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ESCALATING THE OOUB LOK INCIDENT
Fight and die? Well... no. Not really.
Use overwhelming force to smash through enemy defenses and guard Ooub Lok's transport fleet?
Sure. That was possible.
-
An emergency VOHLE jump was made straight from Soluna Prime straight to Yurael's outskirts. This new force was largely made up of D4A29 'Vanguard' destroyers led by a pair of Fetohep-class cruisers. The Vanguard destroyers were there to resupply their Monyet-class brothers and help screen for the pair of massive cruisers in ISCN employ.
This was a test of the Collective's new doctrine. Cruisers existed to provide long range firepower, whilst destroyers of two sizes chased down raiders and screened for important fleet elements. Whilst the ships employed were slightly worse for wear after a VOHLE jump, they were in good enough shape that combat wasn't unfeasible. They deployed largely to cover Ooub Lok's flanks, encircling the transporters in a diamond sort of formation whilst they shot down missiles and projected shields to defend against incoming lasers.
The larger profiles of ISCN vessels was a boon in this scenario. Ships of this size were physically capable of sheltering Ooub Lok's smaller naval forces behind their hulking forms.
Finally, the pair of Fetohep cruisers began to lay down multiple volleys of etherdriver fire not on the Pact forces, but instead on the world of Yurael. These massive projectiles would take a while to get there - several minutes, at the very least, even when cruising at maximum speed - but it could be done. Any impact of an etherdriver round would devastate ground forces and orbital cannons; whilst there weren't any supporting missiles to screen for the driver rounds, they were fast enough that it was assumed at least one might get through.
~
"Shall we escalate the breadth of the conflict? Whilst we don't know much about Ooub Lok, any chance to hurt Kinmoon is one that we'll certainly take. Our fleets are already at the ready - they just need your permission."
Supreme Admiral Carlton tapped the desk as Sunset whirred at him.
He had the ability to send extra expeditionary forces to the north to assist those already there. I-COVOPs didn't have an unlimited number of ships, and the few destroyers and cruisers it had sent to Kinmoon's southern reaches was already stretching things. If they wanted to make a proper difference, the ISCN needed to authorize the deployment of extra forces. This wasn't all-out-war, but it was teetering dangerously close to such a conflict.
"It's a good idea. The forces we've sent are insufficient in number - and I doubt Kinmoon will retaliate in full force. We are solving their Unity Pact-shaped problem, after all."
~
The final decision was made during the Battle for Yurael. The Collective moved fast when it needed to.
Vice Admiral Narrett of the 27th Mobile Warfleet and Vice Admiral Cordone of the 29th Mobile were to be deployed to the southern reaches for an assault on Kinmoon forces engaging Unity Pact or Ooub Lok forces. Both used a Jerechia-class heavy battleship as their flagship - the six-thousand metre long vessels could output tremendous firepower if required whilst remaining decently mobile.
These forces were deployed to locations that I-COVOPs' Monyet-class destroyers had scouted out only days earlier. Perhaps it was not wise to act on this presumably outdated information, but the decision had already been made for both mobile fleets. It was time.
New Saharia and Utak
THE ETERNAL INSURGENCY: THE BA-1
-
The ISPA had been demanding an update to their infantry equipment for quite some time now. With the navy bolstering to a point where the Collective could guard itself and project power again, the army finally got its attention.
The VSR-98 - or Vanir Standard Rifle, Model 98 - was a sturdy, lightweight and most importantly accurate weapon currently utilized by the ISPA as its service rifle. While it was a potent weapon that had done the United Coalition and her remnants well through the Ruined Era, the Silent Era, the Resurgent Era and lately the Succession Wars, it was becoming increasingly clear that the Collective could do better.
Increased funding was given to Vanir Armaments’ R&D team. Their aim was to scavenge a dead, English-adjacent, linguistically efficient and Nexus-aligned language to be used as the basis of a new runeset for a brand-new rifle.
This job was easier said than done.
During the United Coalition’s heyday, entire nations and species would have been wiped off the face of the planet to facilitate something similar. In the modern day, runes needed to be scavenged from already-fallen civilisations.
An expeditionary force was required.
It was hoped that this force could find a useful dead language - one that might form the basis of new ground technologies the military might use. The current one, High Ithonian, was extraordinarily modular but lacked the sheer intent of some older Coalition runesets; a flat improvement to both was necessary by this point.
-
The expeditionary force marshalled by the Intersystems Collective was a mix of Planetside Army researchers and Navy researchers. Whilst most runes utilized by the ground forces didn’t have the sheer strength required for naval munitions and etherdrivers, compromises between the two had been found before. None were viable - it had always been better to keep the two apart - but one never really knew with runes.
In any case, the mission wasn’t publicised at all. Whilst it wasn’t a secret, there was no point in letting the Collective’s foreign adversaries or even other nations know of the ISCM’s ongoing equipment reforms. The Collective Military had their hands full enough dealing with a possible Selphid breach as is - there was no need to add additional concerns to the fire.
Rumour had it that the Twilight Order had, in fact, entirely closed themselves off to recruitment from even local sources.
So be it. It was about time for a purge either way.
The exact number of ships involved was of no concern. Nor was their destination. Some were Cradle-bound, but the vast majority aimed for former Neighborhood territory using the new gateway to Utakan space. Each vessel only had a very light military escort, too - the first time the Collective investigated that reach of space, there had been no opponents to face.
-
It was the same this time around.
On the 8th of October, ISC stellar date 5412 A.U.C, Expeditionary Group 48 discovered the remnants of a civilisation that had fallen to nuclear war. Great metal spires that were once tall buildings jutted out, emancipated hands reaching towards stars they’d never ever see. The remnants of what looked to be a space elevator tore the irradiated winter skies of this wasteland world - none of it was habitable to ordinary, organic beings.
