the Sligo Sector Core systems I posted to the maps forum.   

Month 206
Colonial Union Managua System
Six jumps from Sligo.  UCDF Patrol Group Present (2xFG, 6xCT, 1xEX)
Yellow Star System, nine planets, two of which are type T
Both type T planets are rated benign for human colonization, one is rated “normal” in mineral wealth, the other “poor”.  Both type T planets are colonized by the Colonial Union, total system population is 33.8 million (two small populations).  The system is a dead-end branch of a warp line that originates in the Sligo system, which is five jumps away.  The system is linked to the Colonial Union’s ICN, and has a small United Colonial Defense Fleet squadron to patrol the system due to the sighting of an unknown alien ship in the system several years ago, indicating that there may be a closed warp point in the system.  The system was slated to receive a sensor network, however, funding constraints led to the delay of the sensor network program in general, and the completion date has slipped farther and farther into the future. 

Colonial Union Sandhurst System
Adjacent to the Sligo system.  UCSF Patrol Group present (3xDD, 3xCVE, 2xFG, 3xEX)
Extensive system exploitation
Inner system sensor network
Yellow star system, eight planets, one asteroid belt.  Two of the planets are type T.
Both type T planets are rated benign for human colonization, and both are rated “normal” in mineral wealth.  Both type T planets have been colonized by the Colonial Union, and total system population is 151.7 million.  The innermost planet, known variously as Sandhurst, Sandhurst colony, or Sandhurst Prime, boasts a medium sized population capable of supporting in-system and extra-systemic colonization without quickly depleting its population base, and mining and system exploitation outposts have been placed throughout the asteroid belt and on the moons of the outer gas giants and ice planets.  The system is adjacent to the Sligo system, is linked to the ICN, and contains a small United Colonial Defense Fleet patrol squadron, as it is the contact point with the D’Bringi Alliance for trade between the Alliance and the Colonial Union.  There was a push to fortify the system when trade with the Alliance was established, however, with the Sligo system and its heavy fortifications and defense fleet literally next door, the decision was made to limit the system defenses to a “trip-wire” squadron that could be quickly reinforced from the Sligo system if needed.  The system is also home to an inner system sensor network capable of detecting drive fields out to one hundred and eighty light minutes from the system primary.  In addition, a communications buoy and a sensor buoy have been placed into the neutral Danzig system, at the warp point back to the Sandhurst system, for early warning of approaching ships.  To date all ships detected approaching the Sandhurst system have been expected trade ships. 

Colonial Union Sligo System
Yellow star/Yellow Star binary system, ten planets and two asteroid belts.  For of the planets are habitable, two are type ST and two are type T.  One of the type T planets belongs to the Tarek, and boasts and large population, while the other type T was colonized by the Colonial Union and has a medium population.  The system was fully exploited by the Tarek prior to their conquest by the Colonial Union.  The type T planet colonized by the Colonial Union is rated harsh for human colonization, and “normal” in mineral wealth, while the Tarek home planet is rated “poor” in mineral wealth.  The human population on Sligo Prime has been kept to the low-medium range by continued colonization throughout the Sligo sector. 

The Sligo system is fortified with an asteroid fort in orbit over Sligo Prime, along with three BS3’s and the orbiting shipyards.  The Sligo system’s five warp points are fortified as well, with four of the warp points being watched over by a single BS2, while the fifth, to the Sandhurst system, is defended by a BS2 and ten BS0’s, along with three hundred minefields.  The system is also home to the UCDF’s Sligo Fleet, consisting of 12 BC’s, 3 CA’s, 6 DD’s, 6 CVE’s, 2 EXS, and 102 F0’s.  Finally, the UCDF’s 1st Battle Fleet is also currently stationed in Sligo, and consists of 6 SD’s, 3 BB’s, 3 BC’s, 6 CA’s, and 6 DD’s, 9 CVE’s, and 153 F0’s.  The UCDF is currently undergoing a massive round of refits to bring its technology up to the latest standard, something that has been long overdue for the fleet.  Of the capital ships in the Sligo system, 3 SD’s, 3 BB’s, and 3 BC’s have completed their refits, while 3 SD’s and 4 BC’s are in the yards at the current time.  The rest are awaiting their turn in the yards. 

This was the situation in those three systems at the start of Month 206.  The Sligo Sector was stable, with the exception of the occupations of the Tarek and the Tlatelolco, which were festering within the Alliance political system.  Although neither race posed a real threat to the Alliance, their continued occupation, coupled with the undying enmity of the Tarek in spite of their powerlessness, was a continuing problem within the Alliance Senate and within the public at large.  All of that was about to change. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 206, Day 1, Managua System, Colonial Union
At 0500 hours ten small ships entered the Managua system through a closed warp point in the outer system.  This closed warp point was at the most remote location that any warp point had ever been discovered in a system, three hundred and sixty light minutes from the system primary.  Once they had entered the system they set out for the inner system, followed by a number of freighters.  Their ETA was early on Day 8.  The system lacked a detection network, or outer colonies, so the ships wouldn’t be detected for some time. 

Month 206, Day 1, Villiers System, Alliance
The Villiers system belonged to the Zir, but was the home base for the Alliance 6th Fleet, because of the numerous warp links in the system, including one that led to the Mintek home system.  The 6th Fleet consisted of contingents of ships from all three primary Alliance members, including the D’Bringi.  Because of the delays in the planned operation against the Mintek, the Fleet was undergoing a massive round of refits.  On this day, orders arrived for the entire active contingent of D’Bringi ships to return to D’Bringi Prime for refits and reassignment.  The orders were dispatched from the Sector HQ in the Stahat system, and were properly authenticated.  The three cruisers and six carriers departed promptly.

