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Children of the Void: A Hard Sci-Fi Space RP

Post-Turn 2: Technological Innovations, 2350-2370
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Technological Innovations, 2350-2370


GS-1 Blixthammar Reports:

►Enhanced air- and water-filters, recyclable: Our scientists have managed to devise mobile and quick-deployable air and water recyclers that would facilitate and ease the complications of deploying temporary habitats in an airless environment. Our Chief Science Officer was inspired to this endeavor after reading classic science-fiction novel *The Martian*, in which protagonist Mark Watney struggles to jury-rig his habitat's bulky and fragile life-support systems to work with his rover over a long journey. These new modular, re-deployable life-support systems would have made Watney's journey to Schiaparelli crater much safer and more feasible, and will surely help real colonists in ensuring their safety and convenience in airless environments.

GS-2 Belayev's Redemption Reports:

Hardcoded Motivator: A thorough analysis of the rogue droid has confirmed what we already long expected: The behavior the droid exhibited was as a result of hardcoded 'motivators' inserted into its codebase - an entirely artificial, human-made addition, likely intended to imitate what the editor thought would pass as a 'sentient droid'. We have developed self-tests that would be able to detect these motivators in an HIAI.

Brain-Computer Interface: Further research and gradual innovations in brain-computer interface technology has yielded yet another victory for the field of bionics - our scientists, using old and new techniques, have devised a brain-interpretive interface that would allow those with robotic limbs (and those controlling machinery) to use their thoughts as a controller. The devised chip interprets certain brainwaves and sends corresponding commands to connected machinery, allowing a mostly-intuitive, motion-free method of controlling robotic limbs and machinery. Nonetheless, the tech isn't perfect, and healthy testers described discomfort and nausea when operating certain types of machinery and motion schemes, such as maneuvering thrusters or forklifts. For amputees, though, the tech is a perfect fit.

GS-3 Saint Joseph Labre Reports:

Antimatter Technologies: Attempts to further pioneer the existing science of antimatter production and containment has not led to any significant advancements - it seems that antimatter will continue to avoid real feasibility for the coming future.

GS-4 Gaia Reports:

►Improved Recycling: We have made improvements in metal and plastics recycling that will allow a 10% increase in efficiency from previous recyclers, bringing the most efficient recycling process up to 85% efficiency. However, this efficiency comes at no insignificant cost, and its predicted that often, like most previous methods, simply disposing and replacing will be come the more economical norm when we reach the surface.

►Nutrient Paste: Nutrition scientists have devised an almost-ideal dried ration paste converted from contemporary hydroponics foodstuffs which has a shelf life longer than the human lifespan. Unfortunately, there is no aiding in the terrible taste of the stuff, which scientists reported to be 'so bad, the taste acquires you.' It will, however, keep you alive in an emergency.

GS-5 Britannic Reports:

►Agent Eden: Revisions and further tweaks to Agent Emerald have produced a vitalizing agent that is much safer for the environment, and certainly safe for consumers. Nicknamed 'Agent Eden', the derivative vitalizing agent is estimated to be only 15% as ecologically damaging, although in turn it is only 20% as effective as Agent Emerald in boosting fertility and growth. Still, with these efficiencies, 'Agent Eden' makes for a fairly high grade fertilizer among competitors, and can be readily produced from the very products we grow in hydroponics.

►Biologically-Derived Polymer: In efforts to tackle potential part shortages, scientists have devised a moderate-strength bioplastic which can be fabricated specifically from our hydroponically-grown crops. Things like nuts, bolts, small hand tools, canvases and low-durability fairings can now be sustainably printed without running down our metal parts. However, our scientists don't recommend using the new 'BDP' plastic for anything that hinges on structural integrity.

GS-6 Future of Russia Reports:

N/A - No science labs aboard the ship.

GS-7 Xwytsau Reports:

►Nature's Machine: In a first, we have managed to devise a set of fully-implantable artificial reproductive organs. Though not exactly the most family-friendly discovery, it will go a long way to integrated the human brain with a fully mechanical body. With the use of cell-breeding chambers and synthetic 'canvas', scientists were able to demonstrate a fully functioning, self-regulating, sperm-producing penis which in addition to being fully capable of reproduction, is designed to be resistant against sexually transmitted disease. Its counterpart is the 'cybernetic womb', which, at least according to peer-reviewed simulations, is capable of producing eggs, accepting fertilization, and even possibly supporting a fetus to birth, all while monitoring the fetus's health, delivering the ideal amount of nutrients, and screening for potentially toxic substances (such as alcohol) or foreign pathogens.
 
Titans of Space: Entry 1

1551466935866.png Trev Andreu
A Blixthammari-Plutonian politician and activist, Andreu, going under the alias Gria Drye, was the mastermind behind the Organization to Restore Freedom on the Saint Joseph Labre - a major motivator of political and social change in the late 24th century. To the many social-progressive and migrationist groups now burgeoning across the fleet, Mr. Andreu's success is seen as an example of the power inherent in protest and civil resistance. Through his efforts, the ORF, now the Democratic Immigrant Party of the Blixthammar, is considered the de-facto leader of the fleet's progressive sphere.
 
►►►TURN 3 - The Retrograde Epoch: 2370-2400
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'The Avatar', a decorated chassis controlled by the 'Spiritual Intelligence'. Aboard the GS-7, the SI is known as the 'Machine Spirit', or 'Avatar of Xwytsau'
and carries great religious significance.


Turn Music:



15 February, 2370 -to- 15 February, 2400


Notable Fleet Events

FLEET
Following a monstrous hype and buildup, the first ULTRA Cup of 2374 was marred by political scandal and protest as social movements across the fleet coalesced to stage a protest on behalf of the 'Organization to Restore Freedom on the Saint Joseph Labre'. Protests and unrest were kickstarted when players of the Jole's national team, the ZG-Monkeys, staged an on-field protest against the ship's corporate government headed up by Director-General James R. Oligon. The cup's first impressions were further damaged when the Britannic Rounders staged a last-minute walk-off during the final match of the cup, allowing the Belayev's Redemption Cosmoletes to take the TRAPPIST Chalice by default. While the public watched in awe as unrest built across the fleet after years of suppression, political activists lauded the disruptions as a victory - indeed, the protests staged at the ULTRA Cup would contribute towards the negotiation of several deals for cross-ship migration, including the emigration of non-Plutonian political dissidents from Saint Jole, and their enfranchisement onboard the Blixthammar. In the following years, the event's political consequences have increasingly come to light, with progressive movements across the fleet regaining their lost momentum.
FLEET
Nevertheless, the ULTRA Cup would go on every four years without much consequence, though a new tradition of protesting at the final match for one's cause becomes de-facto condoned by the cup authority, who see it as both inevitable and politically expedient as fans tune in to watch a team throw the match. Nonetheless, after each 'protest', the final match goes on. As a result of their staying power and brand recognition, the teams of the first ULTRA Cup become permanent fixtures of the cup, with different players and teams rotating in to play as 'Cosmoletes' or 'ZG-Monkeys'. Some teams retain their original names on-board their ships, while others rebrand.
The winners of each ULTRA Cup are as follows:
2374 - Cosmoletes / GS-2 Belayev's Redemption
2378 - Russian Raptors / GS-6 Future of Russia
2382 - ZG-Monkeys / GS-3 Saint Joseph Labre
2386 - Cosmoletes / GS-2 Belayev's Redemption
2390 - Raiders / GS-1 Blixthammar
2394 - Raiders / GS-1 Blixthammar
2398 - Cosmoletes / GS-2 Belayev's Redemption
GS-1
The Blixthammar finally embraced its roots in 2376 when it held the first elections of both parliament and the newly-electable seat of the admiralty. Retiring from her post, Jannika Spjuth was present at the inauguration of Admiral-Elect Torvald Hammargren, giving remarks and wishing him and the Prime-Minister luck in the future of the ship and the mission as a whole.
GS-1
Trev Andreu, leader of DIP, gave a statement to the fleet early after the party's formation -

Gria Drye

Blixthammar ORF Party Office

"Greetings everyone and thank you for being here today. Today is a day of reflection. Of remembrance. It has been awhile since we lost the great Admiral Spjuth. Most of us would not be here today if it wasn’t for them, and their support and aid in the past. This past decade has been one of great action as well. The Blixthammar has made monumental strides in all areas of civil rights and liberties, as well as preparation for the arduous tasks ahead: Trappist-1. I myself could not be more pleased with the work Admiral Hammargren has been doing while in office. I had confidence during his election, and I have continued confidence today. With reflection of course, also comes the need to look the other direction. To look ahead. Ahead of us stands one of the most important, dangerous, and significant moments in human history, a date that shall be marked throughout time forever remember when the New Worlds Solar Endeavor disembarks on foreign soil. This is precisely why we must be adequately prepared for whatever lies in wait on our future home. That is not to naysay or discount the current ongoing projects to get us ready. Indeed, the change in education, as well as technological advancements made in hydroponics and biology are incredibly important, but we must do more. It is at this time that I wish to announce that the ORF will be changing its face. Changing its name and mission. We have accomplished what we set out to do in the past, and now we look forward. The ORF Party shall now be known as the Labor Party. Our goal is simple: To ensure that the Blixthammar is as ready as possible for the colonization process, and transition to ground. Among that includes the most important tenant of all: the protection of civil liberties and rights and safety of our citizens. For when we move from ship to ground, changes will come. Those changes cannot compromise what we stand for, and these is the Labor Party’s goals.



I as well have another announcement, a rather more personal one. I will be stepping down as chair of the Labor Party at the end of this cycle… I have served for the past decade. Before that I have spent my time fighting every day of my life for those I care deeply about, which is just about everyone. But I too, must look to my own future and I do not know how much longer I have. I wish to spend those days enjoying something other than fighting or surviving. Perhaps I shall take up writing or a sport?! Ha ha ha. Nonetheless, I am grateful to every single one of you for all your support throughout the years. And don’t worry I will not leave you empty handed. To take my place is more than capable and has been ready for this roll many years ago: Toahlud Grimerion, deputy of the new Labor Party, soon to be Chair. Toahlud, you are ready. Do not doubt yourself for a second. Everyone else. Thank you as well.

For the last time, this is Gria Drye… signing out."


GS-1
After thirteen years in retirement, Spjuth was admitted to the hospital for medical complications. Surrounded by friends and family, she passed away at the ripe old age of 91.
A public funeral service was held at one of the Blixthammar's major venues, where thousands gathered to attend. In attendance were many of the Blixthammar's prominent figures, including famous activist and member of parliament Trev Andreu
Many thousands more tuned in across the fleet as her obituary was given across media channels.
It read:
"A hero in her youth, never compromising her morals or taking the easy path. She was wise beyond her years, and fanatical in her commitment to the well-being of the people. A guiding light among the stars, she kept our ship on-course in rough currents. Now, she is among the stars herself.
We yearn to follow your example, admiral, for you taught us all we know. Today and tomorrow, the Blixthammar will never forget your place in history.
Rest in peace, Admiral Jannika Spjuth.
11th of June, 2297 to 2nd of March, 2389."
GS-2
Viewers across the fleet were shocked to hear of the release of a report from the Belayev's Redemption indicating that the infamous droid of the 'rogue bird' incident was, in fact, not sentient at all - instead, the report claims, a sort of 'techno-terrorist' injected strings of code into the droid's codebase which caused it to act in a way that would falsely convince people it had achieved sentience. Although many conspiracies have long floated about surrounding the rogue bird incident, accusations of a cover-up have now apparently been vindicated. Nonetheless, some have now started to call for further restrictions on droids, out of fear of future implications.
GS-2
Having already been in retirement for over a decade, former-admiral Boris Oshankobich passed peacefully on the eve of 2384. His son and current admiral of the GS-2, Igor Oshankobich, gave his remarks at his father's funeral, promising to continue carrying out his vision for the future.
GS-3
After experiencing medical complications shortly following the ULTRA Cup, Director-General James R. Oligon passed away. His son, James Oligon Jr., assumed control of the Board of Directors with unanimous consent.
GS-3
Observers had mixed reactions - both shocked and unsurprised - when the Saint Joseph Labre unveiled the construction of a rotating belly turret for the mounting of the 'Large Collimated Mining Laser' - a multi-beam solid-state laser bordering on the size of the Gaia's EALT launch track. Famous political writer Courtney Ross described the LCML as a 'civil asset' - a popular euphemism for the large ship-borne cannons across the fleet billed as 'industrial platforms'.
GS-4
Amid rising disagreements and scandal over the future of the role of the 'executive' aboard the Gaia, Admiral Monica Hawkins abruptly resigned from her post in 2377. In her final speech to the ship's public, Hawkins said that "The future of the ship is for the latter generations to decide. I have no place telling them otherwise."
Hawkins' sudden resignation from her nearly life-long post has thrown political conversion and debate over the executive's absolute authority into disarray, as the executive scrambles to appoint a new admiral. An ever-powerful parliament, however, is now saying that the admiral should be appointed by the people, taking example from the Blixthammar.
GS-5
The political and social foundations of the Britannic were shaken to the core when in November of 2274, Parliament ousted acting Governor Colin MacKenzie in an overwhelming vote of no confidence - an unprecedented move by the relatively young governmental body. In a move that would solidify its status as the chief ruling body aboard the ship, Parliament ratified an act to establish the Prime-Minister as the head-of-state on the GS-5 Britannic, relegating the vacant Governorship to irrelevancy as a consequence. Elections were held to build a new government in 2276, and longtime MP Ashley Stewart has now emerged as the Britannic's Prime Minister and most prominent politician, backed by a considerable progressive coalition. She would face re-election several times over 25 years, but has survived to this date owing to stable popular support and even stronger support from her party.
GS-6
In early 2380, The Future of Russia held a landmark public referendum, asking the ship's public whether they'd like to remain part of the Russian Federation, or forge their own path ahead. With a healthy margin, the public voted 62.4% in favor of remaining within the jurisdiction and legal continuum of the Russian Federation. While whispers of vote manipulation and fraud began to crop up almost immediately after the results were published, many political analysts were quick to point out that the close relationship between the GS-2 and GS-6 has played a large part in the staying power of the Russian identity, and that the vote shouldn't be discounted.
GS-7
Commemorating a long and successful journey so far, Admiral Ashkar Gazdanty was present at the GS-7's 2382 Trial by Fire to hand over the reigns of power to Hetman Valeri Zumadze. Zumadze, assuming the now-combined office of Hetman and Admiral, promised diligent leadership and due deference to the Machine Spirit, which has long directed and advised Gazdanty in his running of the ship.
FLEET
As everyone bade the 24th century goodbye and celebrated the 2400 New Year, many anticipated the coming of the real event this year - the Fleet Centennial - the 75th Anniversary of the mission launch, coinciding with the turn of the century. Only a month and a half away, the celebration is only second in public anticipation to the fleet arrival in TRAPPIST-1.
►►►GS-1 Blixthammar
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Admiral Torvald Hammargren
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Prime-Minister Holvaster Oström
►In the wake of its 2376 transition to sovereign republic, the Blixthammar's majority party moved in the very next year to establish a direct say for the people. The Referendum Act, supported not only by the BAP but a broad committee of MPs ranging from the Conservatives to the Democratic Immigrant Party of Trev Andreu, passed 89-11 and was ratified into law. The act established the 'Annual Peoples' Day', a once-a-year work holiday where the people of the Blixthammar would have the day off to vote on a range of laws proposed by popular initiative. Since passing, the Referendum Act has been the subject of wide support, and standing admiral Hammargren lauded the bill as a positive step toward a more perfect republic.
►Following an amendment to the national curriculum, the Blixthammar's schools are now putting their students' performance to the test in a series of simulated scenarios ranging from survival after a crash, to setting up the first stages of a colony and even handling extra-terrestrial contact. As a benchmark for the effectiveness of school curricula, the new guidelines for simulated testing and learning have proven a success, although some critics question the accuracy of the models used to construct the scenarios being tested - notably, conditions on the planet are completely unknown, and test-makers were forced to resort to certain assumptions. Nevertheless, the simulations have notably boosted student engagement, both minor and adult, and self-reporting indicates they are popular, even fun.