Etherborn were not organic.
The 48th Expeditionary Squadron touched down on the planet with nothing more than pure silence. They disturbed the graves of billions, searching for phrases. Words. Signs.
And there were a great many of those.
When these words were inscribed onto adamantine and had ether passed through them, the runes were powered.
The first rune discovered was a road of some sort.
They knew this because little fragments of asphalt fell onto the ground, and liquid bricks and mortar sprung forth from its surface. After that, most of the other bits of dead language found denoted locations - none were especially important, given that the Intersystems Collective had lifestyle runes well in abundance.
The next important rune discovered meant “fast.” Or simply “speed,” at least when it was arranged with a few other runes.
Jackpot.
It was efficient. It was modular, and it was capable of being retooled to mean many different words.
Accelerate? Sure. Blast? Sure.
It was then that the 48th realized that this planet was a potential goldmine of possible runes - runes that fit all requirements demanded by the ISPA and Vanir Armaments. Arrangements were quickly made to decipher the rest of the language, as well as for research teams to land on the world (now designated WH-2007) en masse.
-
Once finished, combinations of these runes were tried out on ISPA rifle models. Using the VSR-98 as a base, development teams were able to configure a satisfactory blend - one that was superior to the current rune pattern.
The new rifle birthed from this program was christened the BA-1 “Osprey” - or the Battle Accelerator Version 1, Osprey.
It was essentially superior to the VSR-98 in every way. It was more modular, it had greater compatibility with added modules, and it was more ether-efficient - meaning it could accommodate a higher capped fire rate.
-
This new generation battle rifle was rolled out along with a host of improvements to smaller artillery pieces and tank guns. Vanir Armaments manufactories had their stamps and carvers retooled for this new, better runeset, and the navy seriously considered using it for their own weapons before deciding against it.
Whilst this was a simple matter, it was not an easy matter. It was changing millions of production facilities just for a baseline improvement - something that the Collective’s lawmakers weren’t especially happy with, given how many other projects they wanted to subsidise. The New Silvered Throne, for one, required attention over something like this.
At least they were reassured that this would be an overall improvement to ISPA forces. That was enough reason to continue increasing funding for R&D.
New Saharia and Utak
THE INTERSYSTEMS COLLECTIVE NAVY: DESTROYER THEORY
-
Hit-and-run ships were a common sight during the Great Core War. They were a common sight during the Coalition-Compact civil war, and they were an even more common sight during Glass and Glory.
So why had the United Coalition never deployed a fast destroyer?
The answer to that was quite simple: they had.
The D4A21 was originally this sort of “fast destroyer.” The two thousand-metre-long ship variant had an oversized engine and a full etherlaser armament, which was perfect for absolutely obliterating smaller craft - like fighters and corvettes.
Rhyfel-class ships were also a staple of the United Coalition during the civil war. These frigate-sized vessels were essentially just massive engines with multiple lasers strapped to them - they were designated escort hunters and frigate demolishers, fueling much of the roles that a D4A21 Vanguard did except at a lower cost.
Trash-class vehicles utilized by the former Core Navy during the United Coalition Empire’s existence were smaller, even cheaper and also performed anti-fighter roles. Whilst they were larger than a majority of starfighters in galactic employ, they were also… pretty terrible. Decreased costs usually meant taking something away from the ship, whether that be armour or weaponry.
-
The question was: what replaced them in the modern era?
The ISCN had two possible answers.
One was a further alteration to the D4A29 - the D4A30. A theoretical D4A30 Vanguard would use a newer generation of EKP engines and a larger engine-to-vessel ratio to accelerate faster and have a higher top speed. It was also proposed that a D4 variant with an interdictor was needed, though that idea was shot down.
Interdictors were far too large to mount in a frame that already required extra space for a larger engine.
The next answer was one that had already been developed. The ISCN had recently created a new fast destroyer specially made to screen fleets and counter raiding tactics. The ship in question was the Monyet-class, which did its job extremely well. Although the ship wasn’t as large as the D4A29 and had a slower maximum speed, its quick acceleration allowed it to chase anything smaller than it and outrun anything larger.
The former was an option that diverted from material funds required for the Silvered Throne. The latter was an option that already existed, but would likely struggle when placed into combat with heavyweight ships. D4 armour was good enough that it could withstand fire from enemy capitals - the Monyet relied on its speed and countermeasures to evade tracking and avoid fire.
As a result, the ship was possibly a liability against certain weapons utilized by some members of the galactic community.
…Then again, the ship was never intended to combat heavyweight forces. Most battleships and cruisers utilized by the ISCN could perform screening for themselves - whilst destroyers still extended interception spheres, they weren’t strictly necessary anymore.
-
A final decision was made.
The Monyet-class was going to become a mainstay of fleets alongside the current D4A29. It had performed well against Kinmoon’s forces, and it was a perfect match against former galactic adversaries like the Alpha Sector or Solaria.
A D4A30 prototype was also ordered, but it wasn’t exactly a priority for the ISCN - who had a lot more on their table to work on.
The Positive's course took it in the direction of Chiron, a frontier planet in Sanaar space. As the tiny ship approached the Mirpakian border, it was detected by the nearest border security station. However, since the craft was so small in comparison to the standard size of ships in the rest of the galaxy, it appeared to the station's sensors as a large shuttle or transport. A nearby patrol group was alerted, and one of its ships was sent to investigate the unknown vessel.
The patrol ship, named the Cypress, was a Numa scout ship, about three times the length of the Lysiri vessel. Its swanlike design resembled a streamlined variant of the Numa city boats found on their homeworld, on the other side of the Dominion.