Month 206, Day 5, Danzig System
Early in the day, the Colonial Union sensor buoy in the Danzig system detected a drive field approaching the warp point to the Sandhurst system.  The detection report was within the expected time frame of the trade convoy from the Alliance, so the report was merely sent on to the Sligo Sector HQ.  Approximately eighteen hours later the sensor buoy sent a follow up report.  The contact was now six light minutes from the warp point and was close enough for the buoy to determine that there were fifteen separate drive fields.  Although the Alliance sometimes used small FT1’s to transport their trade goods to the Colonial Union, this was a large number of hulls, too large to be explained by the amount of trade being exchanged.  The commander of the Sandhurst Patrol Squadron, Captain Boris Nikitin, immediately dispatched a message to the approaching group, requesting the identity of the excess ships.  The response came back promptly from the convoy commander, indicating that the Alliance had been having a problem with piracy, and that a small group of corvettes was escorting the trade convoy.  The corvettes would remain in the Danzig system and escort the freighters back to Alliance territory on their return trip.  Their commander, a D’Bringi with the unlikely name or title of Bloodletter, apologized for the lack of notice, stating that the decision for his group to escort the trade convoy had been made at the last minute.  Captain Nikitin warned the D’Bringi against entering the Sandhurst system, and forwarded the contact report back to Sligo HQ.  He then assembled his squadron and set out for the warp point to intercept the trade convoy short of the Sandhurst colony, to ensure that everything was as it appeared to be.  Within the hour seven of the ships under his command, three destroyers, three escort carriers, and a frigate scout, were heading for the warp point.  This left a frigate scout and three explorer scouts to picket the colonies in the inner system. 

At 1300 hours on Day 6, the sensor buoy in the Danzig system reported that the drive field contact had closed to seven-point-five light seconds, and that the contact consisted of ten corvettes and five FT1’s.  This was consistent with the information from Chu-i Bloodletter, however, shortly after that report the buoy sent a second report indicating that fighters had been detected in-bound to its location.  No further reports were received from the buoy.  Upon receiving that report Captain Nikitin sent an emergency war warning to Sligo HQ, and informed them that he was taking his squadron to intercept the incoming Alliance ships. 

Meanwhile, in the Managua system, the sensors on Managua Prime detected a drive field contact heading in-system at approximately 1200 hours on Day 6.  The commander of the UCDF Managua Patrol Group immediately sent a contact report to Sligo HQ and then assembled his group and headed out-system towards the contact.  The UCDF Managua Patrol Group consisted of two frigate scouts, six corvettes, and a single explorer-scout.  Captain Thomas Wainwright, CO of the patrol group, left a frigate-scout behind at the colony and took the rest of his ships out towards the unknown contacts. 

Month 206, Day 7, 0200 hours, Sligo System, UCDF Naval HQ
The war warning from Sandhurst reached Sligo HQ at 0200 hours.  Over the years of peace, the UCDF, like many governmental bureaucracies, had grown somewhat complacent and bloated, but the Sligo system viewed itself as being on the forefront of the defense of humanity.  The colonists on Sligo Prime never forgot that the Tarek, who were literally next door to their planet, possessed an apparently undying enmity for humanity, and so believed that being ready for war at any time was a survival trait not to be discarded merely because there had been a few years of peace.  That essential diligence had also leached into the UCDF Sector Naval HQ, so, when the warning from Sandhurst came in, Vice Admiral Bonaventura’s Fleet HQ reacted with commendable alacrity.  Because of the refit program, the ships for the response group had to be assembled from both the 1st Battle Fleet as well as the Sligo Defense Fleet.  In all, Vice Admiral Bonaventura decided to dispatch three battlecruisers, three heavy cruisers, six destroyers, and nine escort carriers to Sandhurst.   They departed Sligo Prime at 0600 hours on Day 7, and their ETA over Sandhurst was approximately Day 17.

Month 206, Day 7, 0800 hours, Colonial Union Managua system
The eight ships of the United Colonial Defense Fleet’s Managua Patrol Group came to a halt fifteen light seconds from the alien force advancing in-system.  So far, the aliens had ignored all contact messages from the Patrol Group and hadn’t varied their course in-system.  Now, the Patrol Group was close enough for its sensors to discern the fact that the alien force was composed of ten ships with four military engines each, and five ships with a single commercial engine each.  This almost certainly meant that the alien force was composed of ten corvettes and five small freighters.   

Captain Thomas Wainwright, CO of the Patrol Group, nodded at his comms officer, who bent over her console.  Seconds later a message was sent to the oncoming ships, warning them that this was Colonial Union territory, and ordering them to come to a halt or return to their entry point into the system.  In addition, a contact report was dispatched both to the inner system and the lone scout left at the colony, and to the comms buoy at the warp point back to the Colonial Union. 

The alien ships stopped as well, and after a few seconds the comms officer turned to Captain Wainwright in surprise.  “Message received, Captain!”

“Put it on the bridge screen, lieutenant.”

Most of the personnel on the Union corvette’s small bridge turned to the monitor, and a gasp went around the room when it lit up to show the visage of a D’Bringi in full ceremonial combat armor.  “I am Clan Lord Shield Bearer.  We are engaged in a lawful exercise of military acquisition under the auspices of the D’Bringi Empire.  This system was legally claimed by the Empire, and any settlements are thus considered illegal and their equipment is forfeit.  You will stand down and vacate the system while we confiscate contraband goods and materials located on the colonies known as Managua Prime and Secundus.  If you resist, we will assume this system is in resistance to our lawfully mandated mission, and the colonies will be bombarded from orbit prior to our forces landing to secure our rightful property.  We do not wish to do this, but it is entirely up to you.” 

The monitor went dark and there was silence on the bridge for a few seconds, until the plot tank chimed to indicate a change in status.  The sensor tech leaned over his station and then announced – “Fighters launching!  Sixty fighters in space, on a direct course for us, ETA three minutes, forty-five seconds.”

