Part 22: Session 10: Drums in the Distance

It's still the weekend somewhere, right? Right?

...Well I haven't gone to work yet.

Infrastructure Development Commission

The Ninja class constructor shall be designed, which shall have a construction module on a cargo hull, as much engine as can fit, and life support to fill up what's left.

Colonial Support Initiative

"Sean Connery," "Roger Moore," "Timothy Dalton," and "Daniel Craig" shall enter the pool of potential planet names.

Defense Commission

LenzLandia shall be invaded within a year; the committee chairman Santiago may have full authority to commission ships to effect this invasion, but Information Warfare must be used for the invasion itself (assuming its availability).

Xeno Relations Board

An alliance with the Torians shall be pursued with haste.

War Declaration

The Terran Alliance shall declare war on the LentzLandians!

*RECORDING BEGINS*


Greetings, Terran Senators, Mr. President. Thank you for allowing me to make this presentation to you.


So what's the hubbub, bub?


Yes…there is a project which I have been working on for some time now, ever since First Contact. It's something I'd wager you Terrans have been working on, as well, but we have something of an advantage over you. A few old myths and prophecies which tell us where to begin looking, that kind of thing…The big breakthrough came, of course, when we met the Iconians, with their wealth of empirical data that goes back to before humans and Altarians even existed. The project has been completed and peer-reviewed-in full confidence-and we're ready to publish officially. The only reason we haven't is because my higher-ups decided that, as a part of this, you deserved to be told before the galactic community as a whole.


Now just back up a second here, what's this big project even about?


Isn't it obvious? He's talking about the reason humans and Altarians are genetically identical.


On the nose, Senator Zakharov.


You see, Miriam? I told you there was a perfectly logical reason for all this. This is just like Copernicus and Darwin all over again.


Logical…yes…Well, like most time travel stories, this one begins both in the past and in the future…

*RECORDING ENDS*


Lemmie just stop it there and give you muff garglers a reason to come back after recess. Morgan, how's them finances comin'?




Very well and with little oversight, just the way I like them. Our second freighter has reached its destination on Kora, while the Drengins have sent us one of their own. Beyond that, I simply sat back and watched as the first surplus in well over a year rolled in.


Groovy. Lal?



Soon after we broke the session, one of our scouts discovered that the Torians had moved again into the down-left sectors. Since we have colonies in the area, I made acquiring Britanion II a priority.



This was entered as part of our Alliance deal. I have to say, considering how the Torians were reluctant to enter an alliance without an incentive, their terms were more than reasonable.



The Iconians also tried to warn us about the increasing Torian power base.


They are not the only ones.


All the more reason to have them in our corner, so to speak.



Britanion II is much like our Mars, if a bit earlier in its life cycle. Most standing water has disappeared, but with enough love and terraforming, it should become a splendid habitat. There does seem to be a bit of a problem with some oversized worm-like creatures who live in the sand, but the colonists don't seem to be worried, so I'll leave it at that.


What about that project on Earth, how's that comin'?




It was finished early, actually. The Allied Nations decided that our treasury had grown big enough that we could afford to hasten it.


It's only fair. We're the ones who invented them, so we get the galactic monopoly.


At the senate's approval, I can now offer our Diplomatic Translators to any other civilization in a trade.


Trade away our diplomatic advantage? You must be crazy.


Miriam, tell me the good news.



One of the two known radioactive planets has been colonized. I have been forced to name it "Minerva."


*Snicker* Why don'tcha call it "Roger Moore," instead?


It's bad enough I have to use all these pagan names for planets, the Senate is dipping into idol worship now. I'm not using those names unless I absolutely have to.


*Clears throat* Minerva is at a point which is just leaving the Pangaea stage of development. Although the super-continent is wracked with geologic disturbances all throughout, the colonists have reported it to be much more habitable than the southern breakaway. Well, as inhabitable as a planet gets with these levels of radium. The colonists also mentioned an area with ancient ruins and an area of unusual beauty, so the designated buildings have been adjusted accordingly.


Yang, you got some news, right?



Indeed I do, Mr. President. The "Ninja" Constructor design was completed immediately upon its commission.



Also immediately, the constructor which was in a race with the Altarians was upgraded in the field to use the additional engines.



This permitted it to reach the resource before the Altarian constructor, which has been seen to wander the area in some confusion. Yang's Forgotten Memories brand ale is already on store shelves galaxy wide.




In accordance with Senate demands, two more Yang products have been able to almost double their production levels.

Considering the removal of the pirates, I pray the Senate will forgive me for giving battlestations I on Earth's starbase a low priority.


Hey, Zak, we skipped your turn, didn't we? So what's the science news?



Simple enough. With no mandate, I finished up Medium Scale Building. Several frigates are already in production, if you listen to Santiago.




Beyond that, I decided that our research into Lasers had stagnated for long enough. I honestly find it amazing that no other species has decided to develop these technologies; it's always been "Kinetic Streams" instead. Far too inefficient, and it shows no promise.


Right. So, Santiago, how goes Operation Moustache Shears?



Slowly but surely. I have completed the Battle Axe frigate design, which has unparalleled damage potential. Most ships were in the production phase for the first quarter, so I must wait until after the recess to give the majority of my report.



Sounds like a good enough reason ta me ta call the session fer now. Now don't any a' you senators hog the slide, heh, heh!