As the Cypress approached the Positive, the captain sent out a hail.
"Unknown shuttlecraft, this is Captain Urquan Suly, of the Dominion patrol ship Cypress, please identify yourselves."
THE WHIRLWIND
Repulse and her crew watched four etherdrivers slam into the San Jose, obliterating the ship as the spectral weaponry tore it into shreds.
[Arizona T-2 destroyed. No signs of vital life detected via hull breach.]
Delian stifled a sigh of relief as his Jentiene-class battleship slowly turned to face its second contact - the Prasanth Nair - who was already on an interception course with the Orellian vessel. The fight wasn't over yet. They still had one more target to fight off.
"Give me engine status and increase left shield plating. Divert power from weapons systems if necessary."
That was right. Repulse was still technically drifting along at a ninety-degree angle relative to Valdore T-3. As she came in for an attack pass, Delian barked out a few more orders.
[Valdore T-3 bearings updated. 110 long, -8 lat. Ten AU.]
"...Brace for impact."
Disruptors slammed into the Repulse and were absorbed by its shields. When the smoke cleared, there was no more Romulan warvessel. It was over. The Orellian ship was still dead in the water, but... they hadn't died.
"We'll finish surplus repairs at base. For now, finish up work on the EKP engines. We'll report this as a success."
EXPANSION POST: THE BEGINNING OF THE END|| 
The Gamma Quadrant Dominion
The Dominion again pushed its spikes deeper into space. A slew of empty worlds with no Solids to taint them fell under their shadow. It was much, but hardly befitting an empire. The Changelings felt a longingness for war, but this time one they decisively won at every turn. It was an attitude they would suffer alone, for reality did not bend to their oppressive desires. Yet.
The claims were not able to be fully utilized over the few weeks of expansion. Damages were still deeply felt by this day in mid 2372. By the time the surveyors reported back they found themselves under a new administration: The State Department of Matter Processing. And at home this fleet was hard at work breaking open stellar bodies and slicing off the materials underneath the crust. New technologies, new structures of power, and reorientation of the nation to be less obsessively genocide oriented and something with vastly more restraint.
The signals of the galaxy beyond continued to propagate. Random, yet to be deciphered talk bled across the void. Talk of a "Timothy" and all the dead in its name. And a growing discontent for the status quo, both from within and without. The challenge before the Dominion was immense, if not frankly unconquerable. There was no ending to the path taken that did not bring the Changelings to abject despair. They were doomed, this was the start to this fate.
+750 Systems
Jovilor and New Saharia
Enough Warlords! / A Desperate Plea for Help?! || 
Kinmoon
The Saharian fleet had been deliberating on what exactly their plan was. Admiral Labienus orders his most trusted officers to attend an hours-long meeting to hammer out a proper plan, drafted literal hours before arriving within Kinmoon’s territory. Truth be told, the Republic doesn’t know much about Kinmoon, but what little they do know is all bad. The great defensive network is just about the only thing they have a relatively complete picture of, but its actual capabilities are unknown. It’s old, and it’s unknown just how up-to-date these fortifications are. The Saharian fleet has more than enough monstrously-heavy guns to commit to a fortress-busting operation, but the Admiral doesn’t plan on butting horns with a fortress line so early…
---
Onboard the regally-styled elongated meeting hall of the S.R.S. Vercingetorix, an assembly of hand-picked elite officers pull together to figure out how to approach this situation.
”The eastern defensive line is no match for a frontal assault of this kind. Sources say that it’s been in service for many decades, and has spent a great deal of that time either collecting spacedust or offline. There has been nothing approaching our fleet on file going up against it. We should use this time to launch a surprise attack. Smash a hole in their walls.” It’s clear that Labienus’s second-in-command, Commander Rathe, is the most blatantly ambitious of the group. Not without cause; he is citing directly from Warplan Black. One of many hypothetical warplans for a theoretical invasion of Kinmoon.
”Our objective is to reinforce our allies,” Rear Admiral Yeva, the youngest of the group by far, reminds the entire table. ”No battle should start without conducting proper reconnaissance. We should send quick scout forces to the edges of their space; get a list of promising targets, and then engage once we find an opportunity. Even if it means we sacrifice our element of surprise.”
Debate goes back and forth between the baker’s dozen of officers for two minutes, staying civil yet impassioned. This is a huge moment, and the frustration of not having a plan already prepared beforehand is getting to everyone. All warplans involve over a dozen armadas, all operating together. While the 9th Armada isn’t small, none of the warplans cover a force engaging Kinmoon frontally with only a single major fleet.
”What do we know about Kinmoon’s wildspace in the east?” In truth, the Grand Admiral had hardly been listening; everyone was mostly debating over ideas he’d already run through in his own mind a dozen times. He had written off the nebula mazes too quickly; perhaps he could maximize both the element of surprise while pathfinding a way out.
”Well… it’s a maze of passages through a thick nebulaic region of space. It’s rightful to assume that nobody would attempt to sail through it without already knowing where to go. We can run through the database again and see what we actually know, but it’s evident that not many people would expect to send an entire warfleet into that region.” Again, the young Rear Admiral is the first to respond. It’s obvious she’s possibly forgotten her place in a room full of officers who have seen seven times as much action as she has. But Labienus has her here for a reason.
In the end, they make a very bold decision - the fleet is going to jump headlong into the nebula, sending scout forces consisting of fast Meteor class destroyers to look for a way through to find Ooub Lok’s forces - if they even knew what they would look like. With any luck at all, Ooub Lok’s forces would have some presence here, potentially even holding some of the exits. Of course, Saharia has almost no idea of what is going on behind the scenes. Would their new allies in Kinmoon even still be alive when they made it? If they made it?