“Combat stations!  All ships come about and go to maximum speed on heading 180.  Prepare for fighter attack!”

The Patrol Group wheeled about smartly and began moving away.  Unfortunately, because of the frigate-scout in the Colonial Union force, it was slightly slower than the fighters.  “New ETA is now twenty-six minutes.”

Captain Wainwright looked intently at the plot tank, trying desperately to decide on the correct course of action.  His corvettes were no match for fighters.  They would take some of them with them, but sixty fighters would overwhelm his small force and leave it drifting wreckage in space.  He doubted that they would be able to kill enough of the fighters to justify fighting them in the first place, but he wasn’t about to surrender to the damned D’Bringi, who had just proven, yet again, that they couldn’t be trusted under any circumstances.  Still, first things first.  “Comms, send to Fleet HQ in Sligo, Code Red One.”  Code red-one was a war warning, alerting all Colonial Union naval forces that a state of war existed.  Even if the message itself became garbled by re-transmission, anyone that received the message would know that Union naval forces had been attacked and that a state of war existed.  “Message follows: Have been attacked by D’Bringi forces claiming to act for something called the D’Bringi Empire, message appended.  D’Bringi present in sufficient strength to destroy my group.  Enemy commander claims they intend to seize resources and goods from the colonies in this system, but will avoid unnecessary loss of life if my group retreats.  I intend to retreat and shadow the enemy force and continue to report.  Wainwright out.”

With that message on its way, Wainwright sent a second message to the frigate-scout in orbit over Managua Prime, ordering it to retreat from the planet and meet his force.  With that done, he turned to more immediate matters.  “Comms, all ships channel, please.”  Upon receiving the signal that the channel was open, he began.  “To the crews and officers off the Managua Patrol Group.  This is Captain Wainwright.  The D’Bringi have entered this system through a suspected closed warp point, and are claiming that they intend to seize ‘contraband’ on the Managua colonies.  This is blatant nonsense.  However, the D’Bringi has deployed fighters in sufficient number to overwhelm our force should we resist.  I believe that we could serve the Colonial Union, and the people of Managua better by retreating and observing the actions of the D’Bringi while reinforcements are en route from Sligo.”  He knew that there would be those who would criticize his actions, and it was possible he would lose his command over this.  If they survived.  If the D’Bringi was telling the truth.  “Comms, send to Managua Prime: D’Bringi forces headed in-system, ETA your location sixteen hours.  D’Bringi commander claims mission is to seize ‘contraband’ and requires your cooperation.  My force not strong enough to stop them, will observe and report.  Reinforcements will be en route from Sligo, probable ETA your location two months.  I recommend you cooperate with the D’Bringi pending the arrival of reinforcements.  Wainwright out.”

He scowled as he watched the oncoming D’Bringi fighters in the plot tank.  They were in Colonial Union territory.  To give way to them like this felt wrong.  This likely meant war, and if the D’Bringi went on a rampage in the inner system, that war would be terrible.  What did they think they were doing?

The CU Patrol Group retreated for the next twenty minutes, followed by the D’Bringi fighter group which was slowly gaining on them.  Finally, with six minutes to go before the D’Bringi fighters caught the Patrol Group, the D’Bringi fighters turned and paralleled the Colonial Union ship’s course and speed.  It appeared the D’Bringi commander had told the truth, he didn’t want to destroy the Patrol Group, he just didn’t want them to interfere.  Captain Wainwright ordered his ships to come about and parallel the D'Bringi force, maintaining their distance.   

One day later, on Day 8, the initial contact report arrived at Sligo HQ from the Managua Patrol Group.  The report merely stated that an unknown drive field had been detected, which would normally cause interest but not a major response, at least not until more information had been gathered.  Now, though, with events moving forward in the Sandhurst system, Sligo HQ wasn’t inclined to be hesitant.  A response force was quickly put together, again drawing from both the 1st Battle Fleet and the Sligo Defense Fleet, and dispatched to the Managua system.  This force consisted of three battlecruisers, three heavy cruisers, three destroyers, and four escort carriers.  Because this greatly reduced the forces available in the Sligo system, Vice Admiral Bonaventura sent a message ordering the Redwing Defense Squadron to send most of its active forces to the Sligo system to reinforce the defenses there.   

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 206, Day 8, 1200 hours, Colonial Union Managua System, Managua Prime
The D’Bringi raiding force settled into orbit over Managua Prime.  The planet’s governor had already transmitted his agreement of the D’Bringi terms.  Mostly, this just meant that his meager militia forces would not resist D’Bringi troops when they arrived and took control of the spaceport outside the capital, and other critical locations in and around the colony’s main cities.  In fact, the governor had ordered the militia to withdraw to the undeveloped areas outside the cities, in an attempt to preserve them as a defense force should the D’Bringi be lying about their objectives.  The D’Bringi had been cagey about what it was that they actually were after, but had transmitted a number of locations that they would take control of, temporarily, and demanded that the humans not show any resistance to their activities. 

D'Bringi assault shuttles swooped low over the capital city, looking for any signs that the humans planned on resisting, but found nothing amiss.  Indeed, it appeared as if the capital had been largely evacuated.  Satisfied, the assault shuttles settled to the ground and lowered their ramps, and troops began disembarking.  The troops appeared well trained, but the human soldiers observing their actions from well-concealed bunkers built into the surrounding buildings were confused.  The troops that were rapidly setting up perimeters around the shuttle’s landing sites were not D’Bringi at all.   The troops were lizard-like, as the D’Bringi were, but that was where the resemblance ended.  The D’Bringi were tall, taller than an average human, and skinny, with quick, often darting movements.  These aliens were huge sauroids, shorter than most humans, and some were almost as wide as they were tall.  In addition, unlike the D’Bringi the new aliens possessed four thickly muscled arms and two legs.  They were savage looking warriors, wearing thick armor and heavily armed, and it was obvious to the watchers that they knew what they were doing as they went about consolidating their positions.  Whatever this race was humanity had never encountered them. 