►►►GS-2 Belayev's Redemption
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Admiral Igor Oshankobich
►Admiral Oshankobich is personally present at the docking bays to bid farwell to bid farewell to those leaving the GS-2, and was later present to welcome the fiifteen hundred migrants coming in from the GS-7. Speaking later to the general, public, he announced that the population exchange had gone without a hitch, and that passengers aboard the GS-2 should welcome their fellow citizens with hospitality.
►Mirroring ramped up efforts to prepare for the eventual, the Belayev's Redemption launches a shipwide preparedness program, including five-year drills simulating the establishment of a colony on TRAPPIST-1e. Every five years, the exercise is reset and new scenarios and complications are introduced to test the effectiveness of the GS-2's plans. By the eve of 2399, preparedness ratings are markedly up.

►►►GS-3 Saint Joseph Labre
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Director-General of the Board James R. Oligon Jr.
►While the begrudging directors of the board put aside their ideological differences to see the contract of emigration through to its completion, they sought to make an example of the ORF and its allies - those who chose not to leave by the terms of the contract were swooped up in the middle of the night and arrested on myriad charges, the least of which being their membership in an illegal union. While underground progressives vowed to take vengeance on Oligon and his board of directors, they were now powerless - their movement was on another ship, and they faced the full legal girth of Corporate law. The word of Trev Andreu reverberated through the Jole - truly, now, the ship had cut the lights. For better or worse. With the ORF dissolved, however, the Jole's remaining progressive movements splinter and become more radical....
►Taking power from his father, James R. Oligon Jr. is made CEO of Salton & Creele, as well as Director-General of the board by unanimous consent. Like his father, he is an ardent legislator, and wastes no time establishing a new wave of legal codes in the span of his long thirty years of tenure.
►As part of that year's bill package, Oligon's board passes a rider which allows corporations to open and operate schools at every level of education. Outside observers are naturally worried, but proponents of the bill argue that it is not so nefarious - specialized schooling for specific career fields early in life can be a major boost to future career opportunities, they argue. Indeed, with each corporation able to operate on its own curriculum, educations specific to career-readiness in that corporation have now become possible.
►Almost immediately after becoming Director-General, Oligon puts the 'Union Act' to the floor - a bill that fully criminalizes labor unions and establishes measures for dissolving them via corporate jurisdiction. The bill reaches a hitch with the dissent of several majors, such as Director Cook and Director Rothschild objecting on grounds of ambiguity in terms of defining a 'union.' After some negotiations to remedy potential unintended consequences, the bill passes un-amended.
►As part of debates over the Union Act, the Free Market Act is proposed, passing 9-1. The act allows those dissatisfied with their corporation to establish their own via charter, echoing but thoroughly subverting republican sentiments that rocked the ship in the past decade. Many underground progressives begin to switch sides, and many 'illegal unions' appear to die, with their benefactors rising up as the heads of profitable startups. It appears that many millionaires are no longer embarrassed.
►In 2381, Oligon's board establishes the 'Sovereign Charter Act', which establishes provisions and guidelines for the creation of autonomous corporate colonies under Jospehite jurisdiction. Aside from providing an ample framework for the creation of colonies with a high degree of independence from the board, the bill also provides remedies for disputing underutilized natural resources under the 'Economic Good Act', which sanctions independent action from industries when a corporation endangers the market. Provisions of the Sovrteign Charter Act allow the annexation of mineral deposits from other colonies which are not economically capable to mine them, or the forfeiture of natural deposits to the colony's parent corporation under similar circumstances. The bill came as the culmination of popularist masterminds such as Director Rothschild, who has long advocated for sub-corporate autonomy and greater ease of doing business.
►In reaction to a deadly and out-of-control strike-turned-riot, the board of directors passes the 'Strikbreak Act of 2383', criminalizing labor strikes. Political analysts aboard the Jole and across the fleet now look back at this law as the final nail in the coffin for organized labor, as a record number of corporations are founded aboard the Jole. In part because of increasingly frequent violent confrontations and the increased ability to self-determine, republicanist sentiments aboard the Jole have become increasingly unpopular. In tandem, contemporary popular media and writing has given birth to a new narrative on the ORF and progressivist movements - that of terrorists and disruptors. Now it shows - Instead of striking, disgruntled workers are forging their way to new opportunities by embracing the corporate system.
►►►GS-4 Gaia
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Admiralty is vacant
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Prime-Minister Eric M. Poole
►Amid rising disagreements and scandal over the future of the role of the 'executive' aboard the Gaia, Admiral Monica Hawkins abruptly resigned from her post in 2377. In her final speech to the ship's public, Hawkins said that "The future of the ship is for the latter generations to decide. I have no place telling them otherwise."
Hawkins' sudden resignation from her nearly life-long post has thrown debates over the executive's absolute authority into disarray, as the executive scrambles to appoint a new admiral. An ever-powerful parliament, however, is now saying that the admiral should be appointed by the people, taking example from the Blixthammar. In a twist of fate (and in an effort to avoid political backlash), the executive ruled that it does not have to appoint an admiral. In doing so, it has left the Gaia's most important position vacant, with Parliament tentatively stepping up to put the Prime-Minister in a foreign relations role, for now. Negotiations are ongoing, of course, and the future of the executive is at odds.

►►►GS-5 Britannic
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Governor Charles Owen
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Prime-Minister Ashley Stewart
►Following in the footsteps of the Xwytsau, who own the other copy of the rogue droid's codebase, the Britannic's church elects to award 'Cornelius' a physical form - his own decorated body. Being the only example of an HI droid aboard the Britannic, Cornelius takes on a role within the church rather than being put to work in roles more traditional for the Britannic's robotic labor force. Nonetheless, with droids now having a place in the two major faiths across the fleet, automicists see this news as a 'win' for relations between Christians and Assians. This comes as the Church announces its intention to make brethren for Cornelius, all to serve a religious and social purpose...
►With Parliament now reigning supreme in affairs of state, the Church has begun to distance itself from secular affairs, increasingly relegating itself to affairs of faith. Across the Britannic, the two worlds are slowly unwinding, with the church and state becoming increasingly independent bases of political and social ideology. While some characterize the move as positive for the Church, who are now less beholden to the whims of a secular government, some are afraid of the potential consequences of decreased influence of the church in state policy. Most worrying of all, however, is those who warn of a return to the sectarian unrest of the mid-century, where atheists and Christians were rioting and fighting on the streets. While many are quick to shoot down these warning as speculation, one thing is now known for certain - a strong democratic government on the Britannic is here to stay.

►►►GS-6 Future of Russia
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Admiralty is vacant
►The GS-6 is rocked with scandal in 2375 when it comes out that a foiled terrorist plot was the work of radical progressive elements on the ship. The revelations further put the nail in the coffin for public support of the progressive movements aboard the ship, and crackdowns against groups were swift and decisive. In reaction to this perceived new threat, public cries for increased security swept the ship, and Admiral Sharonov obliged the public by authorizing an expansion to the Ship security force's roster of personnel. By 2377, the GS-6 Security Forces have swelled in size, with no shortage of volunteers.
►Following in the footsteps of other ships hoping to prepare for the not-so-distant arrival of the fleet in TRAPPIST-1, Admiral Sharonov sought to make his legacy one of reform - in 2378, he ratified a major restructuring of the ship's education system, ordering the design of a new curriculum focused practical, 'future-proof' skills in sciences, math and engineering, as well as vital survival skills, colony establishment, and organizational management. An emphasis is placed on Russian history, though discussions of religion are notably absent, in line with the administration's secularist position, and owing to a trend of decreasing faith among those polled. Also notably absent is verbose discussion of the Soviet era, with most class curricula focusing instead on the formation of the Russian Republic in the 2080s and onward.
►Additional to his reforms of the education system was the addition of democracy to the ship in the form of 'Crew Representatives' - three publicly elected officials who serve as an advisory to the admiral and retain some legal powers to check the admiral's. Elections proceed without a hitch in 2380, and the Future of Russia comes out to vote in droves.
►After a longer-than-usual tenure, Admiral Sharonov announced his retirement from the Admirality on the 10th of February, 2400, citing health complications. A day later, he was admitted to the hospital, but said in a now-public interview that he 'intended to see the centennial through.'

►►►GS-7 Xwytsau
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Hetman Valeri Zumadze
►Hetman Zumadze's tenure as the new leader of the Xwytsau sees a rapid expansion of the amount of religious and culture ceremonies, festivals and celebrations as the ship as a whole pushes to add its own history and achievements to a list of holidays dominated by traditions hundreds to thousands of years old. In addition to introducing new holidays, all such events are declared work-free days. Not only does this help bolster forward-thinking Zumadze's popularity in one of the most conservative ships on the fleet, but conversions to the automicist faith see record highs in the first 18 years of Zumadze's reign. Though some question if these converts are genuine in their faith (who doesn't want days off work?) the numbers are nonetheless a huge success to religious authorities on the Xwytsau, and indeed automicists across the fleet.
►Efforts to improve and optimize the efficiency of the ship's onboard computers and servers becomes a major priority for Zumadze's first 5 years in office, and he saddles software engineers with the gargantuan task of completely remaking the ship's autonomous management software from scratch - an endeavor which would no doubt free up a significant amount of memory and processing power for other tasks relevant to the 'Machine-Spirit'. In 2394, The Xwytsau's top scientist announces that the rebuild is complete, and the ship goes literally dark (save for some critical systems) for over a week while modifications and upgrades are made. At the end of the week, the Xwytsau comes out running a physical memory surplus, with global CPU usage is markedly down. The ship's upgraded management software is not only lightweight and purpose-built for the ship's current situation, but notably more efficient and able to run flawlessly on older hardware.
►Fear-inducing hiccups in hydroponics during the shutdown motivated Zumadze to mandate new routine priority checks and upgrades to the closed-loop ecosystems feeding the ship's fleshy denizens, and after completion, hydroponics are notably more stable during maintenance periods, and especially more capable of recovery from an unexpected disruption.
►In a landmark 2392 speech, Hetman Zumadze acknowledged the sectarian differences between various Assian beliefs, and promised that all sects and beliefs had a place on the Xwytsau. To that effect, he declared the elevation of 'naturalist assianism', also known as 'Old-Earth Uatsdin' to sacred status, establishing a 'caste' for believers of the old faith, free from the robotic trappings of automicist assianism. While some in the church feared that this move would de-legitimize the automicist institution, most embraced the elevation of the Xwytsau's second-largest faith as a bold and effective stride towards unity.
►Hetman Zumadze acknowledged that the commitment of the 'Machine-Spirit' to humanoid form would not be complete if Xwytsau's Avatar did not have his rightful place of rest. To that effect, Zumadze ordered the construction of an ornate electronic apparatus that would serve as the throne of the SI's 'avatar', in addition to being a dedicated charging and maintenance module for the droid. Located deep within one of the GS-7's most prominent sacred groves, audience with the avatar has been opened to the public, and now hundreds flock to the Great Grove to have their questions and requests answered by the 'Machine Spirit', known by passengers to be the incarnation of the deity Xywtsau himself.
---

Stay t00ned for confidentials and technology!
 