Speed is of the essence. Once they neared hostile space, the alarm would be raised. And after that point, it is unknown how much resistance their fleet would face. So many unknowns; this is a fact that even the most cautious hypothetical warplans had to recognize.
---
Minorly Gargantuan Issue
They came out of nowhere. Absolutely nowhere.
Even after proving itself infallible time and time again, the ISA’s sudden detection of thousands of unidentified bogeys right in the central region of the Republic’s southeast - the former birthplace of the UE - was assumed to be in error. Only a yellow-alert was broadcast, which wasted precious minutes of response time. Suddenly, all at once, local defense forces began signalling immediate distress, flooding the airwaves with alarms and requests for assistance.
“Outpost Sierra Two-One, we’re reading ninety-plus U.O.s entering your sector, verify immediately.”
“--Confirmed, Station! Clocking at least one-hundred unidentified, inbound on the Antollar system! New contacts, confirm! We’re tracking five separate groups of hostiles, confirmed hostiles, converging on Antollar colony!--”
“Check outlying sensor posts, it might be a glitch in one of the local SS modules!”
”--Negative, Station! We’ve already got confirmation from grid-nine and outlying!--”
This is no time to act in denial.
”Open a channel to the Antollar Starhold; priority message!”
…
”--They’re everywhere..!--”
”Antollar System, your transmission garbled. Repeat.”
”--We’ve got cruisers in orbit! Enemy units are targeting local traffic lanes, I repeat - we are under attack! Send reinforcements!--”
---
The sudden appearance of entire enemy flotillas behind the borders of the nation is cause for immediate panic. LDFs, or local defense forces, are woefully underequipped to deal with this; Alpha Centauri is located in a theoretically very secure part of the nation, flanked on all sides by allied nations and friendly space. It was just about the best place in the nation that a raider force could’ve materialized from nothing.
Local planetary defense forces regroup with whatever scattered military assets are within the region, forming small pockets of defense focused around each planet’s central Starhold - a reasonably powerful starbase, even those positioned around very small colonies. It is their best hope for defending the space above their world, armed with powerful long-range guns plus what few high-caliber batteries are available to the token arrivals from the Navy and the ships owned by the planets themselves. Most planets have at least a few surface-to-space guns, but they likely won’t be enough to turn the tide.
The best plan, now, is to buy time. Buy time for the military to organize and slam down on the invaders. But for now, it’s every planet for itself.
New-Order2 and Utak
Kinmoon Strikes
The Pact forces retaliated while Ooub Lok's fleets began to divert course, seemingly just running around the battlefield of space in confusion. On the other edge of the system, a large group of sarker gunboats appeared out of FTL, flanked by four battleships on either side.
Ooub Lok... gone, and so where the transport vessels, some destroyed, but most fleeing by way of nodelane. The large nodelane was located at the edge of the system, shining and ominous green and looked to be rather unstable, fluctuating as it grew smaller and smaller. All-in-all, it seemed that Ooub Lok trapped the ISC forces between the Pact and Kinmoon's own.
Either side began to converge, the Unity Pact firing on almost about any vessel that wasn't there's, while Kinmoon engaged the ISC forces in full, singling out their fleet first. Boostbomb shells screeched forth through the void of space, followed by a mist of hardly visible speckles of dense metallic orbs. These orbs easily shredded through any ship which strayed between the path of their volly, mainly those of the Pact, and continued on through the vessels after puncturing them.
"Foreign vessels stand down! Foreign vessels stand down!" A transmission stated, the robotic voice repeating incessantly in galactic common. Yet, the ships continued to fire, attempting to force both sides into submission. Either way, the Pacts Forces were badly beaten here, and a planetary invasion was out of the pocket, luckily enough for them despite the loss of their ships.
Enough Warlords 
New Saharia
Somebody didn't belong here... several automated systems control vessels were alerted to the presence of foreign vessels in the east. These ships would begin to investigate the region, sniffing around in an attempt to find who intruded, and who was lurking.
Despite the searching vessels, the saharians were quick to escape, entering into the large maze of the nebulae. What waited within? They were able to find several blips on their sensors or radar systems, mainly hidden within small tunnels which led into large clearings. Maybe it was best to search here for Ooub Lok's forces?
Minorly Gargantuan Issue
The raiding fleets striked out of nowhere, they mainly ignored the planets around them, only bombarding them to quell any planetary weaponry. Fayling forces continued to push on, followed by swarms of ultrafog, intending to steal as much raw resources as they could. The ultrafog wrapped itself around scrap it could, breaking it down and converting it into easily transported forms, mainly rectangular in shape.
South Star forces continued to pour in, at least in the thousands strong for now it seemed. They would keep secure their backlines, leaving small groups of vessels behind, while the bulk of their fleets continued to assault Saharia.
What forces they did leave behind would band together in their own defensive formations, seemingly intending to hold the space they captured for a... very, very, very long time. It seemed they intended to restore their original borders.
A Reptile Dysfunction
Eckans turned to each other exchanging silent looks as the translated Lysiri transmission came through. Ekop exchanged glances with the communications officer, thoughts racing through their heads. They understood the words, but no one had expected them, and somehow... there were people in that tiny thing? The weight of the revelation was broken slowly as crew exchanged giddy glances before erupting in a cacophanous cheer. The somewhat stressful encounter had led to the discovery of a new civilization, the kind of thing that cemented your name in history. Crew members let out triumphant whoops and claps, standing up and congratulating each other and their luck. Ekop joined in, having no intent on quelling just yet the celebration of a moment they'd all brag about for the rest of their lives.