Shortly after landing the D’Bringi assault shuttles took off again, taking small teams of the alien warriors to various locations around the city.  The shuttles then began transporting valuables back to the base sites, for eventual transshipment into orbit.  Throughout this exercise the human inhabitants kept a low profile.   

All of the recordings and all of the information gathered by the Managua militia were transmitted to the Patrol Group, and from there were forwarded to Sligo HQ.

Month 206, Day 8, 1800 hours, Colonial Union Sandhurst system
The Sandhurst Patrol Group reached fifteen light seconds from the oncoming invading force at 1800 hours and confirms that it is the same force seen in the Danzig system.  The Sandhurst Patrol Group had positioned themselves in between the intruders and the inner system, and now Captain Nikitin ordered the intruders to halt or be fired upon.  Seconds later the view screen on Nikitin’s destroyer lit up with a D’Bringi in ceremonial combat armor.  “Humans, I am Clan Lord Bloodletter.  I am here to seize the illegally traded materials that you humans have been taking from the New D’Bringi Empire.   You will turn over all of the so-called trade materials, along with suitable reparations, or I will use the military force at my command to seize the materials.  You have five minutes to signal your compliance.”

“Sir!” 

Captain Nikitin swiveled in his chair to look at the sensor officer.  “Fighters launching from the D’Bringi ships!”

“All ships, combat alert!  Launch all fighters!  Prepare for anti-fighter combat.”

Fighters began spilling from the ships on both sides.  It soon became clear that the D’Bringi had brought more fighters than the humans.  Fifty-one human fighters were in space, interposed between the two forces, but there were sixty-six D’Bringi fighters advancing towards the human force. 

Captain Nikitin wasn’t inclined to dither.  They were in human space, and the damned D’Bringi had proved yet again that they couldn’t be trusted.  “To the D’Bringi: You are in Colonial Union territory.  You will retreat immediately or face destruction.  Commander, Colonial Union Defense Force, out.  Break.  To our fighter group: Advance on the invading force and, if they don’t return to their carriers, destroy them.  Nikitin out.”

The die was cast.  The two fighter groups closed on each other.  Both were composed of fighters of similar capabilities, but the D’Bringi squadrons appeared to be better organized and more aggressive.  Still, the humans were in their own space, defending their own territory, and they were not going to back down.  The two fighter groups met almost exactly between the two forces and neither side hesitated.  The neatly ordered ranks of fighters on both sides immediately broke down into a furball, with fighters desperately evading, or trying to set up shots on their opponents. 

Thirty seconds into the fight it was clear that the D’Bringi were going to come out on top.  Their superior numbers and superior crews were overwhelming the less experienced human counterparts.  The battle only lasted a minute, and then the D’Bringi force was speeding back to their carriers to reload, while the human force was left without fighters.  The D’Bringi had forty-two fighters left. 

Captain Nikitin was dismayed by the result, but not really surprised.  Humanity was a relative newcomer to fighter technology, and it would be a while before they would be able to work out fighter deployment doctrines.  He hadn’t expected his fighter force to be successful in wiping out the enemy fighters, but he had hoped they would do well enough that his destroyers would be able to deal with the ones that were left.  He had a strong suspicion that the D’Bringi had no offensive weapons on their corvettes, only carrier bays, so if their fighter groups managed to wipe each other out he would be left with the advantage.  Unfortunately, it appeared that the D’Bringi still had enough fighters to overwhelm his destroyers.  Coming to a sudden decision, he turned to the comms tech.  “All ships: We will withdraw towards the inner system at maximum speed.  Message ends.  Message for Fleet HQ: Have engaged a D’Bringi force with our fighter wing.  While we weakened their fighter wing, ours has been eliminated.  We are retreating into the inner system ahead of the oncoming D’Bringi force.  Combat logs appended.  Message ends.”

The human force turned and accelerated away.  The D’Bringi force moved forward to recover its fighters.  Captain Nikitin watched carefully as the D’Bringi corvettes recovered their fighters.  It would take them a couple of minutes to rearm, and then they would know what was what.  His force was close enough to the D’Bringi fleet that their fighters could chase them down before they ran out of endurance, in spite of the fact that the D’Bringi fighters had only a minimal speed advantage.  If the D’Bringi were inclined to be bloody minded, they’d wipe out his force even though it had been rendered incapable of interfering with the D’Bringi by the loss of its fighters. 

Five minutes passed without any action from the D’Bringi force.  Then, apparently assured that the human force didn’t intend to interfere with them, they turned towards their freighter force, which had fallen behind during the brief chase.  They then turned towards the inner system colonies and reduced speed to maximum cruising speed for their corvettes, which matched the maximum speed of their freighters. 

Captain Nikitin sent another message to update Fleet HQ and then settled in to shadow the D’Bringi force. 

Month 2006, Day 9, 0900 hours, Sligo System Naval HQ
The results from the battle in Sandhurst arrived at the UCDF Naval HQ at 0900 hours.  The results arrived just as Vice Admiral Bonaventura and Rear Admiral Carstairs, CO of the 1st Battle Fleet, had sat down to their morning briefing and strategy session.  The arrival of the battle report from Sandhurst pre-empted everything else.  Admiral Carstairs leaned over the conference table and used the inset controls to bring up a map of the immediate area around the Sligo system. 