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Post-Turn 3: Technological Innovations, 2370-2400
Technological Innovations, 2370-2400

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GS-5 Britannic Reports
►The Mother Formula
Although we have made strides in developing a self-synthesizing vitalizing agent derived from Agent Eden, test runs intended to demonstrate self-synthesis in plants have failed to make any demonstrable progress, and most of the plants tested promptly died from the negative side-effects inherent in the solution. Further work and research will be needed to make progress, and efforts are ongoing.
►Plugging the Leaks & Quick-swap Parts
By devising a system of modular, interchangeable parts for various modules on our ship, we have been able to cut down repair times at a slightly increased material cost. This will prove useful in the maintenance of vital systems like hydroponics, which, while closed-loop, have been reliant on auxiliary food supply to get us through the century. Our emergency food consumption will be notably lower from now on. Additionally, we have made improvements to the closed-loop system itself, with increased retention of organic material and a decrease of un-recyclable waste. Coupled with increases in harvest productivity, we have managed to nearly eliminate our reliance on emergency food, at the cost of higher maintenance via parts. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that we are now capable of exporting our emergency food to buy other supplies. In a free market such as the Blixthammar, purchase would be easy enough.
GS-6 Xwytsau Reports
►Silicon Sapiens
Through intensive research into further innovations on artificial organs, we managed to devise a semi- functioning artificial liver, capable of assistive toxin filtering, measurement and diagnostics. Although not a fully functioning organ in its own right, a surgical procedure to install the device would allow it to act as a temporary failsafe against liver failure, as well provide increased functionality to a healthy organ and even notifying the patient when he/she has ingested a toxin. We believe that the monitoring and measuring capability will do wonders in encouraging healthier lifestyles, as activities such as drinking will be reflected to the patient in straightforward stats and notifications, thus allowing them to always be aware of the immediate damage their habits cause. Further work towards developing a standalone artificial liver is ongoing, but this alone is revolutionary for the medical field.
►Ruggedized PCB & Thermally-Hardened Fairings
After simulations of habitation on various planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system revealed a particular vulnerability of our electronics to unhampered radiation and temperature fluctuations, engineers were tasked with developing a universal ruggedization which could be applied to any electronic component and be tested for effectiveness within a week of mounting. After years of trial-and-error in the radiation battering chamber, we have managed to create a more rugged implementation of the age-old printed circuit board, as well as a printable ruggedized fairing for other electronics. While the specialized materials relied upon for these fairings are not cheap, this solution will markedly increase the lifespan of electronics in high-intensity thermal and radioactive environments.
►Z-Bar
Using prior advancements from other ships as a springboard, we have managed to devise a nutrient-dense food bar for use in prolonged zero-G habitation, as well as for supplementation in gravity wells. The bars are not nutritionally complete, but they provide a large surplus of protein and also contain a dose of the anti-atrophy supplements commonly taken in pill form, making them more palatable and more effective when combined with the mix of macronutrients packed in the bar. The process used to create and stamp these nutrient bars is not very efficient, but they are a shelf-stable and highly rich emergency food source.
 
INTRO TO TURN 4
Cycle Four - The Final Stretch

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15 February, 2400 to 15 February, 2430


With seventy years of interstellar travel and seventy-five years to its name, the New Worlds Solar Endeavor now flies far beyond the reach of humanity's home. The face of what is has truly changed, and now the youngest generations will face the transition to planetary life well within their own lifetimes.

This is the final stretch of humanity's second expedition to the stars.

With the turn of the new century comes the fleet's 75th birthday, and the largest event in the fleet, only second to arrival - the fleet centennial. Admirals, dignitaries and citizens of various ships all fly to the Britannic to make celebration of the fleet's continued success, and intermingle. This will potentially be the first time all admirals and leaders of the fleet meet in person.


Stay t00ned!
 
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►►►TURN 4 - The Final Stretch: 2400-2430
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A close-in picture of TRAPPIST-1, hanging loftily over the galaxy Fornax Dwarf. At a distance of ~2000 AU, TRAPPIST-1 is visible to the naked eye.

Turn music:


15 February, 2400 to 15 February, 2430

Notable Fleet Events

FLEET
The success of the fleet centennial has been lauded as a case study for the implications of an interconnected fleet, and several social movements of the early 25th century have attributed their existence to the experiences and insights of cross-fleet travel and interaction. Reception to these movements has gone on with mixed results from the ships' governments themselves, with some embracing them and others not so much.


FLEET
Regardless, the fleet centennial's success both in its execution and in the perceptions of the public eye has laid the groundwork for future cross-fleet events, including the not-so-distant arrival celebration set to be hosted by the Britannic, drawing from its experience of hosting the centennial.

GS-1 Blixthammar
While post-modern monetary theory has served the Blixthammar well in the running of its mixed market economy and the ship overall, many free-market theorists had, as of recent, begun a push towards the extension of trade and inter-ship commerce across the fleet, no doubt assisted by rumors of some admirals' open support for fleet commerce during the centennial. Though in the coalescing stages of this movement parliament was split, having other matters in consideration, the advent of a popular referendum to enact these reforms led many MPs to pick up inter-ship commerce as a platform. Soon enough, the majority of Prime-Minister Ostrom's party was backing major reforms to facilitate external commerce, with pre-emptive regulation to boot. With these regulations came a strong progressive push not only to promote free trade policy on the Blixthammar, but an integrationist policy across the fleet, starting with the consolidation of the Fennoscandian Credit (FCr) into the Common Credit (Cr or ₡). As part of the push to facilitate this new currency's adoption and integration, parliament moved to file a motion in the UFO for a non-binding economic policy agreement, the scope of which would include any consenting parties.

GS-2 Belayev's Redemption
Similar sentiments began to arise on the GS-2 when the ship's well-to-do arrived back home from the Britannic, hungry for more consumer goods and experiences doled out on a silver platter. Only worse was that their hunger only grew when they found their desires chained by strict ration quotas and supply allotments on the Britannic. Some began to think that had they money to complement their status, they'd have all the hors d'oeuvre that they could ever desire. Intriguing enough, the shop-runners and merchants working the centennial seemed to agree, and more than a few valuable items were 'lost' on the Britannic, while Belayevskis returned with ample souvenirs and leftovers. The movement to establish currency on the GS-2 was only strengthened when it came out to the public that the governments of the GS-2 and GS-6 had floated the idea of a digital ruble, though later decided to shelf it. As the movement grew louder and stronger, Admiral Oshankobich was forced to respond. In a series of public speeches and appearances, he put forth decisive arguments against currency and called for patience. "Scarcity," he argued, was "the excuse for fiat. In a world where scarcity may no longer exist, currency has no excuse to exist." Despite great popular support, the GS-2's establishment stood behind their centrally planned strategy. Eventually, calls for the digital ruble to come back died down as the issue faded from the public memory and other issues took precedence.

GS-3 Saint Joseph Labre
The tumultuous political and social situation aboard several key ships as well creeping resource shortage and lack of direction for many corporations about the GS-3 led some intrepid corps to petition the board to legally sanction the expansion of Jole corporation operations beyond the GS-3 itself. Indeed, while many corporations on the GS-3 exist in name, their operations are notedly limited when observed by political and economic analysts across the fleet. Coupled with rumors of friendly talks between Director-General Oligon and then-prime-minister of the Gaia Eric M. Poole, it began to appear as if the Saint Jole would be the first entity to make a major push toward cross-ship commerce. Alas, it was not meant to be - after a series of allegedly fiery debates between directors, the Jole's Board of Directors decided that it would not act to establish cross-ship corporate operations. Though it did not cite a reason for pulling back (and the board rarely makes its intentions clear,) political analysts on the Blixthammar speculated that protectionism was the culprit - with strong monopolies over the ship and tangible material operations to put them ahead of the GS-3's nominal corps, the top corporations of the Board of Directors were seeking to prevent incursion of competition onto the ship. Nonetheless, Director-General Oligon, in a speech to corp CEOs, said he was "confident that material opportunity will drastically expand upon arrival."

GS-4 Gaia
The nearly half-century long power struggle between the ascendant parliament and the archaic executive took a major step toward resolution when in 2407, Prime-Minister Poole's Progressive party informally assented to the appointment of a new admiral, marking the end of a thirty year vacancy.

Tentatively entering a seat which has long faded into irrelevancy but yet retained its legal authorities, Admiral Lothar Wolff immediately signaled his intent to close the wounds of the past and move further toward an amicable compromise. Through his guidance of the Executive and negotiations with then-Prime Minister Liam Marsh, a series of keystone reforms to government were achieved, starting with the reorganization of the Executive under a bicameral parliamentary government. The executive's overriding authority was thus cancelled and reformed into a power of veto by majority against Parliament, while also affording Parliament a power of override by supermajority. These reciprocal checks and balances in the distribution of power served to ease fears about regression to an executive-dominated ship, and has fueled the rising stardom of Admiral Wolff among democratist proponents who saw him now as a progressive reformer.

The executive itself saw major reforms to its structure, becoming the distributed parts of a sort of half-legislative, half-executive branch of government. Admiral Wolff consolidated the several dozen seats on the Executive into just ten - heads of various departments on the ship, such as the ministers of war, education, science, foreign affairs, agriculture, development and housing, health, justice, finance and commerce, and internal affairs. This reorganization not only served to shift the executive's role to be more appropriate to its place in the government, but as a preparatory measure for full scale transition to ground-based society on TRAPPIST-1e. It would seem, then, that the era of strife and political uncertainty on the Gaia was coming to an end, even despite lasting grievances from more radical elements. Indeed, while, objections to the mere existence of the executive still remained a popular platform in parliament, the conversation has shifted dramatically in the last thirty years.


GS-5 Britannic
Being at the heart of recent movements to capitalize on business opportunity and cross-ship commerce, the Britannic too saw calls for the establishment of market economy on an otherwise centrally-planned ship. With many shopkeepers noticing how lucrative tourism and sales could be, the desire to accrue and build wealth reached a high point until then-Prime Minister Ashley Stewart led a decisive counter in parliament to kill various measures and bills to establish the economy. In his famous "time and place" speech, Stewart emphasized the criticality of preserving supplies and checking consumption, especially as the journey crept ever-closer to its conclusion. Stewart also promised that he would push toward setting up the Britannic for further changes as society transitioned toward ground-based life. Indeed, though proponents of capitalism were robbed of their opportunity to integrate into the Blixthammar's major push for the markets, they could not argue against Stewart's rationale, and indeed had little to trade in these proposed 'markets' of theirs. The debate was finally settled when Parliament decisively killed a major bill for market transition in 2410, with only lame duck bills resulting there-forth.

GS-5 Britannic
In a dramatic ceremony in 2428, Parliament was present to see off the rebuilt Voyager probe, dubbed Voyager 3, on its new, upgraded journey through the stars, carrying new records in addition to old, documenting both the history and cultures of Earth and the history and cultures of the fleet. Traveling at a hundred kilometers per second on a fly-by vector of TRAPPIST-1, Voyager's first stop was the not-so-distant future home of the fleet. See you, space cowboy...

GS-6 Future of Russia
Swept up in the currents of popular demand for currency driven by the experiences of the centennial, Admiral Sharonov reacted in different tone to his counterpart on the GS-2 when calls for the revival of the digital ruble project rose up. Instead of condemning currency in favor of digitally-driven central planning, Sharonov condemned the 'hyper-monetarist tendencies' of the GS-3 Saint Joseph Labre's corporate sovereignty, instead vowing that the Future of Russia would look towards a well-regulated mixed market economy as the ship made the transition to its new planetary existence. For now, AI-assisted optimizations to the central planning system were promised (and evidently implemented over the years, leading to a reduction in some supply shortages) while plans to increase the role of private ownership and resource distribution were slated for the near future.

GS-7 Xwytsau
For the first time in years, the Xwytsau held its ceremonial tournaments to crown a successor-apparent to the aging Hetman Zumadze. After a series of hard-fought sparring matches, rising spiritual figure Aslan Leonidze comes out as indeed the strongest and most tactically proficient man on the Xwytsau, at least according to the rules of the matches played. Celebrations are held to commemorate the calling of the Hetman-apparent, with the avatar of Xwytsau present to bless the processions.

►►►GS-1 Blixthammar
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Admiral Torvald Hammargren

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Prime-Minister Agnes Söderberg

►In 2415, local shipboard organizations and companies came together to help the government host the 'Innovative Engineering Fair', a sort of technology showcase event where inventors and freelance engineers could show off their ideas and projects. Corporate and government scouts snaked about visiting booths and larger scale exhibitions in order to scoop up the brightest talent and most interesting technological innovations. Small-scale inventor Wilmer Sköld and his startup firm became the star of the show when he unveiled the prototype for a orbit-to-ground mounting bracket system which could allow the safe transition of equipment from orbit. Sköld's invention piqued the interest of officials from the Blixthammar's department of engineering, and within the year his firm had successfully won a bid for a contract to construct orbit-to-ground logistical equipment.