As the crew continued to cheer, Ekop played the message they had received in her head. At least they didn't have to wait weeks like the last time, the wonders of digital lexicons and fast working AIs made sure of that. Even more surprising than the speed of the message was the fact that the tiny vessel was manned at all, and by more than one individual. Similarly sized Eckan fighters were designed for two individuals but completely lacked the hardware or supplies for interstellar travel. Well, the scientists would be doing all the explaining and understanding soon, Ekop still had to do her job.
Ekop straightened and whistled loudly, silencing the remains of the celebration. She spoke firmly but with a hint of pride. "Alright, we've made history, but we'll have time to bask in it later. I want status reports from all stations. Compile all sensor data on the vessel that we've gathered so we can send it to command. Comms, direct the next live transmission at our guest, we'll send a proper message."
Once again, Ekop picked up the command table's attached handheld mic and, looking out in the direction of the distant ship, spoke.
"Welcome Shriss nol Ancalen, this is Captain Ekop Xok'or of the UUS Steadfast. I speak for the Eckan people of the Utakan Union. We come in peace, and would be happy to request for a diplomatic meeting on your behalf. I hope we can fly among the stars together."
First contact. True first contact - and with a seemingly friendly, if horrifyingly scary, species! It was the long-held hope of every lysiri, but none had dared to breathe a word lest they convince the universe at large to chuckle and hit them over the head with a rubber mallet. For the crew of the Think Positive, it was the reason behind their entire mission - from decades of research into new forms of FTL travel and structural engineering, to the drawn-out process of actually building the diplomatic ship, and finally several years of intensive, extremely thorough training for each and every member of the crew - and now all they had to do was drive the nail home and establish a proper rapport with the Eckan species.
For all that their warship belied incredible death at the hands of impossible weaponry, their words were remarkably peaceable and the Eckans appeared to bear them no ill will - even going so far as to request a meeting between the two species. Shriss quickly digs through the sensor data of the system, looking for worlds close to those that the lysiri had evolved on or adapted to inhabit over the last several hundred years, to no avail; the scans had only revealed the Tier 0 planet that the Eckans had claimed for themselves - their biology must simply be fascinating to behold - as well as the airless moon and several dozen large asteroids. With little choice, she flicks the comms system back into life.
"Captain Xok'or, if it is acceptable to your peoples, we would be able and willing to land in the Steadfast. Your planet is classified as a Tier 0 world by our own standards, and we would need to do further analysis to determine if any lysiri could survive on the surface. However, given the size of your ships, I have little doubt that your scientists have mastered zero-gravity technology, and would be able to accomodate our requirements."
"You haven't forgotten to fight indeed. The build of your warships speaks volumes of that, at the very least."
Corona spoke, agreeing with the Torrin representative. DOLOS AEC and Torrin Industries combined would bolster both of their capabilities - DOLOS AEC was currently looking for better warship designs, which Torrin could provide - and in return, DOLOS AEC had a veritable wealth of esoteric technologies and resources at their disposal.
"We'll certainly forward the second recommendation to the ISCM. They have a large pool of promising recruits, and we do have a large pull within naval circles. Details can be hashed out...later."
The etherborn paused before speaking again.
"One more possibility. DOLOS AEC would like to see towards acquiring Torrin Industries ground equipment. Specifically, tanks."
"Well..."
Lamira spoke. Looking at the catalogue, and then to Grovatov.
"Going that route is harder than you might expect. Feisen and Solaria are far from allies, and our customs enforces what they call ITAR. Restricts what we can sell and to who. Solaria is classified at ITAR Five, and the only artillery systems at that level are a recoilless rifle and an infantry mortar. Both don't fit your specific needs, from what you're saying. So we would need to work out a specific contract with customs enforcement to allow Solaria to procure these items."
"That contract can take weeks or months to work out, because they will need to do authorization checks, and we will need to come up with a design that your nation can properly produce. Even making something specifically for Solaria to produce requires us to limit our material choices."
And she stopped, turning the floor to Grovatov.
Grovatov slightly raised an eyebrow.
"And how might Solaria improve their ITAR rating, so we can purchase these systems? Failing that what are the exact details for this contract for Customs? Though I assure you that in terms of industrial equipment and material, Solaria is more than capable of providing everything you require for this."
Lamira spoke.
“solaria could imrpove their ratings by increasng Diplomatic ties with Feisen, and the contract would involve a lot of paperwork and money involving getting authorization for class 4 Weapons.”
Grovatov leaned back into his seat. Roadblocks and fees, challenges to the deal, annoyance upon annoyance. But he was here to secure a deal and he was going to do his upmost to do so.
"Well, that is why we are here. What exactly did you have in mind for the required diplomatic ties, and what are the starting steps for this paperwork? And of course what all fees will be required to be paid?"
THE TWO FRONT NAVY PLAN
With the fleet reduced to nothing, it now seemed as good as any to reconsider the structure and operation of one.
The Founders were inherently not warlike. It was not in their form to conduct battle as the common races of the galaxy did. This was a matter of culture as the physicality of the Changelings was not very physical at all. They were not the kinds to close a fist or raise a gun, naturally. They needed to modify themselves to do so. This had many knock on effects in society, economic development, and the military, but the last of those three was undoubtedly the most seriously affected. The Vorta, candidly, reported over the Friaxe War that the institutions of the current State Navy were too undefined and thinly organized. The motility of the Changelings led too quickly to assumptions and overestimates of the reactivity and efficacy of the Navy beyond prepared for scenarios. And since the Vorta only spoke in honesty, this was an unavoidable fact.
