Part 137: Episode XII: 2525
Episode XII: 2525 -
I expected to be rounding the final turn and heading for home by now. Instead things are going against Redwing a bit if anything. At best status quo in terms of our tech deficit, and the economic situation is slowly slipping away with the Klackons doing it through size, Meklars through their natural advantage. Only the Sakkra, who recently acquired Robotics IV, are more advanced in that area that we are -- but if they have it others will soon.
Militarily, general computing levels have advanced to the point that our piloting skills are now only a marginal advantage. It's not nearly as noticeable as it was even 50 years ago. So long as we keep the High Council situation under control I'm still confident of eventual victory -- but not at all confident of how long it'll take. There haven't been any open planets to seize in a long time.
This scanner will help but I'm mostly interested in what comes after it in terms of choices. Atmospheric Terraforming has some work left but will result in another round of growth for the other half of our holdings, the hostile systems. Also important is the status of the three rich worlds; Maretta, Omicron, and Helos. They are in various states of development with Maretta finishing up base-building, Helos working on the shield, Omicron in between. When they come online it'll provide a big boost for us.
2528. Another milestone here; Maretta will fund the reserve for some while until that is restored to a reasonable size. Omicron, smaller and less lucrative, joins the effort a couple years later.
In 2532, it was time for Firma(again).
https://youtu.be/2KY3MEhM7WE
The Warbird I haven't mentioned before. I just starting building them. We've reached the point where the Heavy Fusion Beam is no longer prohibitively large to mount. Meanwhile the new bombs proved effective, and on the third attempt we gain control of Firma orbit.
Then there's the Klackons here. Herculis isn't a particularly valuable system, but I'm still not a fan. Once we get the new shields in I think we'll be able to resist their ships, but not as is. There's always a chance they'll just go away: both them and the Meklars were happy with our attack on Firma.
Guess not. A year later, and our ground troops arrive at Firma:
https://youtu.be/GajTwbAf-xU
A couple of slight improvements there(shields, industrial tech). If the Klackons play nice, and there's a good chance of that with this capture, they gain a system, the Sakkra lose one ... and we get the prize. That's not too terrible.
The Advanced Space Scanner brings with it the usual remote scanning of a couple-dozen systems. I don't really care about that -- but here we can get Robotics V after having missed IV. That'll amount to a 57% production increase when it is researched and implemented. Yes, please.
The Sakkra have three more systems; that means two more for us to take. We're going to need more bombers though.
This is really going to be a boon for us I think, esp. on the rich worlds. Fortunately I finished building the complement of bombers I wanted a couple years before it arrived, and the reserve was almost up to the desired level again.
A couple of bioweapons were available, but Terraforming +50M seemed a better choice. That'll add 20M everywhere. Two more projects are in prototype right now and a third almost there -- should be a significant reap this last decade before another vote.
2542. Most of the Sakkra fleet was massing at Gienah. Using the 'hit 'em where they ain't' philosophy, I headed to the other system I planned on taking, Quayal.
The attack on Quayal went off without a hitch, and subsequently we were able to sign a truce with Mirana. The Sakkra are without friends and without hope. I kinda know what that feels like ... I didn't even realize it at the time, but the Mrrshan have allied with the Klackons, so that's an added benefit of this deal. The bugs could have gotten drawn into the war.
Class VII Deflectors to move things forward here. Now that we have the next tier of planetary protection, we should be a little more secure. From the Quayal invasion we get:
** Industrial Tech 5(we have 4 being researched, but this will still help in the interim)
** Terraforming +40M(we have 30M, 50M incoming)
** Class III Deflectors
** Uridium Fuel Cells(Range 8)
** Improved Robotic Controls V(sweet! When did they get this?? Particularly nice because we had a long ways to go on the research)
** Dotomite Crystals(Range 7)
A full load of tech recoveries here, and we now have both terraforming and industrial upgrades to deal with. This should be a real turning point for the Alkari Empire!! In terms of Computing, we'll turn out attention to Battle Computer Mk. IX.
I always thought this portrait was particularly overdone. Does the armor really need to gleam like Sir Lancelot's??
Anyway, a massive public works initiative followed to expand the capabilities of every planet in the empire, with only a token effort in research distracting from that focus.
The second we stop attacking their enemies, we're going to be plunged into a conflict here I think. The Mrrshan and Meklar had similar words for us. Meanwhile we plunged ahead ...
With most of the Sakkra fleet occupied elsewhere, this was now ripe for the picking. Meanwhile the Bulrathi request peace, and I agree. New acquisitions:
** Industrial Tech 3(less than half the pre-invasion cost of 8 now)
** Controlled Barren Environments
** Battle Computer Mk VI(we're at IV, so this is a solid upgrade while we research IX)
** Inertial Stabilizer(always useful, esp. since it complements our natural strengths)
I thought that would be it for the Sakkra campaign, but they've acquired a small barren system ... and they have another on the opposite side of the galaxy. That being the case, I'd like to seize Klystron as well.
Intelligently attacking on two fronts, the Sakkra strike at recently-captured Quayal while I'm still cleaning up stragglers at Gienah. I had about 40 of the older-model destroyers here on guard duty. Outnumbered, they saved me the trouble of scrapping them by dying valiantly, and taking about 70% of the more numerous attackers with them. I hoped that would be enough to allow the colony to survive until a shield could be put up, or relief ships arrived.
At Gienah, same year, the Meklar's attack. Apparently they have forgotten the meaning of the term 'non-aggression pact'. We were too outnumbered here, so I retreated, but lost about half the task force before they could jump out.
Anti-Matter Drives are in; Interphased next. Then the High Council met again with the status of our recent conquests uncertain, the Klackons opposing us decidedly unpopular, and the economic investments now six years in the making and starting to wrap up.
** Sakkra(2) -- Kaxal. At least they don't have any clout to speak of anymore.
** Klackons(10) -- They've had a turn for the worse, losing a third of their voting power.
** Bulrathi(6) -- Redwing
** Mrrshan(5) -- Kaxal. I was surprised by this. Perhaps their alliance has been reinstituted?
That left the count 17-6 in favor of Kaxal out of 54 total votes. It was not yet over. If the Meklar voted with us, and they've been at war with the Klackons for the last couple of decades, we can win this right now. Once again the Meklar ambassador holds the keys to the galaxy. He saved us last time, and now he can put us over the top ...
And there it is! Our 19 votes, nearly twice any rival and into veto territory, are enough to claim the victory!!
There's some life left in this game to be sure, but the way our economy is getting upgraded, worst-case scenario is that we go on a sizable fleet-building binge at this point and then start going after whoever is juiciest. Been a when, not if, game for quite a while. So it's not totally satisfying but I'm putting this one in my pocket and moving on.