Sandhurst was adjacent to the Sligo system, as was Redwing.  Managua was six jumps away, however.  The nearest fleet concentrations outside of the Sligo sector were at Epsilon Eridani, Sigma Draconis, and Sol, three, three, and four jumps away.  However, if they indeed were going to war with the D’Bringi, UCDF Supreme HQ in Epsilon Eridani would be unlikely to send additional forces to Sligo.  Instead, they would almost certainly muster forces in Sigma Draconis to counter any attack the D’Bringi might make from the closed warp points known to exist in the Centaurus warp chain.  Sigma Draconis had to be their number one priority, as it was situated in the center of human space and close to several major systems, including Earth.  Their second priority would be reinforcing the fleet in the Kirov system, which was watching the border with the Confederation, against an attack from the Rehorish.  Sligo would be far behind those other two priorities, especially since the 1st Battle Fleet was in the Sligo system, bolstering their strength.  Accordingly, Admiral Carstairs narrowed the focus of the display to just the Sligo sector, and then narrowed it again to just show the Sligo system, the Redwing warp chain, the Sandhurst warp chain, and the Donwalz to Managua chain.  Then she set the Managua system and the Sandhurst system flashing a slow beat, to indicate enemy incursions.  The two admirals then settled back to take in the display. 

After a few seconds Vice Admiral Bonaventura shook her head.  “What in god’s name are the D’Bringi up to?”

The other admiral shook her head as well.  “If this is the start of a war, then it’s a damned strange start.  Twenty corvettes in two different systems?  Where are their capital ships?  Their carriers?”

“If they want war, then they have to be trying to draw us out.  That’s the only possible explanation for the small attacking forces.  They’ve concentrated their fleet someplace that they hope we’ll respond to, and intend to engage us there, destroying our fleet.”

Both admiral’s eyes were drawn to the Sandhurst system.  It was the likeliest candidate.  The Managua system was too far away, and given that distance there was no way she’d dispatch a major force to that location without evidence of a major incursion.  The threat at Managua was to their flank, though, and it had to be responded to, and with enough forces to deal with the D’Bringi probe force.  Sandhurst, on the other hand, was next door to Sligo and was on the route to a major Alliance colony.  It was the real threat here, and if she wanted to protect Sandhurst, then she’d have to move into the system.  And if she wanted to demand answers from the D’Bringi from a position of strength, she’d have to advance down the warp line to their colonies in the Dether system.  If the D’Bringi were planning a major war, then likely they would try to ambush the fleet she would inevitably send down the warp line to Dether, as that was the obvious response they’d almost certainly have to make to the provocations.   

Finally, Admiral Carstairs shook her head.  “I have to take my fleet into Sandhurst to secure the system.  It’s our territory, and we can’t let the D’Bringi run around in the system and do what they want.   Plus, it’s the stepping off point to the Alliance.”

Vice Admiral Bonaventura grimaced.  “Your superdreadnoughts just came out of the yards from their refits.  They are still shaking down, and aren’t fit for combat yet.”

Admiral Carstairs leaned over the table.  “You’re right, but that doesn’t matter.  The sensors at the warp point from Sandhurst to Danzig are still intact, and they haven’t detected anything entering the system since the initial D’Bringi raiding force.  They’ll give us warning if a major force enters the system, and based on the composition of the enemy forces, I can make my decision then.  In the meantime, the forces I have are more than enough to run the D’Bringi out of the system.  By the time we meet any serious Alliance forces, my superdreadnoughts will have shaken down and their crews will be in fighting trim.”

Admiral Bonaventura stood and peered at the holo display.  “You won’t have enough fighters to cover your fleet if the D’Bringi do make a major move.”

“That’s going to be true no matter what.  And, I’ll still have the early warning from the sensor buoys at the warp point.”  Carstairs stood as well.  “Come on, Helena, you know I have to move forward into the Sandhurst system.  I have to be there to ensure that the system is defended if there are major follow-on forces.  And, when the orders arrive from Epsilon Eridani, I need to be ready to move forward to Alliance space.  Because you know we aren’t going to take this sitting down.”

Admiral Bonaventura was clearly unhappy with the situation, but she could see no holes in Carstairs reasoning.  “Very well, take your fleet to the Sandhurst system.  But you will not advance any further without an order from myself or Fleet HQ in Epsilon Eridani.  If the D’Bringi are bent on war, then this is almost certainly a trap.  Understood?”

Admiral Carstairs snapped to attention, eagerness spreading across her face.  “Understood!”

Admiral Bonaventura grimaced at the other’s eagerness, but she couldn’t stop the grin that quivered at the edge of her mouth.  “Go, get your ships moving.  I’ll send the Redwing reinforcements straight to Sandhurst to back you up as soon as they arrive.” 

Admiral Carstairs saluted and withdrew, eager to get her ships moving.  It would be six hours before the fleet was ready, but then the twenty ships of the fleet were headed out-system, towards Sandhurst. If the D’Bringi wanted a battle, they would sure as hell give it to them.

Month 206, Day 10, Epsilon Eridani System, Capital of the Colonial Union
The war warning arrived via naval communications on the ICN.  Therefore, the warning went first to Naval HQ, and from there it was forwarded to the Capital Complex and the Prime Minister, who then forwarded it on to the Senate leadership.  It would be an understatement to say It caused consternation and alarm in nearly all quarters.  The Union had been entirely focused on internal matters, and its relations with the other powers had been relatively stable and calm, up to now. 