►Not long after the fair and coinciding with Blixthammar's annual 'Sustainability Month', residents of the Blixthammar came out to participate in the Civil Expo, where visitors were wowed by future colonial equipment and artist depictions of the colony on TRAPPIST-1e. In addition, visitors signed up and participated in self-defense, wilderness survival and ecological sustainability classes. Ratings for the expo were high and many came away polling satisfaction with the expo itself, as well as enthusiasm for the classes and training offered therein.

LABOR► In coordination with BAP, the Blixthammar Labor Party passed a landmark bill which would found the Colonization Preparation Task Force, and umbrella department under Internal Affairs which would be responsible for all preparedness and transition logistics henceforth, as well as active training and drilling in the five years leading up to arrival. With everything set, the Blixthammar could now only carry on and hold tight...

►►►GS-2 Belayev's Redemption
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Admiral Ivan Oshankobich

►As the arrival date fast approached, GS-2 renewed its preparedness program in 2416 to accommodate a new generation of youth who were now to form the basis for the landing workforce and future administration. Though preparedness ratings had dropped in the interlude, by 2425 metrics were reporting near-par preparedness compared to the 2390 report. Officials said they were confident the transition would go smoothly as a result of these comprehensive preparation programs.

►Coupled with a revival of the preparedness program was an expansion of classes and training programs aimed at preparing future workers for work alongside and coordinated with the GS-2's HI droid roster. With training starting in 2420, some agencies aboard the ship have already begun to apply these new guidelines and coordination techniques to onboard labor.

►In 2427, the GS-2 announced to the public that it was clearing and reconverting empty storage and living space aboard the ship to accommodate the launching of orbit-to-ground modules and shuttles, effectively converting these spaces to impromptu launch bays. In the announcement, the admiral cited a need for rapid deployment of assets planet-side, as orbit-to-ground materiel transfer is shaping up to be one of the most challenging parts of the mission yet.

►►►GS-3 Saint Joseph Labre
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Director-General James R. Oligon Jr.

►In 2409, the board of directors issued a core ship-wide curriculum guideline focusing on a broad range of basic industrial skills and expertise. Though with little teeth as a set of mere guidelines, many corporations running their own education systems began to pick up on the basic tenets of the guidelines, including the exclusion of humanities, arts and crafts from their class rosters. This left some political analysts worried for the future of education on the Jole, powerless though they are to impart any influence on the board. Outside observers, in their incessant criticism of the Jole's actions, noted that the private schools of the elite on the Jole not only include a full array of humanities and liberal arts curricula, but are also multifaceted and oriented towards an individualistic approach toward one's career.

►A minor furor was allegedly sparked within the board in 2417 when Salton & Creele announced its sudden acquisition of several minor tech firms, including Vimeo and Solarcoin Ltd. While the acquisitions narrowly survived intense debate and scrutiny, the board assented to the mega-corp's acquisitions and over half a dozen firms were merged with S&C in early 2418.

►In anticipation of a rapidly growing agriculture industry, the Jole sees a slew of startup agri research and farming corps crop up in the last decade of the journey.

►In 2426, GS-3 security authorities announced the largest ever bust of illegal communication nodes and pirate network equipment in ship history - a sum nearing 3.5% of all electronics aboard the ship. GS-3's Chief Security Officer said that his officers were committed to decommissioning pirate networks and learning how to detect and track them more effectively. To that end, this recent bust has been a boon for theory-craft.

►►►GS-4 Gaia
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Admiral Lothar Wolff

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Prime-Minister Ishana Choudhary

►Due in part to generous subsidies provided by the Ministry of Finance and Commerce, the Gaia's thirty year stretch to arrival sees a flourishing of arts and media, with dozens of artists seeing fame and acclaim as a result of the ministry's civil arts program. One painting, an enormous panorama depicting the artist's rendition TRAPPIST-1e, becomes a national symbol when it is showcased at the inauguration of Prime-Minister Choudhary. Titled the 'Orange Pearl', it has now captivated thousands, while prints are always in modest demand on the Blixthammar, only hampered by shortages of ink.

►Visitors from other ships had the first opportunity to see 'Orange Pearl' in person at the Interstellar Culture Exposition held in 2425, where several hundred from across the fleet came to see and enjoy the cultural and artistic achievements of the Gaia. Many naturally came away happy with the exhibition, which got especially good remarks from Blixthammari visitors.

►In 2429, to the surprise of other ships in the fleet, the Gaia made a surprise launch using the EALT.
Onlookers aboard every ship watched as a truck-sized module gradually flew away from the fleet, speeding off into the distance ever-faster as the fleet's own velocity continually reduced due to retrograde burn. The module or probe, whatever it was, was clearly aimed at TRAPPIST-1, which was now only thousands of astronomical units away.

►►►GS-5 Britannic
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Prime-Minister Alex Gadgrind

►Long-standing relic of a bygone era and Christian droid Cornelius has found itself as the leader of a new monastic order aboard the Britannic. The so-called Steel Brotherhood, is an organization made up solely of HI droids, tasked by the Church to promote the salvation of robots and the search for sentience. Joining Cornelius is a roster of droids derived from his own design, all devoted to the Christian faith and the ultimate pursuit of unlocking singularity for artificial intelligence.

►Further defining their realms of influence and responsibility, the Church and Parliament announced jointly in 2420 that they would be cooperating in facilitating the spread of both faith and the democratic spirit. In doing so, they would be spreading the Britannic's core values. In 2421, this announcement became reality as missionaries began to appear on the Blixthammar - notable for being the only truly open ship. Meanwhile, pro-democracy groups across the fleet, even where previously thought to have been snuffed out, have apparently begun to gain steam again. Surely not out of coincidence.

►In conjunction with this push for democratic spirit and sentiment across the fleet was a prompt 'walking of the walk', in which Parliament voted unanimously to permanently abolish the office of governor, which had only served a symbolic role aboard the ship by the time of its disestablishment.

►In 2425, Parliament voted to legalize cross-ship trade, organized and facilitated by the state supply authority. Exports of food to the Blixthammar began in 2426 and were well underway thereafter, with the Britannic's credit reserves slowly growing. Though reserved only for use by the State Supply Authority, this reserve of credits generated from food exports would now allow the Britannic to import specialty parts and electronics from the Blixthammar.

►►►GS-6 Future of Russia
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Admiral Alexandr Sharonov

►Swept up in the currents of popular demand for currency driven by the experiences of the centennial, Admiral Sharonov reacted in different tone to his counterpart on the GS-2 when calls for the revival of the digital ruble project rose up. Instead of condemning currency in favor of digitally-driven central planning, Sharonov condemned the 'hyper-monetarist tendencies' of the GS-3 Saint Joseph Labre's corporate sovereignty, instead vowing that the Future of Russia would look towards a well-regulated mixed market economy as the ship made the transition to its new planetary existence. For now, AI-assisted optimizations to the central planning system were promised (and evidently implemented over the years, leading to a reduction in some supply shortages) while plans to increase the role of private ownership and resource distribution were slated for the near future.

►►►GS-7 Xwytsau
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Hetman Valeri Zumadze

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Hetman-apparent Aslan Leonidze

►Through the last decade of the journey, Hetman Zumadze held massive religious services to celebrate the nearing end of the century-long mission to TRAPPIST-1, and the beginning of the ship's real journey toward founding an interstellar colony. Followers of all sect, age and status gathered at the Great Grove in 2430 to celebrate the final annual service on the ship before arrival in the alien system. In a speech to mass, Hetman Zumadze wished everyone luck in the closing moments of the journey, and prayed for a smooth transition to planetside government and society.

►Celebrations for the end of the journey were accompanied by preparations for it as well, with tune-ups and upgrades conducted on the ship's hydroponics, many of which would serve as the initial lifeline of the GS-7's colony on TRAPPIST-1. A formulation of vitalizing agent derived from the Britannic's Agent Emerald was applied to hydroponics to boost food supply last minute in preparation for landings in the next two years.

►On the governmental level, administrative transitions were already taking place as the GS-7 prepared to organize a planetside government, sovereign in its own right. The provisions and constitution were already prepared before arrival.

►As the fleet approached ever closer to TRAPPSIT-1 and the red dwarf became visible to the human eye, a sense of unity and peace seemed to come over the ship. A sense of common relief, as faith and vigilance had guided the ship, and indeed the fleet through their journey. With only six months remaining until entry into the epitomal edge of the system, there was nothing left to do but pack the bags, setup the airlocks, and maintain hydroponics...
 
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Arrival: Post-Mortem
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On the eve of 2430, the New Worlds Solar Fleet, or what had become of it in the preceding century, arrived in the TRAPPIST-1, distant and wholly removed from the Earthly affairs of Sol.

To this place the contentious components of the fleet came to find a new home - to embark on virgin territory and forge their own destiny free from the influence of the ancien regimes of Earth and greater Sol. Instead of finding the 'terra nullius' they sought, however, they found that they had unwittingly come to the door of a burgeoning civilization not unlike that of their own many years ago.


Though the colonizers did not know it yet, the Lengekyo shared a deep history with humanity, and this would be the basis from which their societies would develop to emulate the trappings of the European way of life - the fauna, flora and pathology of Earth would devastate and forever change the world, but at the same time would revolutionize the way of life for many societies on Henwya. From the cold-forged spear to the automobile, the bygone spirit and example of the Fennoscandian expedition would continue to imprint a distinctly human DNA unto the developmental direction of the planet, leading up to the arrival of the colonists.

The revelation that their new home was the cradle of a burgeoning civilization brought heavy impact on the colonists, much like that brought to the Lengekyo with the pioneers' sudden arrival. There were differing philosophies and extant alliances at work, bringing the fleet to division - over colonization and over how to cope with the existence of intelligent alien life, both in the greater universe and in the way of their plans of colonization. Genocide, conquest and subjugation were only a few of the words that came through the voice channels of the fleet. 'TRAPPIST-1e would be ours, no matter what it takes.' they said. Others stood up against this, forestalling hasty action.

Indeed, the first crucial test of character for the fleet would be then, as the nations of Henwya stood at ready with their nuclear arsenals aimed at the stars - aimed at the fleet. Unbeknownst to the advanced colonizers, the 'savages' and 'aliens' below wielded a cosmic form of power, that which they could simply not match in their vulnerable state at the end of a hundred year journey across the stars. The subjugation and conquest of this alien eden under an alien star was never to be, lest the sum total of humanity found itself engulfed in nuclear fire - the same fusion of atoms which had propelled them across the void and given them life in a lifeless place, could have been their end.

Those who stood up for the Lengekyo had already accepted the inevitability of co-habitation on their 'terra nova'. The likes of the Britannic and Blixthammar, as well as the repentant Belayev's Redemption, took the offers of the Jez'harwid emperor in stride, intending to carve out their own little place on Henwya. Under the influence of other powers, much like Sol, but without much choice in the matter. Others, fearing and distrusting of both the aliens and their fellow colonizers, traveled to not-so-distant corners of the system to carve out their own place in the ice and dust - harsh, inhospitable planets, but planets which were theirs to take as their own.

It was in the backyard of one of these planets that the GS-3 Saint Joseph Labre would be the first to spot a strange object hanging in its sky. Obfuscated to the colonists at Henwya by the body of the sun, the gargantuan station at one of TRAPPIST-1d's lagrangian points would rapidly change the circumstances of the fleet's journey, bringing enemies together and allies apart. When hiding the station became untenable and the truth was forced to come out, all myriad of forces flocked to it to get a piece and see it in all its glory.

The Spiritual Intelligence - the Machine Spirit, as the Xwytsau chose to call it, surmised the purpose of the so-named Rubix and sought to bring together a wide-ranging group of experts who could bring the Rubix to commission and test its hypothesis. Bringing the seven ships - seven governments - to cooperation was a gargantuan task of its own magnitude to the repair and use of the station, but through backdoor deal and circumstance, the seven 'admirals' would finally come together to agree upon the repair of the Rubix.

The GS-1, in its quest to discover the fate of the long-gone pioneers, found that the Rubix's state was perhaps the work of a certain Admiral Odenberg, for whom they could not only thank its disrepair, but the ability to repair it - had he not stowed away the various puzzle pieces to be found, perhaps the Rubix would never be fired. Their extensive archives and possession of the exotic matter used to catalyze the Rubix's process allowed them their stake in its repair, and for the repair itself to go ahead.

The GS-2, having extensive knowledge of the countermeasures utilized by the ostensibly-pioneer occupants of the Rubix were able to remove these countermeasures and allow the safe use of the Rubix. Their occupation of the station later on would also serve instrumental in bringing a mutual agreement between all the parties, though contention over who truly controlled the station would remain.

The GS-3, adepts in the art of genetic fabrication, were able to reconstruct the DNA of Admiral Odenberg, allowing the then-unknown catalyzer to be freed from its containment.

The GS-4, having long harbored an otherwise unknown level of knowledge about advanced fusion processes, was able to diagnose faults in the Rubix's reactor and facilitate its repair and recommissioning.

The GS-5, having extensive knowledge of software power-flow optimizations was able to get the Rubix running on its own power, even despite age and lack of some of its components.

The GS-6, having the most robust manufacturing capabilities of all ships in the fleet, was able to manufacture and transport vital replacement parts needed to bring the Rubix into commission.

The GS-7, with its powerful supercomputer and neutral demeanor, was itself a catalyst in unlocking the secrets of the Rubix and facilitating its repair by helping bring all parties together in times of disagreement. The powerful SI would serve as the manager-computer of the Rubix, allowing it to be controlled and fired.

