Part 20: Session 9: Friends and Influence

Colonial Support Initiative

Senator Godwinson may not use her prerogative to name new colonies. However, new colonies may be given one of the following names: "Mbaba Mwana Waresa," "Epona," "St. Anne," "Odin," "Minerva," "Imhotep," and/or "Daikou."

Colonial Development Commission

The regular build order shall be temporarily suspended; instead, colonies must build either a market center if their global approval rating is above 70%, or an entertainment network if it is below this number. This shall not apply to the planet Caesar I, which will build four factories, the aphrodisiac trade good, a spaceport, a farm, a recruitment center, the economic capital, whatever special tiles encourage to be built, two entertainment networks, and the remainder as market centers.

In addition, "Tam Kung" shall be known once again as "Kamadeva" and "New Judea" shall be known as "Tam Kung."

Infrastructure Development Commission

Battlestations I shall be built on Earth's economic starbase. An additional starbase shall be built near Caesar I. Furthermore, sufficient constructors shall be built to mine all known untapped resources and to build up their production ability at least one step. One mining starbase shall be named "Copiapo."

Trade and Loan Commission

Seven freighters shall be commissioned from Earth, Cupid, and/or Bacchus and sent to all known major civilization capitals, followed by other high-value planets; the XR Freighter shall be designed and upgraded when applicable.

Xeno Relations Board

Mars will be allowed to transition to Earth ownership on its own. The Torian economic treaty and the Altarian research treaty are authorized for purchase.

Defense Commission

The Phoenix upgrade, Normandy Dropship, Hengest Transport, Decatur-A and -C shall all be designed. Six Decatur-A's shall be commissioned at once.

*RECORDING BEGINS*


So as I said, I have finished my report on the so-called "psychic" worms on Chiron. As I hypothesized, they are not psychic at all.


Then what causes the pain in their victims?


It seems they emit a sort of dust or gas that will cause all exposed nerve endings to activate simultaneously. This causes excruciating pain, obviously, and it also makes the victim feel both flamingly hot and freezingly cold. These last two are hard to notice beneath the pain, but clinical trials based on limited exposure seem to corroborate the theory. This compound seems to attack the structure of the nerve directly, so that it will affect any DNA-based animal (which happens to be all of us). The only counter is to cover the entire body with airtight suits. The Atmospheric Detoxifier Plants on Chiron have also been refitted to filter out any traces of the compound, which will allow us to proceed with colonization efforts.

As I have said before, there is no such thing as inter-human telepathy, and this study is further proof of that.


How do you explain the Drengin, then? They can read our emotions.


It's quite simple, really. The Drengin mind has the ability to emit a certain frequency which reacts with most animal's brain waves, sort of like a bat with ultrasound. This seems to be an adaptation that developed during their pack predator days as a way to find and hunt large game. Through selective breeding and genetic modification, this ability was developed and refined to the near-empathic ability they have today. Still, "pain" is the easiest emotion to detect, and receiving it is tied into their pleasure centers. As a side effect to reading emotions, Drengin have no concept of story or artwork, so their only means of entertainment is through the pain of others.


I'd hate ta see what'd happen if the worms and the Drengin meet!


I'm afraid I already have an answer to that. The black market has once again acted faster than our government agencies, and the Drengin have obtained several strains of the Chironic Worm. Since even the most basic battle suit is completely self-contained, they haven't tried to weaponize the worms-


Yet.


-yet, but they have seen extensive use in their "Arenas of Agony." My reports indicate that this has "spiced things up considerably."


And you still think we can trust these assholes?


"Trust" may be a bit strong, but I have no doubt that we can convince them to stop torturing and killing others for amusement.


But that's all they fuckin' do! Were you even listenin' ta Zak just now?


Actually, that's something one of my old companies was working on…

*RECORDING ENDS*


I figure we'll wait fer after the recess ta play the second part. Welcome ta the first joint house meetin' a' the Republic. Morgan, start us off.


I am rather happy to say that I have managed to avoid touching both taxes and spending throughout this entire semester. I may add an addendum to one of the other reports, but all I have to say for myself is regarding the Trade half of Trade and Loan.



Quite the beauty, isn't she? The XR Freighter will continue to be upgraded as faster drives are developed, thanks to the recent law, but I rather like the profile on this one.



Unfortunately, the starports on Earth and Cupid were busy with "more important" ships, so Bacchus was used to construct the first three XR's. Here you see the first one being sent out to Altaria.


Arright. Prav, how're them aliens doin'?




Quite well, I suppose. Since the senate only authorized one treaty of each type from the Altarians and the Torians, I decided to offer our own treaties in exchange. In the Torians' case, I also made some side deals while I was there. I should mention again that we didn't lose 10% of our economy by outsourcing it, but we have become closer to the two powers.