The Prime Minister and her advisors, after getting over the shock of the news, were actually elated.  The word from their dwindling number of supporters in the Senate was that Senator Semenov was going to bring the motion for a vote of no confidence in her government within the week.  Support for the New Dawn party had been rapidly dwindling, largely due to the seemingly unending stream of bad news revealing incompetence and double dealing within the administration.  The abuses and excesses of the Tlatelolco Occupation Command were only the last straw in a long string of bad news for the administration, but those revelations had been particularly damaging because many within the Union still liked and respected the Tlatelolco, and had only tolerated the occupation because of the administration’s announced intention to uplift the Tlatelolco so that they could defend themselves.  When it was revealed that the Occupation Command had, instead of uplifting the Tlatelolco, been oppressing and looting the planet, while the administration shipped in wave after wave of new human colonists, the damage to the administration was near fatal.  Now, though, the Prime Minister and her team were given a reprieve.  There was no way that Senator Semenov would bring his motion now, with war on the horizon.  They busied themselves with war preparations, and ordered the Navy to assume defensive positions throughout the Union, while authorizing limited offensive actions in the Sligo Sector, at least until the situation became clearer. 

Naval HQ became a beehive of activity almost immediately.  The warning came in during the evening, and immediately the duty staff recalled nearly everyone so that the mobilization of the fleet could begin.  Following the established strategic plan, squadrons were ordered out from fleet anchorages to reinforce the Sigma Draconis and Kirov system fleets, which were the primary known contact points with the Alliance.  It became clear early in the process that the fleet was critically short of carriers.  Carriers, for the United Colonial Defense Fleet, were a relatively new addition to their strength, and what had looked sufficient when orbiting the fleet bases was suddenly revealed to be understrength when actual deployments to multiple critical systems were considered.  Worse, Admiral Bonaventura had urgently requested that additional carriers be sent to reinforce her fleets, but once the reinforcement squadrons for Kirov and Sigma Draconis were filled there were none left to send her.  She would be on her own, at least for now. 

The reaction In the Senate was more subdued.  They, after all, had no direct responsibilities in this situation, aside from providing advice and ultimate approval to the government.  In Senator Semenov’s office, though, there was considerable dismay.  This news had ruined months of planning.  Some senators were tempted to go ahead anyway, but most opposed that as suicidal.  Throwing the government and nation into confusion on the eve of war was not only irresponsible, it was counter-productive.  They would have to reorganize and come up with a new plan. 

Month 206, Day 10, 1200 hours, Sandhurst inner system
The D’Bringi assault force reached the outermost colony and immediately began launching shuttles and landing troops.  As they had in the Managua system, they broadcast a demand for surrender and justified their actions as “reclaiming D’Bringi property”.  Unlike on Managua, which was a backwater, the two Sandhurst colonies were much larger.  Where Managua was able to largely evacuate the target areas, the two Sandhurst colonies were not, and skirmishes with the strange alien allies of the D’Bringi began almost immediately.  At first it was scattered instances of civilians resisting advancing troops while they tried to evacuate, and those fights inevitably drew in the Sandhurst system militia.  The militia, which had been ordered to avoid contact with the invaders, could not stand by when the D’Bringi ground and air forces launched massive retaliation efforts against any perceived resistance.  This led to pitched battles, with the militia almost always on the losing side.   Fortunately, the D’Bringi invasion’s goals were limited to the starport and high-value locations that were mostly in and around the capital city, so this limited casualties to a certain extent. 

Month 206, Day 13, Managua system
The D’Bringi raiding force, which had been centered on the innermost colony, now relocates to the outer colony and begins its methodical looting process there.  They face even less resistance than on the inner colony, as the colonists in the outer planet have had more time to prepare, and a clearer idea of what the D’Bringi were after. 

Month 206, Day 14, Epsilon Eridani system, Colonial Union Capital
Senator Semenov took a seat in the offered chair and looked around the Prime Minister’s office with curiosity.  It had been quite a while since he had been here, which was not really surprising given his strong resistance to the Prime Minister and her party.  Finally, after a few seconds, he looked back at the Prime Minister, who was glowering at him from behind her desk.  “Well?  You asked for this meeting, Senator.  I presume you’re here to tell me that there won’t be a motion for a vote of no confidence?”

Interesting, Senator Semenov thought.  She’s going with anger instead of elation at her narrow escape.  He shook his head slightly.  If she thought her anger was going to influence him, after he had dealt with the generals that ruled the old USSR, she was sadly mistaken.  He leaned forward slightly, capturing her attention.  “No, Maritsa, you could figure that out for yourself.  You don’t need me to tell you that it would be suicidal for us to bring that motion now.”  She flushed at his use of her first name in so familiar a manner, but he continued before she could say anything or object.  “No, instead I’m here to let you know what is going to happen.  Tomorrow, we will be bringing a motion to the Senate floor to support the government’s response to the unwarranted invasion of our territory by the D’Bringi.  Again.  I expect it to pass unanimously, or close enough.  Then, I will be introducing a motion to end the occupation of the Tlatelolco and to recognize them as friends of the Union, as the first step towards bringing them into the Union as full members.  This will be couched in terms of freeing up the Navy and the Army to face the Alliance, and firming up our internal situation in the face of outside enemies.”  He watched with interest as the blood drained out of her face.  The occupation of the Tlatelolco and the Tarek were core planks of the New Dawn platform.  He was putting her in an untenable situation, and she knew it.

She spluttered.  “You can’t possibly expect me to support that!” 

“I don’t.  But with the situation as it is, your resistance will be meaningless, and will likely just hurt your position.  You’ve seen the polling, just as I have.  The public’s opinion on the Tlatelolco situation has turned.  They accepted the necessity of the occupation at the time, but now, given the way you’ve handled it, they don’t like the occupation and they want it to end.”  He leaned forward, intent on her face.  “We can’t get the motion of no confidence through now, and we know it.  Even trying would be detrimental to our national response to the D’Bringi.  But we will have this, if nothing else.  The Tlatelolco are our friends, and we will treat them that way by god!”

The Prime Minister’s face had congested with anger as Semenov spoke, but he was right, there was little she could do about it now.  “Fine.  Your warning is heard.  I take it we are done?”

He stood and nodded slightly.  “Thank you, Prime Minister.   I’ll leave you to continue your war preparations.” 