When all was said and done, the Rubix would be fired, forever changing the relationship between humanity and space. The opening of the wormhole would be limited, and brave souls volunteered for what could have been a one way trip. Among them, the Jez'Harwid Emperor Fez'Hirwa, as well as Admiral Oshankobich and Hetman Zumadze. They embarked on the three-day journey across the wormhole's length, knowing they could not make it back, and indeed, that the wormhole might destroy them only just as they entered its mouth.

But they weren't destroyed. The fleet of shuttles sent through, whose names will never be forgotten - The GS-2 shuttle Novosibirsk, the GS-3 shuttle York, the GS-7 shuttle Tbilisi and the GS-4 shuttle Belfast - arrived through the opposite mouth of the wormhole intact and alive, and indeed in another star system. What had previously taken a hundred years, they had now done in three days.

The shuttle fleet soon found themselves fending for grabs and zooming off to explore, but also in order that they might buy their ticket home, for the wormhole was to close in only one day, and their shuttles would not be quick enough to pass through. They indeed found their ticket home in the five new Rubixes which they would discover in the system of Omicron Subes - all in states of repair and with copious fuel and catalyzer. It was twenty-three days of exploration, scavenging and surviving that the shuttle-fleet had spent before they arrived back in TRAPPIST-1, saved by the ingenious schematic of the SI and the unyielding hard-work of the Belfast crew to implement it in the second Rubix. With a control solution in place, they were able to re-open the wormhole and make their journey back. When they did, they arrived as heroes and as interstellar men - only the third class of their kind, and indeed the quickest and most intrepid of all three.

But the exploration of Omicron Subes had created more questions than it answered - behind the Rubix there lie a system, and four more leading beyond, only God knowing where.

Further expeditions were mounted and further Rubixes hacked and investigated. Over the course of six months, humanity would visit more stars than it ever did in the entire history of the universe. Trailblazers discovered a myriad of new systems, all pristine, lacking of any presence except that of the Rubixes. Strange, but it was all that they had hoped for. The picture of their world had now gotten bigger. A new home - a real home lay out there for each and every one of the ships. They just had to go out and take it.

Now the choice was theirs - would they try their fortunes with the comfort and nearness of TRAPPIST-1's crowded eden and harsh, but sparse wastes, or would they pack up their canvas habs and gen-ships and sally out to find a new home among the stars?

The choice is yours, admirals. A brave new world awaits you.
 
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Post-Turn 4: Technological Innovations, 2400-2430
Technological Innovations, 2400-2430

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GS-4 Gaia Reports
Extra-Atmospheric Maneuverable Exoskeleton (EAME)

Although exoskeletons of military and industrial variety have existed for years, the EVA branch of exoskeleton technology has been lacking, especially given how uncommon extra-vehicular warfare is in space. Noting the advantages of having a self-contained augmentation to operate in space and fix dangerous faults on the external parts of ships, we have devised a self-contained exoskeleton kit with a full 6-degree range of maneuverability via mono-propellant thrusters, allowing full short-term travel in space like a normal EVA kit, but also affording the advantages of an industrial exoskeleton.

GS-5 Britannic Reports
►MOTHER Improvements

We have managed to successfully test and verify self-synthesis of MOTHER in the roots of a genetically-engineered maize plant. The plant grows in as little as half the time of regular maize, although the specimen is sterile. This is a landmark improvement, and further forays into making the plant fertile (as well as engineering other MOTHER plants) will prove to revolutionize our food production.

►AI of the Steel Brotherhood
Our software engineers have devised and implemented a Christian-oriented AI which will be used by droids of the Steel Brotherhood. They have been given access to public forums and academia, as the 'cleric' class of HI droids assist scientists in making forays toward sentient AI. Though we are decidedly behind trailblazers such as the GS-7, we are currently making progress toward a more robust and versatile AI near par with the GS-7 mainframe, dubbed the 'Spiritual Intelligence' or 'Machine Spirit'.

►Energy Efficiency
In the closing years of our mission, we have been able to optimize energy use and have developed software self-tests on hardware to identify wear, allowing us to effectively track the lifetime and current operating condition of a wide variety of electronic equipment, as well as know when to replace them in order to maintain optimal running of the ship, and indeed colonial facilities.

GS-7 Xwytsau Reports
►Artificial lungs
We have managed to devise a fully implantable, self-contained set of lungs. These are very robust and have the ability better distribute oxygen through the body, although are still limited by the supply of oxygen in the environment. One great advantage of the system is the ability to store a minute amount of oxygen, allowing brief forays into airless environments without any other supply of oxygen. Yet, this is still a finite source of oxygen and other solutions will still be needed. Still, this is a marvelous advancement for medicine, and a goodbye to lung cancer.

►Ruggedized Low-Light Solar Panels
Using our ruggedizing techniques, we have devised ruggedized solar panels that are resistant to temperature shock and have self-contained battery units. These are quick-deployable and portable.

►Terminator Hydroponics
We have been able to optimize our hydroponic systems to resist temperature shock, as well as engineer planets that do better in low-light environments. Definitely not on-par with full-sunlight environments, but beneficial nonetheless and will help close the gap for our food supply.
 
PREVIEW 1: Turn 5
563118

First captured in 2446 by Commerce Executive SPIRITSAT from TRAPPIST-1d orbit, the sudden appearance of a series of lights in TRAPPIST-1 would take the worlds by storm.

Communications through the Royal Mail overwhelmed the network, prompting a blackout of all non-essential messages through the inter-star relay.

Initial suspicions by Fennoscandian astronomers were confirmed when the ministry of defense's MASTER uplink constellation made contact with the ten-ship fleet hailing from the distant and dim solar system.

Aliens from another star - a star which, in a distant memory, we used to call home.
 
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PREVIEW 2: Turn 5
565464

Scientists from the Xingji Federation were greeted with this enthralling view when their Tàhuāng Zhě probe sent back the first false-color images from the exotic Kagami system, deep on the Federation's frontier.
Kagami's lone Rubix has long been the subject of study because of its irregular design and hazardous radiation output, which until now prevented the crossing of both human and robotic explorers. However, after significant modifications to the Kagami Rubix, members of the Ministry of Interstellar Research's skunk works division were able to reduce the emissions of the facility enough to allow a hardened probe through.

Not days after emerging through the other side of the Rubix and into Kagami, Tàhuāng Zhě lost contact with mission control, likely due to intense radiation from the system's star and rubix, but not before sharing its commanding and unprecedented view of the galactic plane of the Milky Way, thousands of light years away from Omicron Subes.

MIR officials indicated that they were extremely interested in pursuing further research of the system, as scans by Tàhuāng Zhě indicated the presence of a small, solemn celestial body on the far side of the system. The ministry said they were committed to analyzing and directly imaging the object, but significant hardening against radiation will be necessary to enable a probe to make the several months' trip.
 
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►►►TURN 5 - A New Dawn: 2430-2460
565277


566634
Map of the known Cosmos with political entities and claims. Capital systems shown with double asterisks.

Turn music:



"What wonders are waiting for us on the planets of the nearby stars? Are there radically different kinds of worlds with unimaginably exotic forms of life?

Perhaps in another century or two when our solar system is all explored we will also have put our own planet in order. Then we will set sail for the stars and the beckoning worlds around them.
In that day, our machines and our descendants approaching the speed of light, will skim the light-years leaping ahead through time, seeking new worlds. Einstein has shown us that it's possible.

We will journey simultaneously to distant planets and to the far future. Some worlds, like this one will look out onto a vast gaseous nebula - the remains of a star that once was and is no longer.

In all those skies, among rich and distant and exotic constellations, there may be a faint yellow star, perhaps barely visible to the naked eye, perhaps seen only through the telescope. The home star of a fleet of interstellar transports exploring this tiny region of the great Milky Way galaxy."
~A quote by Carl Sagan, namesake of the IV-1, 20th century.


Notable Events in the Universe

►Shortly after the departure of the various generation-ships, the major nations of Henwya came together to form and ratify the Concert of Henwya, an international organization of member nations responsible for the pursuance and regulation of activities in space. Shortly after the era of 'claims' began, the concert too asserted its sovereignty in the claims over several systems, including TRAPPIST-1 and Omicron Subes. Notable exceptions were made for the planets of Vechnaya Merzlota, Nog, and TRAPPIST-1d. The Britannian colony on Henwya and the Sovereign Fennoscandian Republic were extended status of association to the concert of Henwya, as according to their permanent habitation on the planet.

►Over the years, the Rubix network has grown increasingly interconnected as the great generation ships have asserted their claims over vast swathes of space and many set up relays to bring information across these systems.

►The status quo was somewhat upset by the arrival of a grand ten-ship fleet hailing from the distant solar system. A conglomeration of nationally and privately funded ships arrived in TRAPPIST-1 only fifteen years after the arrival of the New Worlds Solar Fleet, their populations bloated and supplies dwindling. Over the course of a year or so, many secured the help and assent of settlement to become part of the established nations, while some set out to find their own home among the stars. After thirty years, the new order of the cosmos has finally emerged as burgeoning interstellar nations grow out of their various gardens of eden, each a new Earth unto their own.


Sovereign Fennoscandian Republic
565455

Capital: Blixthammar, Henwya, TRAPPIST-1 System

565375
(Pic. 2460)
Prime-Minister Oleana Johansson

565381
(Pic. 2460)
President Åke Lindblad

565383
(Pic. 2440)
Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Olympia Svärdh

►Having committed to staying in the TRAPPIST-1 system and forging the Blixthammar's destiny as a nation of Henwya, the GS-1 Blixthammar was decommissioned and gradually de-orbited to form the foundations of what would become the Sovereign Fennoscandian Republic.

►Emperor Fez'Hirwa, on his death bed, granted the Fennoscandians a vast swathe of land constituting the Ryunoyu nation, upon which they would found their new nation. Re-negotiations of the terms of their governance and political status would, over the years, render the Fennoscandians effectively sovereign and independent of the Imperium, though yet allied to the powerful Fez'harwa.

►The Fennoscandians' close relationship with the Fez'harwids would allow them to accede to associate status of the Concert of Henwya when it was negotiated, allowing them to receive special exemptions and privileges regarding activities in space and the keeping of a fleet.

►The Fennoscandian capital of Blixthammar, so named after the ship upon which it was built, became the center for a burgeoning cross-racial empire which would develop in the preceding thirty years. The technological and administrative prowess of the Fennoscandians would put them in a special place among the nations of Henwya, and their technological and social impact would be compared in the immediate history books as similar to the pioneers' before them.

►Up in the airless orbital band of Henwya, Fennoscandian satellites were rising, creating a constellation of interlinking data relays, giving the nation access to digital positioning and global communication - a technology which the nations of Henwya - the members of the Concert in particular - would take after very quickly. Soon, Henwya was encircled by satellites flying the flag of various nations, providing all manner of services to those on the ground.

►In 2448, the construction of the Blixthammar Aeroplex was finished, complete with an embassy, international-scale runway system, and ten-pad spacelaunch facility. Plans to later add a planetary launch loop are in the making, although Parliament has shown its reluctance to take on a project of such magnitude when appropriations for new and advanced wind-farms, using new technology are still in talks, not to mention the continued integration of the refugees from the IV-8 Jannika Spjuth.

►In 2459, the Fennoscandian Society of Modern Archaeology successfully won a bid to extract and preserve in a museum the old town of Blixthammar, made up of various habs and domes of dated design. In his speech to parliament, society president Ulf Brodd said the buildings, which were to be demolished to make way for more permanent, modern infrastructure, were irreplaceable articles of Fennoscandian and human history. Brodd's words resonated with more than just parliament, and though the buildings would be preserved, their removal from the city center was now seen as proof that Fennoscandia had entered a modern age - the age of the colony was done. The age of the nation, with Henwya as our home, had begun.

Russo-Belayevski Republic
565443

Capital: Novyy Sibirsk, Chronus Prime, Chronus System

565449
(Pic. 2460)
Head of the Republic Vitaly Oshankobich

►In late 2431, the Belayev's Redemption was officially decommissioned and prepared for de-orbiting to the surface of what its people now called Chronus Prime - their new home.

►Tasked with managing the logistic and economics of the now-declared Russo-Belayevski Republic is VOLOS - the Russians' advanced management AI, whose previous versions managed the critical systems of the GS-2. Now, this new model would be the supreme commander of the Russo-Belayvski economy on Chronus Prime.

►One of VOLOS' primary priorities from the start was the establishment of a sustainable industry to produce autonomous droids, thus offloading the work of humans to the robots. The first steps of achieving its goal came with the establishment of ore-mining, steel-refining, research, construction, and other various firms related to the construction and design of droids. Assisted by an ample availability of energy from a tuned and upgraded GS-2 reactor, the AI embarked on this endeavor knowing it would have collateral benefits across the Belayevski economy. Progress would, of course, hit a hitch with the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees, and VOLOS would direct all efforts into agriculture and housing from there, still relating its intention of eventually continuing industrial work (including a wide survey of the planet & improvements to the droid production process) to then-president Ivan Oshankobich.

►In 2443, the republic made its first foray back into space with the establishment of Konstantin Station, a shipbuilding complex in geostationary orbit of Chronus Prime. With addition of a small spacelaunch facility in the outskirts of the capital, the first Russian rockets would exit the atmosphere for the first time in decades, sending parts up to construct and maintain the station.