Joint meetings of the Changelings, Vorta, and Jem’Hadar Superiors were held unceasingly. Made possible by the fortune that none of them required rest, three months of research and field work into theory led their way through snippets and observations of the galaxy at large. Their goal: to draft a replacement structure for the Dominion Navy which better replicated the successes of their enemies. Whatever they could not steal from texts old or modern, they inferred based on Solid logic. After all, Solids seemed naturally talented at killing Solids, and their fact finding concluded that this natural talent exceeded the capacity of the Dominion to match naturally. That made it worth copying.
The new navy would be based on an old but fairly proven structure, with alien names more familiar to Solids than the Dominion, but they would serve the state well. The structure would be widened and diversified to place more Vorta and Jem’Hadar into positions of power with a spread of new bureaus and departments aimed at increasing the “voice” of each group within the Dominion’s hierarchy. Even though internal competition was a negative trait endemic to Solids, having a Solid staffed military meant the Changelings had to be receptive to their psychology. And well managed competition between correctly oriented factions was a powerful motivator, it was their Great Link without the benefit of psionic connection.
To oversee all this, aside from the Founders who were naturally the head of all matters, a joint committee of Heads chaired by the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and the Heads of Staff of the Army, Navy, and Missile Command. They were all to be generals and admirals who would, with the Chairmen, advise the Founders on ons and goings of the operations of the Dominion’s military.
Matters of the Army and Missile Command were still being worked on, the Navy would be formalized right now. The mission statement first: to repel all foreign invasions domestically and project the force of a galactic empire against all potential challengers. In the course of this mission, enemies were to be many and allies few. Even those allies were not certain to stay allies for long. A war on two fronts was the inevitable outcome of this audacious dream. Two fronts meant two fleets. Together with enough naval strength and resources to repulse both fronts of opposition at once. With the support of the Army and Missile Command this was a reasonable long term plan, the Vorta hoped.
The leadership plans now; The Navy is to be headed organizationally by a Head of Naval Staff, the same aforementioned role who advised on the Joint Heads Committee that advised the Founders. This Head would ideally have served at all levels of command and their role will be to ensure the Navy’s compliance with the directives of the Founders. From matters of readiness, training, coordination with foreign navies, and planning. They would oversee the day to day administration of fleet operations and be the next step below the authority of the Founders. The holders of this position could not be any less than a Vorta fleet admiral, a Augok’toran. It was a newly made rank that a handful of the best, and luckiest, Vorta would be promoted to.
Below that were the respective theatre organizations. North Fleet and South Fleet will each be headed by their own respective Commanders in Chief (a strange Solid term the Vorta were just going to have to get used to). Also held by Augok’torans, these CINCs were assisted by Vice CINCs. Who acted as deputy CINC. This position is held by Sadok’torans (Admirals) or a sufficiently accomplished Chelek’toran (Vice Admirals).
Now onto the slew of fighting commanders that each theatre organization would require. Heads of their respective stations according to the mission profiles. Chelek’torans and well performing Suba’Torans (Rear Admirals) would find their appointments here in addition to their typical fleet duties as Squadron and Strike Group Commanders. The ground level goings of fleets in combat were determined by the ability of the Vorta in these echelons. Additionally, Force Commanders separate from the combat roles would need appointment. They would be tasked with overseeing the training, upkeep, and assignment of their charges. A provision reserved for specialized roles such as Interceptor Fleet and Special Operations Groups rather than ships in the line of battle.
At the lowest levels of commands were the ranks that commanded ships. Rona’torans (Captains) and Doko’torans (Commanders). Their roles were easily inferred.
With the Vorta’s desired command structure finalized, setting long term goals that achieved this desired outcome were possible. At once, the future of Dominion naval power will begin its ascent. The newly appointed admirals were entrusted to work with some independence to realize the mission statement of their new fleet, an opportunity they did not squander. Advocates of new ideas rose up across the organization and relieved the Founders of much pressure to decision-make, a thing the Founders were wary of, now no longer. As every time their gaze fell upon their Vorta there was nothing but the best work being done. Yet another demonstration of why the Vorta deserved the best among all the subjects of the Dominion.
Bridging the Stellar Sea || 
Utak
”A souvenir?” He couldn’t think of anything off the top of his head; he doesn’t have anything on his person that would be worth taking back. He thinks for a few moments, contemplating.
”I don’t have anything on hand to offer you, but if you wish, I’m sure that the station personnel could find something worthy of taking back home with you. I can arrange for them to have their item of choice sent to your ship as soon as possible. As for your data, it will be most invaluable to us…”
---
After the conclusion of the dialogue, the station’s commander was informed of the situation. As if knowing exactly what to send, a package was delivered to the Utakan ship after being thoroughly examined to ensure none of its contents or materials are toxic or harmful. When unboxed, a small, black flat-topped cone-shaped device is found. With the press of a button, it reveals itself to be a holographic projector of the world of Etengar itself. With the help of a few other buttons and a small rectangular panel that’s barely big enough to use easily, it can zoom in on any point and project any part of the planet in 3D. Cities, coastlines, natural landscapes, anything. Zoomed out, it can show the entire solar system, the orbiting starhold, and several other structures of some interest in the starsystem. Small blurbs of text adjoin themselves to the projection when centered on something of note.
It’s a surprisingly robust gadget for something that might be found in any old gift shop.
New-Order2 and Utak
Enough Warlords || Kinmoon
The Republic fleet had managed to duck into cover at the opportune time; preliminary scouts revealed the presence of several Velrokinate ships searching the outlying region; it is unknown just how much they caught wind of, but judging by the fact that they are searching out there and not within the nebula, it’s safe to assume they have eluded their grasp for the time being.