However, I should add that we do not have to provide our treaties to receive them from other galactic nations. For instance, I approached the Yor and found that we could purchase their two treaties for the above cost. This deal was not made, I should add, since I need senate approval to ratify treaties, but we could if we wanted to.



I also made a few minor deals for money and influence.



Our deal with the Torians cut our deficit by more than half. Just imagine what more treaties could do for our economy.



Later on, the Korath Clan discussed their recent breakthroughs in their quirky way.



I took the moment to make an additional deal with them.

As we had suspected would happen, an Altarian colony ship did land on Mars, which caused-


Hang on Prav, lemmie tell this one.



So here's Mars on week one a' colonization…



An' here's Mars on week two. Once the basic terraformin' was done, a fair few million Earthlings just swarmed the place.



So not more than three weeks after the Altarians figured on pitchin' tent here, the Altarian governor was thrown out and a human set up instead.


The official word from their government is that they are playing it off as an attempt to help us set up our own colonies. I imagine they would have wanted to keep Mars if they had been able to, but our relations haven't suffered for the swap.



Mars is-well, I hardly have to describe it to you. Mars started as a Class 4, but with enough terraforming, it has the potential to reach a Class 10 status. Reigniting the core is rather beyond our abilities, but with the clever use of antigravity, we have been able to restore some semblance of the planet's former magnetosphere.

In addition, I have only ordered a single Advanced Market Center built to follow along with the senate's mandate. Other planets have had either the Market Center or the Entertainment Center advanced to the front of the queue or added to an empty sector where there was no queue.



Later on, we discovered that Yima IV was colonized. It projected no influence thanks to New Israel and Earth sitting nearby, but since it was in no danger of changing hands on its own, I decided to purchase it normally.



Yima IV is a somewhat inferior planet, thanks to a low landmass and an advancing Ice Age. With two locations that would be good for happiness levels, I ordered two entertainment centers built immediately, to be followed by the usual queue.

In August, Caesar I, now named "Odin" was colonized-



-Where we found yet another defensive magnetic field. Since this one is so peculiarly strong, I overrode Godwinson and Skye and demanded that the reconfigured power stations be built and manned by volunteers.


That field seems to be more common than expected.



Odin is truly a wondrous planet. It is moderately larger than Earth and in spite of having far more land cover, the much larger surface area has ensured that enough water is present to cover every last corner with an incredible verdancy. Even after all the special buildings were ordered, the planet will have 19 market centers after terraforming.



With so much to do, I went against my usual policy and ordered a Xeno Factory built immediately.


Zak, whadda you got?



After Advanced Diplomacy was finished, I had no mandate, so I was free to research what I willed.



I'll fuckin' say.


That was in development for much longer than the past six months, I'll have you know. I still think it would have been wiser to use it, but there's no point debating that again.



The ansible voting booths were finished in this period. Hopefully future efforts will make this technology more available to the public.



Until then, we at least have a Colonial Republic, which is a step in the right direction. The benefits and drawbacks of this I have already discussed.



I believe in the future we will have two better options. This image was also taken before the first election, when Svensgaard's appointees were filling the house's seats.


I still say we shoulda let them vote on something. Woulda been free beer kegs for everyone!



Yes, well…since President Svensgaard is the face of the senate to the colonies, his party has become rather popular, and took 53 of the seats.


And behind our great leader, it appears that my party, the Federalists, has the second most seats. In fact, every party has representation…except, it seems, for Senator Lal's Pacifists.


Yes, well…I've been too busy setting up the lower house to campaign for my party.


Of course, Senator Lal. Shall we begin my report now?



First, the station mining Yang's Ingots was chosen to bear the name Copiapo, since it is staffed with Brazilians.


Wasn't that incident in Chile?


It was, but we have no Chilean mining stations. Besides, the Brazilians requested the name.



Sadly for the other part of the mandate, it seems that all the known resources have already been mined, mostly by the Snathi; that is their homeworld there in the center.



The Influence Starbase near Kamadeva was given its first module. After that initial cost, the remaining influence modules will not have any extra cost.


Santiago, how's our defense coming?






All of the ordered ships were designed. Unfortunately, not every design was able to fit the specified weapons and engines on board, so some had to be modified. The Decatur-C, for example, could not fit the additional Ion Engine on board. The Normandy Dropship turned out especially well, I think.

Given the nature of the pirates troubling our system, I… "forgot" the Decatur designation called for and built six -C types. The actual combat happened in the fourth quarter, so I shall wait until then.


Arright, well, nothing much fer scoutin' this time around. But there is one thing I want y'all ta see:



That there is a Torian planet, what's in the blue box on the bottom of the minimap. That area circled in green is where the Torians are usually found. Yeah. They're gettin' crazy. A'course, this spots' in a Drengin interest area, so fuck if we care, but still…



Now let's all go out fer a smoke or whatever it is ya do durin' recess.