►Meanwhile, other spacecraft were venturing out into Chronus Prime's rings and near vicinity to gather resources for orbital construction. The first ships to be constructed at Konstantin Station would be three Andreyev-class ships built for the purpose of exploring, charting and claiming the republic's region of space.

►By 2448, the entirety of Belayevski space had been charted and claimed for the republic, including distant and exotic territories at the frontier, some of which were near or even inside the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex - the majestic and awe-inspiring system of nebulas observed during the fleet's journey, and indeed for hundreds of years back on Earth.

►In 2455, connection to the Royal Mail relay allowed the republic to confirm that its droid garrison at the TRAPPIST-1 / Omicron Subes Rubix was still in operating condition, though their level of actual control over the station had diminished after the birth and arrival of the Concert of Henwya.

►At the eve of 2460, the skyline of the republic's capital had changed drastically. Indeed, contemporary historians say that one could now perch any person from Sol atop the highest hill, and feel confident that they would mistake that beautiful skyline for one of those on Earth. Though in the backdrop there were many issues arising from many sectors of society, including the continued push against command economy, the people of the Russo-Belayevski Republic forged their way into the mid-25th century with a sense of assurance and authority.

Commerce Executive
566301
Capital: Nilm City, Eno, System 01

566302(Pic. 2450)
Director-General of the Board James R. Oligon III

►With the Rubix network open and unexplored, the GS-3 Saint Joseph Labre packed itself and its assets up and left for the unknown, only leaving a large comm satellite and the colonists on Henwya behind.

►The GS-3 and its loose alliance of corporations would find their home among the stars in a system whose name is now lost. Now, it is known as System 01- the capital of the Commerce Executive. Partially scuttling the Saint Joseph Labre and then leaving its hab-rings in orbit to later constitute a station, the corporations made landfall on the planet of Eno, with Salton & Creele at their head.

►Many of the structures required for habitation and work were already in place by the time settlement of the planet was underway, and the pre-planned capital of the Commerce Executive, complete with corporate offices and sprawling boroughs organized by affiliation of corporation found its inhabitants soon.

►New settlements cropped up all around the capital, filling their particular niche of exploiting some resource or natural land feature, but all nonetheless strictly governed by the capital authority. Strict and often brutal regulation over Salton & Creele's monopoly on Eno led many corporations and communities to abscond from the capital region and flee to the far corners of the planet under various pretenses, but nonetheless far from central influence.

►By the time the fleet of refugees from Sol had arrived, these disparate factions and corporations had all but fled Eno to find their own 'fiefs' among the stars, gradually peeling back the veil of enigma from System 01's interstellar neighborhood. While many more would come to find Eno and the capital their home, there was no shortage of planets and stars around which to find a home and base of operations. As a consequence, the Commerce Executive was likely first among the various sovereign factions in the cosmos to call itself 'interstellar.'

►The growing space between the Commerce Executive's various settlements left much to be desired in terms of the logistics of connecting such a vast empire, and many corporations stepped up to the plate when the first inter-system shipping contracts began to crop up. The most prominent of which being Solarbus, the bulk freighting subsidiary of SolarCoin Plc. - Soon enough (and no doubt with the help of backdoor dealings on the board) Solarbus had overtaken over fourty percent of the burgeoning interplanetary freight industry.

►In 2453, the board announced that the PLUTARCH Planetary Defense Network - The network of missile-defense and gun platforms placed inside the orbital band of Eno - was fully operational. The announcement was met with relief as the period of vulnerability for the Commerce Executive's capital planet came to an end. Still, others were naturally worried about the potential proactive applications of such a network...

►In 2458, after years of setbacks, the Commerce Executive christened the first ships of what would constitute the Department of Orbital Defense. Two combat frigates - the CS Deter and CS Walski, a support frigate - the CS Erny, and a strategic weapons cruiser- the CS Murat, departed from Janus Station in early 2459 for their breaking-in flight.

►In the same year, Ctesiphon 1, Eno's grand orbital hub, completed construction and was opened to visitors both from the ground and from across the Commerce Executive. By 2460, the station was already docking as many as a dozen ships per month.

Federation of Gaia
566305
Capital: Albens, Gaia, Gaia Prime System

566306(Pic. 2460)
President Pro-Tempore Nathan Cooke

566307(Pic. 2460)
Prime-Minister Morgan Gibson

►Venturing out into the stars after a tumultuous deliberation among both Parliament and the Executive, the Gaians found their homestead in the cosmos around a distant, pearl-white star - the temperate pale blue marble which stood before them they would call Gaia, after the ark which had carried them and everything the knew thus far.

►The death of Gaia the ship was not in vain, as upon its guts, standing on the gravelly sands of a pale beach, the Gaians would set the foundations for an interstellar federation.

►Within fifteen years, the Federation had already returned to space, traveling out to reap the harvest it had sown years earlier with its various exploration probes. Gaia was already home to a bustling city, and the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees coupled with the generous incentives of vat-birthing had caused the planet to outgrow its capacity to supply and feed the people.

►As their ancestors did, Gaian pioneers hitched rides to make their own room among the stars. Over the course of the latter fifteen years, three new interstellar states would be founded and admitted to the Federation. Like the many other space-faring nations of the day, the Federation of 2460 had arrived as a venerable organism worthy of the status of 'nation'.

►...And like the many other nations staking their claim in the Rubix chain, Gaian traders would eventually find their way back to Omicron Subes, discovering the international zone of trade which had been born in their absence. It was a new dawn for humanity among the cosmos.

Stellar Commonwealth
566323
Capital: Perrisburgh, Shaddai, Gilgamesh System

566325(Pic. 2460)
Prime-Minister Alexander Lockwood

566393(Pic. 2460)
Chief-Minister of Kaledon Cambria Byrne

►Despite leaving TRAPPIST-1 to forge their commonwealth in the cosmos, the Britannians were by no means running away from Henwya - Over the years, the extant colony on Henwya, which started as a private venture of the East Star Trade Company, would grow to such a magnitude as to shrug off corporate governorship and henceforth declare itself the 'Dominion of Kaledon.', who would themselves forge their own legacy among the many nations of Henwya, their patronage of a new chapter of the Steel Brotherhood notwithstanding.

►Despite the freedom it afforded them, the people and administration of Kaledon were naturally reluctant to be left to their own devices on a strange, alien planet, far from the support of the Britannic and most of its people. Though the realm was the revered custodian of Henwya's second-largest global communications and satellite imaging constellation, it lacked the means to project and maintain infrastructure beyond the near-vicinity of Henwya.

►Extreme difficulty of communications between Glassgate and the new capital of the Commonwealth in distant Gilgamesh would eventually give birth to the Intergalactic Royal Mail, whose network of relay satellites stretching from Gilgamesh to TRAPPIST-1 would speed up the travel of all manner of information by an order of magnitude, with services eventually expanding beyond the domestic market.

►While the people of Shaddai were still hard at work setting up their grand vision of an interstellar commonwealth, the people of Kaledon were enjoying something of a colonial renaissance, becoming ground-zero for the birth of a slew of international organizations on Henwya, culminating in Kaledon's association with the Concert of Henwya and the foundation of the Glassgate Advanced Research Institute - originally a quaint campus of prefabricated buildings, the latter fifteen years of its existence would elevate it to world-status as sons and daughters of kings, emperors, presidents and prime-ministers flew to the lakelands to receive a human education in practical sciences.

►In his hit 2458 documentary, Jez'harwid filmmaker Nyuseuor Neelo would chronicle the college's rise from a local STEM campus for colonists to a world-class university. The documentary would gain positive critical traction in human space for its well-researched and candid interviews of alumni such as Orem Nac'ck, founder of Hlemso's largest aerospace corporation.

Republic of Zhiva
566401
Capital: Angelsk, Zhiva, Veliky Persey System

566403(Pic. 2460)
Head of the Republic Leonid Sharonov

►With the blessing of the Merzlotski colonists, the Future of Russia packed up and left TRAPPIST-1 to venture forth and found a colony on the newly-discovered eden planet of Zhiva, so-named after the life-giving deity.

►Though optimism for the founding of the Republic pervaded the early years, Zhiva would face significant difficulties in the succeeding years over the continually-delayed transition to market economy and unanswered questions as to the political nature and role of the Republic.

►Though the United Russia party, whose named called back to one of old, enjoyed rule with impunity in the first fifteen or so years, this all changed when hundreds of thousands of refugees from Sol arrived in TRAPPIST-1. Having offered the Russians among them safe-haven and hearth on Zhiva, the Alexandr Sharonov's United Russia began to face increasing opposition, with resources stretching thin and political will growing yet.

►The Zhivan establishment's worst fears would be realized when it came out that a slew of progressive and capitalist parties had come together somewhat miraculously to form 'Blue Star' - a sizable progressive coalition opposing the policies and platforms of the ruling government. Chief among their various leadership was Demian Kiryenov, leader of the Russian Progressive party. His youthful charm and fiery criticism of the government has energized the formerly-dead progressive movement - a phenomenon not seen for decades. Indeed, Kiryenov's criticisms over the 'willful sabotage of political transition', 'illegal economic policy' and 'lack of higher oversight' on both Zhiva and Chronus Prime resonated with progressives, who felt the Zhivan government's claim to Federal membership was simply a farce. Now, United Russia and their establishment were forced to reckon with these criticisms as the election season grew near.

►Nevertheless, political turmoil did not stop the engine of government from rolling onward, and in the intervening years the Republic of Zhiva had grown greatly in magnitude, boasting a burgeoning interplanetary economy and a shiny new group of military ships with which to defend it. Zhivans entered the year of 2460 with uncertainty as to the future, though many were hopeful it was a better one.

Kingdom of Caehzaehh
566575
Capital: Edenel, Caehzaehh, Nog St'aly System

566584(Pic. 2430)
King Aslan Leonidze

566585(Pic. 2460)
Avatar of Xwytsau

►The people of the Xwytsau knew not soon after laying eyes upon their new world that it would be the crown of their society. A crown naturally needed a king, and when Valeri Zumadze was crowned on his death-bed, it would then fall on now-seasoned Junior Hetman Leonidze to rule the new Kingdom. Though the responsibility of ruling a vast land and people now rested solely on him, with the Avatar committed to standing by his side, Leonidze would begin his rule with good omens and sound advice, head steady under a gilded crown of twisted oak.

►To commemorate the successful colonization and the crowning of a King and Kingdom, a series of festivals were held in 2440 to give thanks to the Gods and the bright minds which had brought the colony this far. The Gratitude Festivals, which included massive sparring and sailing events, would become a regular fixture of the capital henceforth.

►Though the GS-7's innards were now splayed groundside to sow the seeds of the kingdom, a solemn module remained in orbit, provisioned with fuel and other supplies - a gateway to the heavens, should the Alans decide to return.

►The disparate and disconnected modules of the ship were organized into their own district of governance, separate to the rest of the capital, and given a unique command structure coupled with the connection of its various parts with fibre-optic cable and power lines. The GS-7 was serving as the basis for the colony's construction, but many of its parts had to remain intact in order to keep the machine-spirit in working order, and the measures therein have all been to preserve the function of the GS-7 long after it has been dismembered.

►After an initial phase of settlement (and the arrival of many thousands of refugees from the solar system) the capital soon grew too large to support itself, and both King Leonidze and the Avatar ordered plans to expand the Kingdom's presence across Caehzaehh. Colonial charters were mapped and granted based on an earlier survey of the planet which identified ideal mineral deposits and settlement locations. After a somewhat brisk legal process, thousands began to flee the capital to found their own little homesteads.

►Despite the eagerness to spread out and inhabit the far corners their pink marble, the Alanian people would find no shortage of difficulties in their endeavor. Though a hospitable one in relation to the barren, hostile cosmos hanging above, Caehzaehh was by no means a 'finished product.' - in our day and age, only but the first flora and fauna were emerging the various oceans to colonize the land, leaving most of the planet a barren, rocky place. In order to colonize Caehzaehh, the settlers would need to enlist the help of other, smaller colonists - microbial and plant life saved in the gene vaults of the Xwytsau, as well as samples of native life which had adapted to the planet's conditions for perhaps millions of years.

►As a result, Caehzaehh gained a perhaps unique quality among the various colonized planets - even the most rural settlements could be seen from space as vibrant patches of green among a pink canvas, interlinked with the expansive tendrils of canals - the evidence of mass-seeding of flora on the bare, rocky inner continent. Slowly, but surely, the pink-and-purple planet would gain its characteristic emerald mosaic as grass, trees and animals from across the cosmos made it their home at the invitation of those intrepid colonists.

►Eventually, as the portions of Caehzaehh were partitioned and doled out, people began once more to look toward the stars, going out in ships to extract the bounty of Caehzaehh's life-giving rings, and asteroids rich in minerals far beyond.
 
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Post-Turn 5: Technological Innovations, 2430-2460
Technological Innovations, 2430-2460
582407

Nilm City, 2460.

582417
In the Sovereign Fennoscandian Republic

►Advanced Wind Power
After a rather fierce bid between several competing firms, we have managed to contract out the development of more efficient and reliable wind turbines which could be deployed in the swind-swept Western regions of the country, but could also be deployed on the sea, off the coast of Ryuskandia.


►Ice-Drilling and Exploration Drones
Saab Bofors as won a bid for a contract to design and build a series of far-West exploration and drilling vehicles designed to operate with minimal human decision. A fleet of the vehicles has already been delivered to FNSA, who have been tasked with managing and carrying out deep-West scientific expeditions.