As he left the office, Semenov considered the situation.  The motion tomorrow for the Tlatelolco would almost certainly pass, especially in light of the looming war.  It would be seen as many as a way to clear the decks prior to what might be a massive conflagration.  That, however, would make the possibility of ousting the Prime Minister even more difficult when the current situation was resolved.  Some of the Senators that supported his position only supported him because of their support for the Tlatelolco.  If he resolved that portion of the case that he had built against the Prime Minister and her party, then he might lose them.  Worse, public attention, which was laser focused on the misdeeds of the Prime Minister and her party right now, would cool and shift as time went on, meaning they would almost certainly lose their window.  Still, freeing the Tlatelolco was a significant achievement in and of itself.  His big concern now was that the Prime Minister and her supporters would almost certainly see this war scare as a way to divert the public from their issues, and try to extend it, if possible, to reap the maximum benefits that a patriotic response would give the party in power.  Right now, they had a couple of raids in lightly populated systems.  That could be dealt with, if the Alliance didn’t up the stakes.  She’d be insane to court war with the Alliance, but politicians had done worse, for less reason. 

[Kurt (OP)]

Month 206, Day 16, Alliance, Phyriseq System, 4th Fleet HQ
Some on Tai-shu Okada’s staff were worried about Okada going aboard Tai-sho Skull-Splitter’s command ship for their meeting.  They had insisted that the meeting should take place aboard Okada’s ship, or at least on board one of the Rehorish ships that were part of the 4th Fleet.   Okada had insisted on meeting the D’Bringi admiral on board his own command ship.  He had served with the old D’Bringi before, and trusted in his honor and commitment to the Alliance.  And, he suspected, D’Bringi support would be essential for the upcoming trials that they would be facing.  Still, while he prevailed on the question of where the meeting would be held, he was unable to overrule his guard commander, who had been personally ordered by the Council of Clan Mothers to keep the Tai-shu safe.  So, the shuttle that carried the commander of the Alliance’s 1st Fleet to the meeting with the command of the 4th Fleet had a full contingent of power-armor equipped troopers, and the Tai-shu’s personal guard wore unpowered combat armor and were heavily armed. 

There was a tense moment in the command ship’s boat bay when the Tai-shu’s shuttle landed and was met by a full contingent of heavily armed D’Bringi.  The brief standoff ended when the D’Bringi dispersed throughout the bay to secure critical points, and an unarmed D’Bringi officer walked up to the shuttle alone.  Tai-shu Okada immediately recognized the officer as Tai-sho Skull-Splitter’s oldest son, who served as one of his staff officers.  Tai-shu Okada met him personally at the shuttle’s personnel lock, as her was brought into the shuttle amongst the Tai-shu’s guards. 

The young D’Bringi officer looked around the at the assembled security personnel, his face remarkably unconcerned at this unprecedented display.  After a few seconds he bowed slightly to the Tai-shu and said, in decent Rehorish, “My father would be honored to meet with you, honored Tai-shu, however, he regrets that he was not here to meet you personally.  He recently fell afoul of some…bad luck…and it is…unwise…for him to leave his quarters at this time.  He invites you to meet with him there.  You may bring as many of your security officers as you feel necessary.”

Tai-shu Okada’s eyes swiveled to meet those of his chief of staff.  The other Rehorish didn’t know what was going on any more than he did, and so, after a few seconds, he shrugged.  “Very well.  Take me to your farther.  My personal guard will accompany us, while the rest remain here to assist your officers in securing the bay.  Is that acceptable?”  The D’Bringi officer signaled that it was and turned to leave.  Tai-shu Okada nodded at his chief of staff.  “Make it so, Sho-sa.  Remain here.  I will return shortly, or I will signal you about any change in plans.”

The staff officer made to object, but the motivation in the set of the Tai-shu’s carapace was unmistakable and he held his peace.  The Tai-shu set out with the young D’Bringi officer, his security detail in tow.  The trip to Skull-Splitter’s quarters was short, but eye-opening.  The corridors were empty and unremarkable, until they reached the area outside of Skull-Splitter’s quarters.  In that area the bulkheads were ripped up by weapons fire and explosions.  The Tai-shu’s security team tensed up, their eyes and sensors probing in every direction for threats, but there was nothing present aside from a pair of Rehorish guards outside of Skull-Splitter’s quarters, armed with plasma cannons and wearing power armor.  The guards wore the insignia of the 4th Naval Infantry Brigade, which, if memory served, was the unit assigned to the Rehorish ships assigned to the 4th Fleet.  Tai-shu Okada gestured for his guards to join the security forces outside of Skull-Spitter’s quarters and was ushered into the room by their young D'Bringi escort. 

Tai-shu Okada walked into the quarters and immediately stopped, shocked.  His old friend was encased in an auto-medic, a coffin-like piece of medical equipment.  One side of his face was hideously damaged from what looked to be some sort of laser weapon, and he appeared to be missing his left arm and part of his left leg.  Still, his one remaining eye was open and was focused on his visitor.  For all of the damage, Skull-Splitter, the tough old warrior, looked to be aware of what was going on, even if he couldn’t communicate because of all of the equipment hooked up to him.  Okada turned on Skull-Splitter’s son.  “What has happened?”

Sho-sa Tal-nos, Skull-Splitter’s son, shook his head.  “We were hoping you could tell us.  This happened just six hours ago, shortly after your squadron contacted us and requested a meeting with my father.”

Alarm crossed Tai-shu Okada’s face as he considered the implications.  “I must apologize.  I did not consider the possibility that your father might be at risk.  I came here to speak with your father on a matter of critical importance to the Alliance, but I did not think that they would try something like this.”

The young D’Bringi officer took a step forward, leaving his father’s side, a very intense look on his face.  “They?” 

