Interstellar Interceders

Epistolary Experiment (8/30)

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“Well, look at that. Ain’t they orderly, working their way around the belt like that. Nothing to do but round up a few harmless belters and make sure they’re not harboring anything dangerous. They must be getting irresistably bored, too.”

“Captain?”

“Chief, what I need you to do is rig things back aft so we can get maybe half a grav out of the secondary chemical thrusters. That should make us look like a freighter – well, no, it won’t make us look like a freighter to anyone who’s paying attention, but it might to a bunch of bored Vonnies not expecting anything else. We’re going to mosey along to this facility, well ahead of them – just another merchie, going about their business, fat, dumb, and happy, and pull up alongside for transshipment.

“And then we’re going to bag ourselves a light cruiser.”

– bridge log of the Cunning Swine, Interstellar Interceders FK, Ódeln (Vanguard Reaches)

FROM: CS RAZORWING (TASK FORCE SP-132)
TO: FIELD FLEET SPINWARD COMMAND (CS LIBERTY’S PRICE)

*** EXPEDITE
*** EYES ONLY FERVENT SPAN
*** AFTER ACTION REPORT

INFORMATIONAL:

1. ARRIVED IN DORANZER (CORDAI GAP) SYSTEM IN PURSUIT OF ENEMY VESSELS PER PREVIOUS ORDERS. TASK FORCE HAS BEEN REINFORCED BY THE ADDITION OF TWO (2) NSANG DESTROYER-CLASS VESSELS UNDER ORDERS TO ASSIST CONCLAVE FORCES.

2. UPON ARRIVAL, SYSTEM SERVICE BUOY AND STARGATE-LOCAL REFUELING PLATFORM WERE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN DESTROYED, WITH ADDITIONAL UNIDENTIFIED WRECKAGE LOCATED WITHIN THE TANEL STARGATE EMERGENCE ZONE.

3. SYSTEM SURVEY CONDUCTED. LONGSCAN UNAVAILABLE DUE TO NON-RESPONSIVENESS, PRESUMED DESTRUCTION, OF PRE-SEEDED SENSOR PLATFORMS. SHORTSCAN INDICATED MULTIPLE VESSELS UNDER THRUST, WHOSE EMISSIONS PROFILES MATCHED REPUBLIC WARCRAFT, ACTIVE AT APPROXIMATELY FOUR (4) LIGHT-MINUTES RANGE, PROCEEDING ON BRACHISTOCHRONE TRAJECTORY FROM TANEL STARGATE FOR ZERO/ZERO INTERCEPT WITH DORANZER III (GAS GIANT). THIS DESIGNATED TARGET PITHRIN.

4. TASK FORCE ASSUMED SIMILAR TRAJECTORY AT FLANK ACCEL. PASSING ENGAGEMENT WITH TARGET PITHRIN AT 1.2 LIGHT MINUTES RANGE PERMITTED CHARACTERIZATION OF REPUBLIC WARCRAFT AS THREE HARRIER-CLASS DESTROYERS, THREE FUEL TANKERS, AND PRIZE LINER CIRCUMSTELLAR WANDERER. IN THE COURSE OF THE PASSING ENGAGEMENT, ONE (1) TANKER WAS DESTROYED AND MODERATE DAMAGE INFLICTED UPON ONE (1) DESTROYER. TASK FORCE SUFFERED LIGHT DAMAGE TO CS BLOODCLAW AND ONE (1) NSANG VESSEL.

5. TASK FORCE ENGAGED GRAVITATIONAL SLINGSHOT AROUND DORANZER III, OFFLOADING AKVS DURING PERIAPSIS TO SERVE AS LOCAL DEFENSE FOR DORANZER III AUTOMATED FUEL-MINING AND SERVICE PLATFORMS. SLINGSHOT MANEUVER PLACED TASK FORCE ON HIGH-VELOCITY CLOSING MANEUVER WITH TARGET PITHRIN. SUBSEQUENT ENGAGEMENT COMMENCED AT RANGE 1.7 LIGHT-MINUTES AND TERMINATED AT RANGE 0.3 LIGHT-MINUTES WITH COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF ALL REPUBLIC WARCRAFT. PRIZES TAKEN: ONE (1) REPUBLIC TANKER, SUBSEQUENTLY SCUTTLED; PRIZE LINER CIRCUMSTELLAR WANDERER, MODERATELY DAMAGED. TASK FORCE SUFFERED LOSS OF PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED NSANG DESTROYER, MODERATE DAMAGE TO CS BLOODCLAW, LIGHT DAMAGE TO SECOND NSANG DESTROYER AND CS RAZORWING.