►Reinforced Thermal Protect for Electronics
Taking after research done in the Kingdom of Caehzaehh, Raytheon Nordic has developed a specialized upgrade kit for FNSA electronics which would allow them to endure harsh thermal conditions such as those experienced in the deep West. FNSA has already implemented this technology into many of its existing and future programs, including in exploration probes bound for the outer system.


582418
In the Russo-Belayevski Republic
►Improved Power Optimizations
Adoption of reactor practices and hardware tweaks gleaned from our occupation of the TRAPPIST-1 / Omicron Subes Rubix have allowed the GS-2's reactor to operate at full capacity without fail for almost seventeen years, until only a minor malfunction caused a shutdown for several hours until operation was restored. So far, the upgrades have served our energy economy well.


582419
In the Stellar Commonwealth
►MOTHER Developments
After years of tweaking, trial-and-error, and repeated failure to yield any substantive solutions to the sterility problem, a breakthrough was finally made when doctorate researchers at GARI grew a plant which could both synthesize MOTHER and reproduce. Designating the new formulation PHOEBE, the leaders of the project called it 'the final step for high-fertility agriculture.'

►AI Research
Scientists working at the Steel Brotherhood have managed to create a new set of 'social algorithms' which would allow droids to approach social interaction in afar more procedural, natural way. Though far from creating a fully-responsive, conscious being, it's a definite upgrade to the Steel Brotherhood droids. Even-so, scientists feel like they are getting ever-closer.

►Terraforming
Though many methods of terraforming Henwya or other, more-barren rocks have been looked into, no credible solution which surpasses current known techniques has emerged in the preceding thirty years. It's beginning to appear that there may be no shortcuts to terraforming.


582539

In the Republic of Zhiva

►Genetic Engineering of Flora & Fauna for Harsh Environments

Scientists at the Ministry of Advanced Research have managed to make modification to several varieties of potato and maize which would allow them to survive harsher-than-usual temperatures, at the cost of higher labor and material costs. We have also fixed genetic defects in some domestic animal genomes which would prevent animals from living off of these crops.


582420
In the Kingdom of Caehzaehh
►MATRIARCH Agent

Taking after highly-publicized research done in the Commonwealth, we have developed a powerful vitalizing agent that increases crop yields significantly. Like MOTHER, however, plants that synthesize or are exposed to the formulation are sterile. Further research will be required to determine whether a better formulation can be created.

►Gene Labs
We have established the institutions, infrastructure, personnel and expertise to conduct genetic modification of plant organisms.

►EMTV Vehicle
The Ministry of Transportation has worked with private organizations to develop the Enhanced Multi Terrain Vehicle, a sturdy rover-type vehicle with independent variable-height suspension, a roll-cage, capacity for eight passengers and plenty of storage space. The vehicle will serve as the backbone of inter-village logistics in rural mountainous areas.
 
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►►►TURN 6: 2460-2461
15 February, 2460 ►►► 1 January, 2461
592683
View of gas giant Kugalm from the Asco Superhub.

592675
Map of the known Cosmos with political entities and claims. Capital systems shown with double asterisks. Territories with no color-fill follow the 'caelus nullius' doctrine.

FULL PUBLIC MANIFEST OF THE RUBIX NETWORK

Notable Events in the Universe

With the assent of Xingji authorities, a team of scientists hailing from the Russo-Belayevski Republic have embarked on a quest to investigate mysterious new findings revolving around the Rubix network. This comes as federal authorities prepare to send their hardened probe across Kagami to investigate the mysterious object in its orbit...

After embarking on a routine patrol earlier in the year, the Belayevski corvette Admiral Andreyev went missing. Authorities have not commented as to the nature of the disappearance, but many are now suspecting that the ship has undergone 'renovations.'

The United Paraisan States held their first 'interstellar' election on June 4th, choosing progressive Sebastião Fontes as the new president of the republic.

Foreign secretary Sahand Salehi of the Sovereign Vespan Republic met with Concert representatives at the Blixthammar Aeroplex in May to iron out a trade deal between the two parties. Negotiations are ongoing, but political analysts are expecting that the deal will go through, and could so as early as next year.

The Commerce Executive dominated the news cycle in September after the board announced it would be deploying four military frigates to help quell unrest at the corporate colony on Rhiannon, in the Luxemburg system. After a swift crackdown on colonists' attempts to form a union against their corporate sponsor, the unrest largely died down. Several dozen were reportedly arrested and deported to the colony run by Rosmerta Systems on Rosmerta, Rhiannon's moon.

Sovereign Fennoscandian Republic
592694
Capital: Blixthammar, Henwya, TRAPPIST-1 System

565375
(Pic. 2460)
Prime-Minister Oleana Johansson

565381
(Pic. 2460)
President Åke Lindblad

565383
(Pic. 2440)
Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Olympia Svärdh

Recognizing its own sovereignty and the need to protect its assets, Prime-Minister Johansson announced the establishment of the Fennoscandian Defense Navy in February of 2460, marking a turning point for the republic's position in interstellar affairs. In accordance, all of the republic's existing cosmological assets have now been re-organized under the FDN, including its new military ships. The young FDN would welcome Port Kroon in Henwya orbit as its headquarters - a new and prominent

Major and groundbreaking additions to the Blixthammar Aeroplex have been confirmed after a coalition of corporate and government groups came together to fund the project - the Henwya Cosmoloop will be among the largest and most expensive single structures built in the planet's history, and its proponents say it will democratize private spaceflight, much like how the European Launch Ring democratized spaceflight on Earth. Construction began in early June and is expected to finish within seven years if all goes well.

In early September Prime-Minister Johansson headed up a summit in Blixthammar between the republic's human and Lengekyo leadership. The summit came as a reaction to a string of scandals across the country involving abuse of natives and systemic corruption. Tai Hyuolyu, mayor of Syugi, Fennoscandia's largest city, spoke and promised comprehensive reforms aimed at curbing nepotism and old-world attitudes. Other local leaders were not so enthused, choosing to criticize human leadership's lack of initiative and understanding of Ryunoyu culture and affairs as a key cause of extant issues in Fennoscandia's majority-Lengekyo communities. Talks were adjourned mid-September, and though change was promised, many in the public were left unconvinced that there was an easy solution to the issue.

One solution came later in the month with the announcement of subsidies for the foundation of co-racial communities across the nation. The proposal, led up by a coalition of human and Lengekyo progressives in Parliament, was approved by landslide and put into effect in early December. However, the exact goal and effectiveness of these 'diverse villes' is yet to be seen. With the new year crawling close, communes backed by local governments have begun springing up, their populations largely filling in with those of low income on both sides of the racial coin. Still, progress is slow as these new communities struggle with job opportunity in an economy now dominated by Blixthammar's technical and experiential 'critical mass.'

Late in the year, advanced coastal windfarm designs pioneered by SolarCity Europa started to become a reality after parliament approved extensive subsidies for the solar energy firm. With their first big break since the establishment of Fennoscandia's orbital infrastructure, SolarCity has already established over several dozen sea-based wind turbines which are already servicing towns surrounding Syugi.

Russo-Belayevski Republic
565443

Capital: Novyy Sibirsk, Chronus Prime, Chronus System

565449
(Pic. 2460)
President Vitaly Oshankobich

►Following an international controversy spawned by the Zhivans' declaration of the Russian Federation in the Rubix network, Belayevski president Vitaly Oshankobich held a press conference to affirm the republic's sovereignty from the 'defunct' Russian Federation. Nonetheless, he vowed to work closely with his counterparts down the chain, even floating the possible formation of an official coalition between the two republics.

In late February, the great bulk of the Belayevski navy congregated in orbit over Vetrenyy to test the veracity of earlier simulated war-games. In a press conference in held in March, military officials said they were pleased with the results of the war-games and that the new Tigershark-class frigates exceeded all expectations.

Proponents of the free market celebrated when in late March the government on Chronus Prime announced that it would introduce a limited run of currency in order to combat issues of motivation and trade. This comes as Belayevski presence in Omicron Subes and across the stars intensifies.

The Ministry of Science announced in June that it was funding the establishment of a research outpost out in the Belayevski frontier - by 2463, the system of Tumanyy Zvezda will be host to a small scientific outpost tasked with investigating and researching the Orion Molecular Complex in a way humans have never been able to before - from within it.

►In the wake of the Vetrenyy wargames held in February, a private watchdog announced that it had spotted the construction of a large military installation in the Kuzmich system - a strategic chokepoint leading to the heart of Belayevski space. While the Ministry of Defense could not be reached by foreign press for comment, many defense analysts did not express surprise at the increasing militarization of Kuzmich - the system has long been the de-facto 'frontier' between the Russo-Belayevski Republic and Concert of Henwya, being the first inhabited system one would cross into when journeying to Chronus Prime, and the last when embarking toward Omicron Subes.

►In late September, a ground-breaking ceremony was held to commemorate the opening of Chronus Prime's first droid production facility. President Oshankobich was present to perform the ground breaking, and promised in a speech that many more facilities were planned as part of the republic's mission to 'extinguish scarcity' and 'propagate prosperity.'

Commerce Executive
566301

Capital: Nilm City, Eno, System 01

566302
(Pic. 2450)
Director-General of the Board James R. Oligon III

►In March, several ships in the Board's fleet embarked on a breaking-in-flight to test out systems and weapons, returning to System 01 later that year for duty.

►A gang shoot-out late last year at Nilm City's largest and most prestigious club sent shockwaves through the metropolis. An investigation launched after the New Year determined that the victim, the club's owner, had been the aggressor and that the shooter had acted in self-defense. The city was shocked nonetheless when the acquitted shooter was killed by an explosion in his own home in late March. With authorities coming up empty-handed for leads, some have now begun pinning the death of the shooter on Nilm City's government. The shooter-turned-victim's surviving family denounced the conspiracy theory, announcing in June that they were suing the manufacturer of their house's HVAC system - the part which is thought to have exploded - for a large sum.

►The quaint lunar colony on Rosmerta, Luxemburg has recently become a hot subject for migrants seeking a 'faux frontier' lifestyle out in the stars. Cheap transportation to the Luxemburg system and generous Board subsidies of firms operating on the moon have made it an attractive and rapidly-growing hub in Luxemburg, especially as tensions simmer below on the surface of its parent planet, Rhiannon.

►In late July, independent watchdogs spotted the erection of a significant number of new stations in strategic locations around Eno and down the chain to Omicron Subes. Later in August, the Commerce Executive at large would learn that these new jamming satellites were part of a 'signal defense network' being managed by Salton & Creele. Shortly after the news broke out, a number of prominent firms entered suit against Salton & Creele, with an independent council in the Board ruling that S&C could not unilaterally establish censorship measures in other corporations' common space, and especially not in the vicinity of critical infrastructure. Salton & Creele was able to retain ownership of its signal defense satellites in System 01, but was obligated to dismantle, move or hand over control of examples in the primary operating systems of the suing parties.

►This decision came as a significant blow to Salton & Creele's ongoing campaign to corner the market of System 01 - an effort that has not been lost on anyone in the system. Nonetheless, a merger with several shipping companies based on Eno was approved in early December, significantly expanding S&C's reach in the system as it prepared to inherit a fleet of freighters and a base of wealthy customers. S&C also announced the formation of a new company that same month - AstroShield, a space-based electronics manufacturer specializing in ruggedization services.

►In mid-December, a force of customs officers arrived at the Phoenicia-Omicron Subes Rubix to begin their work - the Board stated in a press release several months prior that further security measures would be necessary to protect the Commerce Executive's sovereignty, although many corporations operating across this Rubix have now begun to question what measures the Board may further find necessary. Still, trade through to Omicron Subes is expected to continue mostly uninterrupted, with this new taskforce serving as a simple security check against a perceived risk of foreign incursion.

Russian Federation
592759
Regional Capital: Angelsk, Zhiva, Veliky Persey System

566403
(Pic. 2460)
Provisional President Leonid Sharonov

►At least on the surface, Zhivan space underwent significant political change as its people prepared to undergo a transition back to the Russian Federation. With agencies and government wings dissolved, reorganized and reborn, Zhivans went into 2361 as Russians, witnessing the birth of several new republics and a provisional federal government acting in the name of that one far, far away.

►The Republic of Zhiva welcomed a new head of the republic as voters elected Leonid Sharonov for the federal presidency, and she too welcomed her new siblings in the Republics of Chernastep, Arktika, and Skobelev.

►This new political transition also hailed a promised economic transition as the digital currency presses rolled out the fabled Ruble of old for a new century and a new Russia - soon enough, the Russian outposts in Omicron Subes were dealing in Ruble, and taking in heaps of foreign goods in exchange for it. Next to the Common Credit and the Commerce Executive Credit, the underdog Ruble is already rising in prominence by the end of the year.

►Not unlike for the Belayevskis, this economic transition came at an opportune time for Russians everywhere, as space travel becomes increasingly more affordable more people are venturing out into the vacuum to make their living, or even live there permanently. Indeed - with more colonies per capita than any other nation, the Russians were becoming a prominent presence in the deep expanse of the cosmos.

Kingdom of Caehzaehh
566575

Capital: Edenel, Caehzaehh, Nog St'aly System

566584
(Pic. 2430)
King Aslan Leonidze

566585
(Pic. 2460)
Avatar of Xwytsau

►Seeing off a complement of construction ships and crews hailing from the Commerce Executive, the Kingdom hailed March 3rd, 2460 as a day to remember - when Caehzaehh's first major spaceport was christened and opened for operation - one step in a greater chain of efforts across royal space to colonize the empty expanse which they called theirs.