What data on this nebula-maze Saharia has access to is of minimal assistance, and some of it is outright incorrect. Deciding to still play it cautious, small squads of three Meteor destroyers begin prowling the passages to look for a way out. Hopefully, if they ended up getting caught, their powerful engines and electronic jammers - as well as a healthy dose of cruise missiles - could give them a gap to escape. It is a little time-consuming and the 9th runs the risk of being uncovered here. The Admiral presumes that this option is better than running through a tunnel at random and hoping for the best. The fleet’s ships will endeavor to use the nebula’s natural effects to mask themselves as best they can.
But for now, while the motherland finds itself under attack, Labienus’s fleet hides within the briar patch. The nebula’s natural interference means they will not find out about the ongoing raids in southeastern Saharia for some time.
---
Minorly Gargantuan Issue
On colonies such as these, STS batteries are placed across the surface of a world in one general region, such as a continent or ocean. Usually at least some fair distance from any major population center. Working with the orbiting Starhold space-station, they fight in tandem against any incoming hostile force. Ships attempting to attack either the space station or surface batteries will find themselves being attacked by both elements in turn. A great strategy, if the numbers weren’t so heavily against them. All too often, strategy only serves to make the inevitable mathematics of an encounter just a bit less heavy-handed.
Saharian colony worlds fight as viciously as they’re able to out in space, but after the elimination of the sparse few STS guns, they are left with even less strength. Despite their impressive size, the orbital Starholds are woefully under-armed for something of their scale, a consequence of their placement in a somewhat sparsely-populated and assumedly ‘safe’ region of space.
The first few colonies lose the ability to wage war effectively in space fairly quickly. However, now that the alarm has gone out, nearby sectors are deploying their own LDFs to reinforce sectors nearest the enemy forces. As the enemy raiders push deeper, planetary defense fleets grow dramatically in size as worlds pool their fleets to stand as tall as possible. But where is the actual Saharian Navy?
Aside from patrol fleets and a few flotillas stretched far too thin, there isn’t much around this region. The alarm has thoroughly been sounded though, and the military has finally woken up in force. The 4th and 13th Armadas, under the joint command of Fleet Admiral Beckett and Fleet Admiral Mardock, break from their defensive positions along the Saharian-Breen border and launch themselves at flank speed towards the southeast. They will arrive soon, and when they do, the homefront game will finally be afoot.
Although Central Command is assured of their victory in stamping out these raiders, additional fleets are mobilized and prepare to head out to reinforce worlds at high risk of enemy attack and to intercept any attempt to breach further into Republic space.
A Neighborly Invasion || 
FreeAmericanStates
“I doubt that. Our systems are pretty secure; I doubt you’re going to fry anything if you’re connected remotely.” For the third time now, he still had no real idea what she was talking about. He has his heart set on this idea.
Leading them through the store - which in and of itself was the size of an entire mall - they could spot many smaller stores within this much larger one, some which looked foreign. There is a fair amount of foot traffic, although not enough to approach being frustrating to navigate. Saharian starbases somehow always managed to be on the cusp of having overpopulated sections, but never quite getting to that point.
After crossing the length of the emporium, they make it to a very large doorway, beyond which seems to be an entire wilderness setting. A wide field, trees beyond, boulders and large stones dotting across the landscape. Clear blue sky, fluffy clouds. Of course, it’s a mirage. It’s all one gigantic holographic environment.
A rather long series of kiosks span the length of this room, the largest being directly ahead. Even from here, it’s possible to see people firing off weapons of all sorts within the various stations. And yet the sounds of weapons-fire are inaudible from here.
Guiding Shadow ahead then sharply to the right, they walk a few dozen meters to an enclave hidden behind the main firing stations. It looks more like a garage of some kind, various sophisticated (and likely highly expensive) pieces of equipment mounted on the wall and on stands are positioned about. In the center is a circular platform raised about an inch off the ground. ”Go ahead and stand on this platform. I know you can’t wear a normal helmet, but I can still just mount the interfacing device directly to your forehead.”
He maneuvers quickly to a control panel in the corner. ”Just going to do some quick setup first… Like I mentioned before, we have a hamstrung version of the Navy’s neural interface system. Seeing as you’ve been on a Saharian starship, you’ve probably met at least a few naval gunners. This is identical to what they use to control the weapons onboard the ships- well, it’s watered down quite heavily. They don’t let us use the real thing, which I’m told is for the best. It’s sensory overload.”
”Okay, just doing one last check. Making sure it’s picking up your mental signature and all that. Can’t be too careful.”
Enough Warlords!!!!
Oddly enough, the Saharian forces in the nebulae would receive an encrypted broadcast, which once deciphered led them to another passage. There wasn't much else to say, but it seemed to be an outpost belonging to Ooub Lok, who have noticed a foreign signature within the region. It might be a bit of a drive, but they were given accurate readings and a map... just for this area of the nebula.
If they were to press any further, they would come across several derelict vessels and stations, torn down to their metallic skeleton forms.
Minorly Gargantuan Issue
Velrok Nyaxua's raiders would press forth, their attacks unceasing and unrelenting. Several reinforcing fleets have appeared within the backlines; at least a few thousand strong. These fleets would join any backline forces to help fortify this space even further, running constant patrols in the region, and shaking down anybody who would come across for... many things, mainly resources and materials.
If it wasn't just the South Star Empire that Saharia had to worry about, it was somebody else in the region, arriving to take advantage of the chaos. Several unidentified vessels have appeared nearby, seemingly arriving from unspecified coordinates originating from western Kinmoon. Black scarred vessels, red oxidized paint, all of which were covered with a heavy amount of external armoring and reactive armor plates.
The strange ships didn't stray far into the lines of the Faylings, but began to send several of their ships into nearby unclaimed space, waiting...