Tai-shu Okada’s antenna waived agitatedly.  “We do not know who they are.  Only that they exist.  A series of events surrounding the invasion of Chirq has led us to several discoveries of discrepancies within the Alliance fleet network and ICN.  These discrepancies are hiding the true locations of multiple ships, all of which are crewed by D’Bringi.  We believe some of these ships were involved in the Chirq disaster, although we have not been able to confirm this.  Certainly, at least, the three corvette-carriers assigned to Chirq Prime are missing, and unless they were ambushed, which is very unlikely, they should have been able to deal with the Khozuni invasion force handily.”

Okada was shocked when an electronic crackle issued from the auto-medic.  “Give.  My.  Son. The. List.  Of.  Ships.”

Without hesitating, Tai-shu Okada gave the young officer a chip with the information.  Sho-sa Tal-nos put the chip in his reader and examined the data for a minute as the others watched, then turned to his father.  “It is as we feared.  These ships all belong to either the conservatives or the Keepers.  In particular, the three missing battlecruisers are Keeper controlled units.”

“What is the meaning of this?”  Okada knew of the divisions within the D’Bringi society, and in particular the conservatives who had resisted the changes brought on by membership in the Alliance, but the consensus was that their influence was waning as the wealth brought by changes within their society began reaching the middle and lower orders. 

Sho-sa Tal-nos looked at his father for a few seconds and apparently received the go-ahead, because he turned back to Okada.  “Sir, the three who attacked my father were all conservative faction, from within my father’s own staff.  That is why they got so close before being challenged.  For some time, we have been concerned that the conservatives are growing desperate enough to make some sort of move as their power and influence wanes.  The thought that they might be in league with the Keepers is very disturbing.  Alone, the conservatives have nothing like enough clout to sway our people, but if the Keepers are involved, that may change everything.”

“So, this is an internal struggle within the D’Bringi government?”

Sho-sa Tal-nos opened his mouth to reply, but was beat to it by his father.  “No!  This.  Affects.  All.  Within.  The.  Alliance.  But. We. D’Bringi. Must. Decide. Our. Fate.”

Okada followed this thought for a few seconds, searching the implications.  “The Alliance is barred from intervening in the internal affairs of any member race.  That is true.  However, if the conservatives have somehow caused the invasion of the Chirq home world, and compromised the Alliance ICN and the Fleet data network, then this ceases to be merely an internal matter.  And what do these priests of yours, the Keepers, have to do with any of this.”  Okada was extraordinarily well informed about the other races of the Alliance, but the D’Bringi Keepers had kept a low profile since the amalgamation, and were rarely seen these days.  At least by outsiders. 

After glancing at his father, Sho-sa Tal-nos stepped forward.  “The Keepers are the arbiters of what it means to be D’Bringi.  For centuries they have mediated between the clans and ensured the continuation of the D’Bringi race.  They were against the amalgamation, and it was only because the three clan chiefs agreed that they were overruled.  It was thought,” he glanced at his father again, “that they had changed their opinion on the merger as the strength of the D’Bringi race rapidly increased as the old strictures enforced by the clans were loosened, but that now appears to have been overly optimistic.”

A sudden thought occurred to Okada, and he keyed his communicator.  “Status?”

His chief of staff responded immediately.  “All is well.  All units have checked in, and there has been no unusual or hostile activity.”

“Very well.”  Okada looked at the two D’Bringi.  “Well, if this an internal matter, what do you intend to do next?”

“My father moved decisively after the attempt on his life.  All D’Bringi ships in the fleet have been locked down by trusted officers, and all of their communications have been routed through this ship.  All known conservatives have been detained pending an investigation.  Although, to be honest, the conservatives were not well represented within this fleet.  And now that we know the Keepers are involved, they will be examined as well.  But we fear what is happening elsewhere.  We thought that this might be the first move in a coup attempt by the conservatives, but if this information that you have brought is accurate, then this is merely the latest step in a well-coordinated and large conspiracy.  We will not easily get ahead of this.”

Tai-shu Okada turned to leave.  “I must get back to my ship.  I have to get messages out to all commands and governments.  They must be warned.”

Skull-Splitter’s son left with the Rehorish admiral.  “We will remain here and ensure that the forces available to us are loyal.  Even now my father’s agents are moving throughout the D’Bringi ships of this fleet, rooting out agents of the conservatives.  Once my father is back on his feet, we will take the D’Bringi ships we have here back to the home world, and demand answers.”

Tai-shu Okada looked at the young officer.  “That could take weeks.  Your father’s wounds are serious.”

“No, it will not.  My father must be seen to be alive and well.  He will be on his feet tomorrow, leading the fleet against the conservatives and their Keeper lackies.  He must, or our people may begin to lose hope.”

Okada stopped at the hatch to the boat bay.  “Good luck.  You will need it.”

Sho-sa Tal-nos stopped the admiral before he stepped through the hatchway.  “What will you and your people do?” 

Tai-shu Okada stopped for a second and looked at the young officer.  “By the treaties that created the Alliance this is an internal matter, and as such my people and the T’Pau cannot intervene.  As long as neither side does something that violates the treaty, we cannot act without violating the underpinnings of the Alliance.”

The young D’Bringi officer stood tall.  “Good!  This is our creation, and we should be the ones to deal with it.”

Tai-shu Okada left the D’Bringi flagship and returned to his destroyer, which immediately set out for the warp point back home.  Two of the destroyers in the squadron had suffered burnouts, and so the squadron left at slightly reduced speed.  Shortly after arriving at his ship, even as they left orbit, Tai-shu sent urgent messages to both Rehorish Fleet Command and his government, alerting them to the situation.    Just under ten hours later they received a response from the local ICN node, informing them that the ICN was inactive.  All queries showed that the node had gone into a diagnostic loop, and it was completely unresponsive to outside commands. 

They were effectively cut off.