Part 154: Episode XIV: 2350

Episode XIV: 2350 -




So long as we retain our current holdings, I think the Darloks are effectively relegated to minor bystander status. We'll take peace if it's offered, though I'm not going to give up much to get it. But I'm very curious to see how we are doing compared to the rest of the galaxy. Interestingly, nobody has been recognized by GNN for their growing empire yet ...




Going nowhere - and getting there fast. The next year, 7 Darlok Venoms met up with 42 Bulrathi Patrols at Vox. Each side lost six ships. We are taking some losses but far less significant ones than they are.

In 2352, the last Colonizer leaves Cave for the final planet within our current range. While there is the option of going into research, I want to make a play for Dunatis, the big terran in the galactic centre. Nobody else has shown up there. While that could happen at any time, there remains some chance - though probably a small one - that a battleship-sized Colonizer could reach it in time for the Bulrathi to claim the system for ourselves. This would be huge in terms of the range to scout new systems, contact with other empires, and it would also give us another good planet of course.




As far as we can stretch upwards for now.




Can't be doing too badly if we're the first to hit this milestone.



Tell me this is a joke. Unless they've armed their Colony Ships, the Darloks aren't going to get anywhere with this.




Oh, let's. Not stated here is how, Darquan, potentate of the Darloks, got his arse handed to him on a platter in stated war. We currently have 77 Patrols. I'd planned on building up to 100, but with this peace deal I think I can afford to stop now. Reticuli can divert its efforts to increasing tech investment.

I also try for a trade deal.

** Darloks: "We expect you have come to make amends to the Darlok people."
** Bulrathi: "How about a 125 BC trade deal?"
** Darloks: "Your offer does not seem fair to us."

We have nothing to bribe them with. So basically they can go pound sand for all we care. Might end up in a war again.




Good of them to take the brunt of the RNG this time.




2359. There's also Spica in the lower-left corner, but we can't reach that till our next range tech comes in. No more Colonizers out right now, we're at 7 systems. The same year, Firma reaches the point where it can diversify, adding some to research and getting missile bases going. The beginning of the traditional ramping-up period. Darquan is rebuilding the Darlok fleet, and I need to get some static defenses in place before he decides to get frisky again.




Hello lizards. For reference, this is about a decade away and we still have four years on our colonizer. So we aren't really close here. An armed colony ship and a destroyer. Piffle.

Welp, Cave now has over a thousand BC that can get shoved into Colonizers whenever we feel like. In the meantime, the gears shift to reserve funding. Let's get these younger systems up and running. The next year, last of the colonist transports left Reticuli for Anraq anyway. It's time for that.




Great time to get this also. We still don't get a choice; Duralloy Armor it is.




All attempts at scouting further have been rebuffed by them, and now the rocks are getting more aggressive. Seems they've decided it's time to take all the hostile systems.




Feeling's mutual, Cookie Monster.




Oh yeah, they've been busy. That's 10 systems now, and I'm sure they aren't done. Unfortunately there's more hostiles in our general direction for them to take.




I've had to come from behind against the infernal polluters before. Looks like that's the deal here again. Xenophobic Industrialists(a Silicoid Industrialist??), allied with Sakkra. The Great Rock(or whatever) Sedimin agrees to 150 BC trade. The Darloks sign an identical deal as well, having apparently warmed to the concept that they won't be able to wipe us from the galaxy.

Barren Landings arrive in the early 70s, with Dead the only choice to come next. None of those are around. And then it was time for the Council to convene.




So Sauron's off to a quality start again. Sedimin will clearly be in this group eventually, when the population grows.

** Silicoids(4) - Abstain
** Darloks(2) - Abstain
** Sakkra(5)
** Alkari(1) - Abstain
** Meklar(2) - Sauron

5 for us as well. We vote Sauron, giving him 12, one shy of victory. Double-checked that of course before I did it. 19 total votes so they needed 13. Anyway, we basically have the division between the haves and the have-nots. Silicoids, Sakkra, Bulrathi are the players. Probably that ends up being Bulrathi vs. Sakkra for second place once the rocks ramp up more. Alkari, Meklar, and thanks to us the Darloks can go sit in the corner and watch the adults decide the galaxy.

That Silicoid-Sakkra alliance is no more, which is good. I need to try to keep it that way, and stay in Sedimin's good graces as much as possible. I might be able to stay out of the fray longer if the Silicoids don't decide on bear-burgers as their first course.




A tech choice for just the second time. Hyper-V is what came in. Anti-Missile Rockets on the go cheap, get to the next tier philosophy. Hyper-X is nearly double.




They had at most five two decades ago. They had room to expand; we didn't. That's pretty much the size of it.




*sigh*. By 'insufferable acts of terrorism', I can only assume Darquan means 'continued existence'. A whole two years after the first one, the Council votes again. I expected a repeat of the first vote. What I got was this:




Alkari's abstained. Everyone else went Sauron. Smurch's mortal enemy. Oh you wonderful, insane, jackwagons.

Shall we try again? I so enjoyed the start of this. Sakkras beat us for the first time. Maybe I could have bribed the Silicoids with something I just researched. I wanted to do some tech trades to catch up. It just didn't occur to me that every-fraeking-one would turn on me in such a short timeframe. Figured it would be a repeat, then I'd take a closer look at the end of the century.

Now everyone can take a closer look -- at Smurch in a cage. 8-6. This one really stings because it didn't have any of the top 3 races. I could easily have to deal with runaway Psilons in the next few attempts. It would have been a long, tough battle to get supremacy over the Silicoids. But no. You go away.

@Wayne: Feel free to regale us with the tale of how you ran over the galaxy like a rented doormat if you choose.