The Carnivorette | Gallerian Core Space
"We will be taking our ships here to goad both forces into taking the bait. Two creatures, one stone." The odd posthuman spoke, and various symbols flashed on the HUD systems of each captain and their assistants. "Your crew, mostly Neurodons are sure to act to their best efforts, but make sure you all don't neglect your automated systems, they'll ensure you hit each and every shot accurately."
With that said, the vessels split up into 10 different groups, each containing a force heavy with battleships... the only vessels available to the Afterlife group. These eclipse battleships would be supported with a fighter contingent made up of various vessels, mainly Praedon Starfighters, and a lesser number of Tha'lon Lancers, and numerous Lahi vessels. The Tha'lon Lancers would be placed at the edge of their systems once control was established, in order to launch suprise attacks on anyone that would enter in attempt to oppose their Eclipse battleships.
Post self-deleted by Hallownesians.
STATE OF THE CORE 5412 || 
Fox Millworks
~
8 years after the Great Core War
-
Eithan Dolos was a man with way too much free time.
It was true. After the Intersystems Collective was stabilized, racial tensions between etherborn subspecies were resolved, and the Unseen Sectors were entirely integrated - Eithan had… a lack of things to do.
He still performed his duties. Signed bills into law. Administrated the upper echelons of Collective politics. Made sure that no side of the Eternal Flame was getting too rowdy or too powerful using his influence. But that was it. The Authorities and Grand AI did a good enough job of governance on more local levels, and he rarely ever needed to step in or use Decree 29.
D-29 hadn’t been used since he relinquished emergency power and was sworn in as Administrator.
…Which was a good thing.
Nevertheless, it left him a decent amount of free time every day when he didn’t have work to do.
The Administrator's Office on Soluna Prime rested atop one of many spires. It was a pristine, white room that was more spacious than it should have been - it was backdropped by Soluna’s ever-winding cities that covered the entire planet whole, only visible through a ‘window’ that was just a screen that played a feed on repeat.
-
Eithan Dolos got a ping at precisely five in the afternoon, Earth time.
Ah. Finally. Something to do.
The Administrator flicked open a camera and a screen. It was about time that he talked to their Feisenite allies - there was a decent amount to discuss. The FTL relay that sat just above the spire hummed with etheric power as it transmitted a signal that bounced between planets until it was finally converted, becoming something more comprehensible to tech-based systems.
It was time for him and Fena to have a little call.
“Administrator Eithan Dolos of the Intersystems Collective is present.”
KINMOON STRIKES
The Collective forces formed somewhat of a bulwark against the incoming assault as they manuvered out of the area, relying on their string-drives to convert velocities and make an effective 180 turn towards free space. A boostbomb shell hit a Vanguard's shields and splattered against it before penetrating in full.
Whilst Intersystems vessels had far more armour than their predecessors, Kinmoon's arms were still more than a match for these large 'destroyers.' In response, the Fetohep-classes manuvered behind the D4A29s and began to boost their shields, allowing for an extra layer of reset to hopefully ward off against any other boostbombs. The Fetohep vessels then returned concentrated etherdriver fire.
The massive projectiles fired were maybe just as destructive as a boostbomb, but had the benefit of being guided munitions with a great deal of initial speed.
The Collective forces generally ignored any of Kinmoon's transmissions as they waited for reinforcements to either let them escape freely, or let them overwhelm Kinmoon's forces with superior overwhelming firepower.
Fleet Modernization Program || 
The Intersystems Collective
There is a bit of lethargy built up following the nation’s victory of the war. With the conflict resolved and one less reason to pour massive amounts of resources and funding into the nation’s armed forces, the highly-anticipated military reform predicted to occur shortly after the war’s end got off to a sluggish start.
The nation’s comparatively small yet powerful supercapital fleet was not towards the top of the list of the reform’s priorities. It would be a massively expensive and all-consuming effort in funding, resources and dockyards. Of course, the egghead naval designers already have a thorough list of issues uncovered about the nation’s forty-eight supercapital warships. And a somewhat smaller list of proposed ideas to fix those issues But right now, the navy’s focus is purely on just about anything else.
This order of priorities shifts somewhat once the Intersystems Collective’s call for a joint-project to modernize the navies. Predictably, wanting to put their best foot forward and preserve the nation’s image, the most expensive of the navy’s reforms - the supercapital ships - is back on the docket. Alongside them is the laundry list of the nation's newest and oldest warships, plus the obligatory, thankless organizations and systems which keep the navy running.
Maneuvering through official channels, Central Command communicates similar information back to the ISC. Available shipyards ready for use, all of varying size and capacity for ever-increasing sizes of warships.
With the acceptance of the proposal, the paperwork and committees can follow suit. They will first outline the goals, issues, and potential paths forward.
Wherever the Viskova Drive Yards goes, the United Shipbuilders Coalition will follow them. Although they lack the level of prestige of the VDY, the sibling megacorporation is responsible for a great deal of the engineering behind even the nation’s pair of superships.
Kinmoon's forces continued to assualt the IC forces, but a few of their own smaller vessels began to break under fire from both angles. The Nyokmi battleships stood strong through the fight, and focused their fire on the bigger targets, attempting to stall either side by disrupting their formations.
Ooub Lok's forces disappeared into the node lane, but something sparkled within the distance. The IC forces could make out a small spark and then a flash of energy, a large node lane opening. A massive vessel shot out of it like a slingshot, and followed shortly by a plethora of ships. This large vessel was some sort of leviathan, an older model, but one under the control of Ooub Lok. It was painted a stark white, but slightly unfinished with its original black paint peeking from under the thin layers.
These ships pushed forth, spearheading a strike straight into the side of Pact Forces, while small force brought by Kinmoon would retreat away, firing off several volleys of missile to cover their FTL jump for safety. Looks like Ooub Lok was back to help.
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