►The event would only play into the optimism of another great event in late March - the declaration and enfranchisement of an official Spacer caste, thus bringing the ostracized group into the legal fold of the Kingdom, and ever-closer toward widespread acceptance in society. The product of prominent spacers who negotiated a profit tax in exchange for enfranchisement, the greater spacer community hailed the decision as the act of a benevolent Xwytsau and wise King, and spacers from all over would quickly register and integrate themselves in all ways possible - indeed, spacers would be the first to man Port Temur over Caehzaehh, and their ranks were now slowly beginning to grow. This new influx of spacers sees the rapid growth of the caste's already-existing outposts strung across the route from Nog St'aly to Omicron Subes, and they benefit especially from newfangled government assistance as part of the King's agenda to expand the Kingdom's presence in space.

►While efforts to bring the vast cosmos into the Kingdom's fold were ongoing, there was also a concerted effort by the Royal government to bring Caehzaehh's barren wilds into the fold - royal subsidies to construct groves and temples across the planet are seeing the accelerated 'verdification' of the purple planet as vast swathes of land are committed for religious purposes, and communities across Caehzaehh are benefiting - both for their own spiritual sake and for the influx of money committed by wealth tourists from across the stars.

►In exchange for further subsidies to construct dedicated granaries and other industrial facilities, communes across Caehzaehh have been tasked with the construction and maintenance of local roads which will one day cross the planet, connecting isolated villages and towns by vehicle and rail where other forms of travel prove too costly. By late December, hundreds of villages have already begun work, but work they will - with so much planet to connect, they have it cut out for them.

►Edenel especially sees to benefit from these royal subsidies, and the capital uses its slice of the pie to begin construction of a droid factory in the city's outskirts. With plans for more to come soon, the factory is expected to be operational within five years, and its industry to be self-sufficient within at most fifteen.


Stay tuned for confidentials/technology!
 
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Post-Turn 6: Technological Innovations, 2460-2461
Technological Innovations, 2460-2461
596771
OPD Officers stand guard outside the capital building in Edenel, Caehzaehh, 2461.

In the Sovereign Fennoscandian Republic
582417


►Habs Under the Sea
A number of companies have come out with specialized deep-sea or floating submarine-like habitats for use on Omicron Subes 3 - a world notable for having virtually zero landmass, but rich marine ecosystems in its marvelously deep oceans. These new habs designs are making cycles in the press as a solution to water-world habitation, and could potentially open up a dozen of such worlds to extremophile colonization, as well as scientific research.

►Orbital Defense
A bid by the Ministry of Defense to acquire designs for an orbital defense system to defend Fennoscandia's orbital assets over Henwya has come to fruition - a station design by Lockheed-Bofors North includes high velocity standoff railguns which would not significantly threaten ground targets but would adequately protect against orbital military threats - also included is a powerful laser for ablating small debris and projectiles. The installation, codenamed FREYR, is designed to be docked and integrated into existing station designs or as an independent station with optional maneuvering modules.


In the Russo-Belayevski Republic
582418


►Understanding the Rubix
Further research into our local Rubixes has revealed strange facts indeed - while working on a Rubix in Kuzmich, researchers were able to access and interface with a manager-computer, and their doing so yielded process activity that resembled brainwaves - further adding credence to the theory that Rubix manager-computers are sentient. Attempts to communicate by interface have naturally failed, but peeks into their esoteric workings may yield some interesting information indeed.


In the Commerce Executive
596773

►Improved PDCs
The Commerce Executive's greatest engineers, distributed across myriad defense companies, went hard at work with their Alanian partners to design point-defense systems which could stand up to a new age of modern missile technology. The requirements for the systems were stringent, and the designs were [REDACTED]. Due to [REDACTED], two designs actually resulted - from BAE Systems, the Commerce Executive's winner emerged: a new laser array system for military ships with a power surplus, capable of [REDACTED]. From the Alanian side emerged a series of high-velocity rail gatlings, capable of saturating fire onto incoming missiles, as well as serving as a close-range attack weapon.


In the Russian Federation
596774

►Modern Gear for a Modern Decade
Bids for modernized military gear have come into their own recently, and we have set up contracts to start arming our ground forces with this, in order that we're prepared for any eventuality.


In the Kingdom of Caehzaehh
596775

►Improved PDCs
The Commerce Executive's greatest engineers, distributed across myriad defense companies, went hard at work with their Alanian partners to design point-defense systems which could stand up to a new age of modern missile technology. The requirements for the systems were stringent, and the designs were [REDACTED]. Due to [REDACTED], two designs actually resulted - from BAE Systems, the Commerce Executive's winner emerged: a new laser array system for military ships with a power surplus, capable of [REDACTED]. From the Alanian side emerged a series of high-velocity rail gatlings, capable of saturating fire onto incoming missiles, as well as serving as a close-range attack weapon.

►Project Green Caehzaehh
Ecologists from the Order of Planetary Enrichment have engineered a type of grass which is most-suited to Caehzaehh's harsh and barren conditions - an ancestor of primordial grasses on Earth, they are easily plantable under current irrigation conditions and should be suited to most biomes across Caehzaehh. A diverse set of tree genomes has also been prepared for eventual planting.

►Laser Weaponry for the Common Man
Research into the viability of handheld laser rifles has revealed what the Order of Military Thought has been saying since it was created - laser weapons are inefficient, and kinetics rule the day! Soldiers of the Dinsaldat and Order of Planetary Defense continue to use conventional and hybrid firearms, while a true handheld railgun remains out of reach. However, this matter of research has proved amply more useful in the Order of Military Thought's cooperative research with defense companies in the Commerce Executive.

►A Most Divine Re-Tooling
Many of our up-and-coming C2 factories are being retooled to build purpose-specific components for expanding the Machine Spirit. While this will delay our efforts to produce more C2s, heads at the Order of Industry insist that the re-tooling will satisfy demands from up-high.
 
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SUPPLEMENTARY 1: Turn 7
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Comms officer Lukas Ohlson was roused from his sleep by a sudden and harsh report from his station.

A drop of sweat trickled down his brow - he sat forward, his consciousness slowly returning to him. A vignette of black slowly crept in and out of his periphery as he rocked in his seat. The ache of his muscles and the unexpected pull towards the floor told him the ship was under thrust - perhaps a gee or more.

Lukas sprawled his hands over the touchscreens of his whining station. Coordination still foggy, he fumbled and backtracked through the labyrinthine UI of his comms station, trying to pull up readings and quiet this rooster of an alarm.

Another micrometeoroid crossing a planet's distance from us, he thought to himself.

He envied the hands who were under privilege to sleep at this time, and began to, as he often did, despise the man who designed such a loud and trigger-happy alert system. He worked with a quickness to dismiss and log the alert.

A cold, dull sensation spread up Lukas's chest as the screen resolved a visual representation of the received radio burst. He only looked in shock as the brilliant false-color image completed before him.

He tapped into ship comms.

"Comms to Korpral Olander."

...

"Korpral, it's Ohlson - please pick up."

...

Lukas's fingers shook as he fumbled with his seat harness. He pressed himself to his feet, holding onto the console for support - he could feel an intense, dull ache in his knees. He stumbled through dark, tight halls full of hardware and wire, his ears pounding painfully to the rhythm of the ship's titanic main motor.

Finally, he reached a heavy bulkhead adorning the title of his slumbering co-worker. Twelve raps against the titanium door invited the wrath of Korpral Sven Olander - wrath that, coincidentally, invited his attention.

"Korpral..."

"Don't ask me to go to go to engineering over that fucking radar. Don't ask me anything - we're under relief, and you're basically AWOL."

"The-"

"Fucksake Lukas! Chain of fucking command. Leave me alone." Sven said, still inebriated by slumber.

Lukas felt the joints in his arm start to give in as he lunged to stop the bulkhead from closing. Looking Olander in the eyes, he could feel the rising anger of his sleep-deprived CO focusing into a beam of collimated hatred. Lukas quickly felt the courage to speak escape his body. He thought quick what to say before Olander resolved to lay him out.

"-I scooped an ARS. There's imagery." Lukas said with a lull in his volume.

Lukas saw a falter in Sven's composition. He seemed to ease it up. The two exchanged confrontational looks in silence.

"Ping it to my station." the Korpral said, moving to shut the bulkhead. Lukas didn't dare interfere. He stood in silence, and then turned to shamble back to his comms station.

A rush of pleasure came over Lukas when he planted himself back into his seat, taking the burden of gravity off of his knees. He pulled up a report dialog and prepared to send the details of the alert to Korpral Olander's station. Taking a deep breath, he hit the enter key and slumped back in his seat.


...

Lukas felt a hand grip his shoulder. When he came to, the white-lights in comms were on. He felt lighter, and the rumble of the engine was quieter. Arrayed in a semi-circle around his station were the head honchos of the Gryning.

"Pull it up." Korpral Olander said, his voice now lacking slur.

The authority in his presence did more to wake him than any alert tone could. He worked at the keyboard quickly, every blunder sending a chill down his spine as the eyes behind him observed. A few keystrokes and swipes of the finger resolved the full spread of data.

All present stood in silence.

The calm voice of Kapten Sparv broke through the silence.
"What's the course of action here?" he asked, though Lukas didn't know to who. He kept his mouth shut.

"Vice-Korpral, did your dish pick up metacode?" an unfamiliar voice asked. A ship of seventy and he'd never heard this man's voice.

Lukas dug into the radar log and extracted a metadata file. He pulled it up for all to see.

...

"Wow - Kapten, it's my opinion that the Vice-Korpral should fire a hail." The man said in amusement. Lukas tried to imagine the Kapten's reaction without looking back.

"Have at it then, Ohlson." Kapten Sparv said. Lukas hesitated at such a sudden permission.

With a hail of keystrokes, Lukas began to compose a broad-band ping to the radio object.




"RSG KAZINSK.

WE HAVE RECEIVED YOU ON AUTO-TRANSPONDER.

PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE AND DIRECT FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS BY TIGHT BEAM."



"Is this the right decision?" Kapten Sparv said, his voice even more reserved than usual.

The man Lukas didn't recognize spoke then -

"Kapten, I fear if we ignore it, we're simply sticking our heads in the sand."

...

"Send it, Ohlson." Sparv said.

Lukas took a deep breath, and then hit enter.
 
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SUPPLEMENTARY 2: Turn 7
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"-Although details from the government and the ship-owner Republic Star Group have been sparse at best, anonymous sources at the local level told IPG that the search for the Kazinsk wreckage will likely wrap up later this year, with today marking three months since the ship's disappearance along with its eighty-five crew. IPG Journalist Sven Lavanin has been in Zhiva interviewing families of the lost freighter's crew, where some are still holding out hope for a happy ending. As this exclusive story develops, we'll keep you posted.

In news closer to core, Omika Group announced a record valuation at its annual shareholders' meeting in Nilm City this week, coinciding with the settlement of its long-running bid to establish a trade station in treaty space. OG's Vice-President, Calahan Grey, said that construction of Port Carthage would proceed despite Nemedus Heavy Works' intention to appeal the de-"

Sigayev waved his hand, powering the television off and bathing his office in darkness

Another gentle rap of knuckles echoed from the door.

"Make it quick." he called out.

The door slid open, a solid bar of orange light pouring into the dark office. A smaller man, hair slicked back to compliment a tightly-tailored suit, entered with documents in hand. He approached Sigayev's desk without hesitation, the door sliding closed behind him as he walked. It took the magnificent cream-orange light with it, returning the office's dark ambience.

"The reports are back from Raskova." the fashionable businessman summarized as he dumped a number of papers on Sigayev's desk.


The wrinkles on his forehead creased.

"Did they find the ship?"

"No."

Sigayev exhaled slowly. He stared at the report before him - laser-ink Cyrillic printed on bleached white paper, stamped with a bold and conspicuous red CONFIDENTIAL. He didn't bother actually reading it - he let the dull typography keep his mind from going off the rails.

"Where is my fucking ship, Eduard?"

"What they're telling us is no debris, no impact storms, no craters, and no signatures anywhere in the system."

Sigayev slowly brushed the report aside, his composition eerily calm. His chin rested on one palm, propped up by his elbow.

"How do I explain this to the board? To parliament? This is a disaster."

"It is." Eduard simply said.

...

"Why are you here? To tell me the obvious? To give me a hug before the board reams me up the fucking ass?"

Sigayev's hands were shaking now. He looked up to his younger protege.

Eduard's lips pursed. "Ser, you should look at the report."

Sigayev glared with contempt, but his young assistant was quite well used to it. He brought the report back in front of him and began to read. Sigayev went sparingly over the printed paper, and Eduard stood silently as minutes passed.

Sigayev drew a sharp breath, meeting Eduard's gaze. He returned with a knowing look, assuring Sigayev's expression of surprise, confusion, and, perhaps, fear.

"Who gave you this?"

"Proprietary Ops, ser." Eduard answered calmly, easing the tapping of his foot.

"Get Sharonov on the line. In the iso booth." Sigayev said sternly.

"I'll have it ready in five, Mr. Sigayev." Eduard said, then turning to exit.

The bright orange glow of the lobby briefly illuminated the numerous wrinkles on Yuri Sigayev's face. He stared at those laser-ink letters. The lowest tech for the highest confidentiality.

Sigayev reached for his liquor cab and uncapped a fresh bottle.

 
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