6. DETAILED STATUS OF RETAKEN CIRCUMSTELLAR WANDERER FOLLOWS UNDER SEPARATE COVER. PRIZE VESSELS MAKING FOR NAVAL DEPOT AT KALDER (GODS’ FORGE), ESCORTED BY SECOND NSANG DESTROYER AND CS BLOODCLAW.

7. IMMEDIATELY (PER LIGHT-CONE) SUBSEQUENT TO BATTLE, METRIC EXIT DISTORTION DETECTED, LOCUS SUGGESTING COREWARD STARGATE (LORANZER). SIGNAL TOO WEAK TO ESTABLISH PROPER STARFALL CHARACTERISTICS [DATA APPENDED]. AFTER RECOVERY OF AKVS AND FIELD REPAIRS ARE COMPLETE, ENTERING QIRAF ASSEMBLY SPACE IN PURSUIT OF SUSPECTED SECOND REPUBLIC TASK FORCE, UNDER CONCLAVE WAR AUTHORITY. TASK FORCE NOW CONSISTS OF CS RAZORWING, CS NIGHTFANG, AND ALLIED NSANG DESTROYER.

8. FROM ANALYSIS, IT IS APPARENT THAT PLUNDER OF FUEL AND SUPPLY FACILITIES IS AN ENEMY PRIORITY. FURTHER, HOSTILE STARSHIPS CLEARLY PRESENT IN UNANTICIPATED FORCE. REQUEST IMMEDIATE DISPATCH OF REINFORCEMENTS TO INTERCEPT AT LORANZER (CORDAI GAP) SYSTEM.

9. AUTHENTICATION: FIST WOLF FAITH NIGHTFALL ICHOR BLADE / 0x1137DED89A11232B

CAPT AÍC FIDARAN, CS RAZORWING

From: Quoril Vitremarvis, COO

To: Rodivine 0xD3EDB441, Spinward Security Supervisor
Subject: Security issues?

Do we have any in the compromised territories?

From: Rodivine 0xD3EDB441, Spinward Security Supervisor
To: Quoril Vitremarvis, COO
Subject: Security issues?

Not on the main lines, at least not yet.

Whatever happens, we have got
Postsophont sysadmins, and they have not.

– from the Bright Shadow, ICC, corporate e-mail archive

Epistolary Experiment (2/30)

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FROM: CINCSPIN (CS LIBERTY’S PRICE)
RELAY TO: ALL UNITS, SPINWARD FLEET
COPY TO: CORE COMMAND

***** WILDFIRE WILDFIRE WILDFIRE
***** FLEET CONFIDENTIAL E2048
***** STRATEGIC ACTION MESSAGE

1. THIS MESSAGE CONSTITUTES A WAR ORDER.

2. CINCSPIN DECLARES CASE SABLE, REPEAT, CASE SABLE.

3. AS SUCH, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT F6-UNLIMITED ARE THEREFORE IN EFFECT IN ALL BORDERLINE CONSTELLATIONS: CRIMSON EXPANSE, VANGUARD REACHES, AND CSELL BUFFER.

4. ALL FIXED INSTALLATIONS WITHIN THE AFOREMENTIONED CONSTELLATIONS ARE TO MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO STRATEGIC CONDITION ONE.

5. ALL STARSHIPS EXCEPT THOSE DESIGNATED FOR SCOUT AND PICKET DUTIES UNDER WAR PLAN VIRAGO WILL PROCEED AT BEST SPEED TO THE NEAREST SYSTEM LOCATED ALONG THE BORDERLINE AND FORM AD-HOC TASK FORCES. DISPOSITION SHOULD BE REPORTED IN ON ARRIVAL VIA TANGLE CHANNEL.

6. STARSHIPS DESIGNATED FOR SCOUT AND PICKET DUTIES UNDER WAR PLAN VIRAGO WILL EXECUTE SAID WAR PLAN IMMEDIATELY. THOSE ENCOUNTERING ENEMY FORCES WILL RETREAT IMMEDIATELY TO THE NEAREST UNOCCUPIED SYSTEM AND REPORT IN.

7. THIS INCIDENT IS NOW CODED FERVENT SPAN. TACTICAL AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS SHOULD NOW BE DESIGNATED EYES ONLY FERVENT SPAN, AND SHIFT IMMEDIATELY TO ONE-TIME PAD SERIES P337.

8. ALL ACCORD MERCHANT SHIPS ENCOUNTERED SHOULD BE INFORMED OF THE SITUATION AND INSTRUCTED TO RETREAT IMMEDIATELY FROM THE ENGAGEMENT ZONE VIA ISTRIA (CRIMSON EXPANSE), KARAL (VANGUARD REACHES), OR QUOR (CSELL BUFFER). BUNKERAGE WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO EXPEDITE THIS.

9. IN THE ABSENCE OF FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FROM COMMAND AUTHORITY, INDEPENDENT ACTION IS AUTHORIZED TO COMPLETE MISSION OBJECTIVES OR ELIMINATE TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY.

10. WE’RE AT WAR, GENTLESOPHS. STAND FAST AND STAY LUCKY.

11. AUTHENTICATION FLAME SPROCKET SCORPION CHEESE SERPENT WEASEL / 0x772ED41D88162A3

FLT ADM DAPHNOTARTHIUS, CINCSPIN

 

“This is free trader Fimry Dancer, addressing all merchant starships ships in-system:

Up ship! Up ship, colleagues, and get the hell out-system while the getting’s good. The Vonnie fleet has crossed the border in force at Charach, and they’re not looking t’be diplomatic. Couriers may reach Vonnie assets in this system at any time. Abandon cargo, recall crew, and get under way immediately to avoid internment. Space-control authorities may be compromised at any time. Scatter and proceed independently. The Imperial Navy has offered zero-charge refueling services to all merchant starships making retreat through Karal System.”

“Message repeats. This is free trader Fimry Dancer, addressing all merchant starships…”

– general broadcast, coded to Starfall Arc Free Merchant Confraternity members, Ódeln (Vanguard Reaches)

“Codeword FIREFALL, ARCHANGEL priority. New orders follow:

  1. All leaves and passes are cancelled as of now. All crewmen report to their ships. All troops report to unit headquarters.
  2. Rules of engagement are active as of now. That means: if one of the local Vs or one of their sympathizers tries to stop you reporting in, shoot ’em.
  3. You have three hours.
  4. At planet dusk, prime meridian, all units are activated. Starships will disperse to preestablished locations in the belt and the Shards designated in war plan TERRIER, option FIVE. Marines will disperse to preestablished bases in the mountains west of Ódeln’s inhabited region designated in war plan VIPER, option SEVEN.
  5. Stand by for further orders. Do not engage the enemy unless engaged.
  6. Good luck, everybody.”

– all-hands corporate communication, Interstellar Interceders FK, Ódeln (Vanguard Reaches)

“Eilan Traffic Control to all vessels of Accord or Voniensan registry:

We have received information that a state of military conflict now obtains between the Voniensan Republic and the Accord of Galactic Polities. Therefore, in accordance with directives we have received from the First Military Directorate, all starships of Accord or Voniensan registry, whether military or civil, are ordered to vacate the territorial space of the Free Eilish Confederacy without further delay.

All such starships must be under way within 72 hours, standard time, of this broadcast. Any vessels not actively making their way out of Confederacy territorial space within this time will be interned by the Confederacy for the duration of the conflict. Voniensan starships will be permitted passage via spinward stargates and Accord starships permitted passage via trailing stargates only.

Any attempt to engage vessels of other powers within Confederacy territorial space or within one million miles of the stargates leading out of Confederacy territorial space will be responded to with deadly force by the Confederate Navy.”

– general space-control broadcast, Eilan (Crimson Expanse)