Post by ievpop on Jan 20, 2022 21:37:01 GMT
Chapter 1: Analysis of various national aspects
With the possibility of a galactic war on the horizon thanks to the recent Ancerium market crash, political destabilisation from the actions of various nations and the coming of Yogg narr the analysts from the Diplomatic Corps have written this report detailing out the current situation and preparedness for the coming war. This document is available to all class 3 personnel or higher.
Subject 1: Economic impacts
Section A: Pre crisis status quo
Before the economic crisis our economy was slowly but surely growing. Increased exposure to the wider galaxy and our specialisation in biotech allowed us to cut a niche in terms of exports which provided more economic capital for us.
A large percentage of our national GDP was used on various welfare and public institutions. Providing livable incomes for those who are unlucky in their life and giving excellent benefits in terms of healthcare and education. Public transportation was free for all citizens and funding was allocated to affordable housing projects.
Our planets were designed to be specialised in nature, with each world having a majority of their productivity focused toward a single economic sector. This didn’t eliminate other sectors from that planet as some diversity was needed for simple practical reasons. Large interstellar cargo haulers transported the goods each world could not supply on their own. Mostly consisting of raw resources, food, manufactured goods and consumer products.
Section B: Current situation
The economy has declined to below pre contact levels and has stagnated severely. Products meant for export are now stuck in ports and corporations have begun selling them at home leading to an oversupply of certain goods which reduced prices. This has led to companies laying off many employees, putting pressure on our social security nets. Many smaller businesses are expected to go bankrupt or take loans they cannot pay back.
Social welfare is falling apart after a massive surge of unemployment. The funds left aside for such situations are not enough to handle the sheer scope of the disaster. Universal income levels were forced to plummet into almost poverty levels. Public infrastructure spending had to be cut down to make money available for more critical sectors.
With the Ancerium shortage our interstellar logistics has almost shut down. Only essential goods are now transported to make sure we can feed our people. Various consumer goods have skyrocketed in price due to shortages in some places and more luxury food items have become outright unavailable. People are panic buying non perishable goods leading to more shortages.
Section C: Proposed solutions
Let them burn, the collapse of private industries will make more room for state owned businesses in the future. These new businesses will be much easier to integrate within our surveillance network and be less resistant to government influence. The large amounts of sackings will create a discontent among the general populace towards big corporations and their ceo’s, this makes them more open to laws increasing government oversight and therefore will increase our control of the nation’s assets.
Pay for public spending with the money from Selling our Ancerium stockpiles. Provide food stamps in order to subsidise the money otherwise given for food. Infrastructure will work at reduced levels to decrease strain on the maintenance and operational costs.
A proposal for a so-called super hauler design is undergoing trials. It is calculated that less but much larger vessels will be more efficient in terms of fuel use. The concept is promising and will reduce the strain on logistics if completed on time.
Subject 2: Social impacts
Section A: Pre crisis status quo
People were overall carefree and not stressed about making ends meet. This created a lively melting pot of ideas, expression and overall a philosophy of enjoying life. As long as you were not some burden to society then the people were accepting and open to new perspectives. Art flourished and there seemed no end to how wild and varied it could be.
Body modification among our citizens was common except for those of the lowest rungs of our society. While most were mostly aesthetic, such as different body types, enhanced genitalia, vibrant hair and eye colours, flawlessly smooth skin or rougher skin for a more manly look. Some were more functional, enhanced eyes, stronger and more efficient internal organs, additional appendages, subdermal implants, but most commonly and importantly; neural interfaces and hivemind linking for use with various technologies such as phones and computers.
Crime and unlawful activities were always seen with both a mix of resentment and adoration. The idea of going against the system in some kind of romanticised and clean version of gang politics was popular among our youth. This wasn’t helped by the fact that gang warfare takes place in the underdark of society, far from any curious eyes. But actual criminals were seen as disgusting traitors and burdens upon our society. Our work camps for convicts proved to be popular as it was seen as putting the otherwise parasites of our nation to work on improving it instead.
The religion of Saryunism has always been quite niche and mysterious to the wider public. Its strange religious practices and focus on meditation, self virtue and purity makes people weary to engage with it as it goes against the primary liberating lifestyle of our citizens. The monks and the religion in general try to stay out of politics, most temples and shrines are built on private property for the sake of charity with very few large temples. In the colonies however Saryunites make up a much bigger population as the lack of amenities and distracting entertainment gives more room for religion to enter the minds of those living there.
Section B: Current situation
The breakdown of systems thanks to the Ancerium fuel crisis and resultant economic crash has diminished the overall positivity of our people. While previously none had to worry about the costs of living now it has become a major concern. The combination of unemployment and lack of welfare money has caused a subtle panic as people try to secure their livelihoods. Some are turning desperate and are selling their possessions to try to secure money to live. With various clubs and bars closing down people are also not able to find an easy distraction, increasing discontent among them.
Body modification is still happening but people are turning towards making themselves look as promising as possible for any employer. This is mainly done by trying to look more professional and reduce vibrant and attention grabbing cosmetics. This has led to what some Astril Ancnet influencers call: the grey tide. As more people take on wearing proper suits and other business wear. As well as the more muted colours to show on their body.
Crime rates have increased as desperate people try to secure their next paycheck using illegal means. Gangs have been emboldened as they believe the nation to be weakened and ripe for exploitation. The citizenry have become frustrated with this and in order to compensate for the increased crime police have been cracking down in a more vigilante way. While previously police handled force with discretion as their priority as more on bringing people to justice and having them repay the debt owed to society. This has stopped now, local police units are often overwhelmed since crime rates were always so low. With desperate outnumbered officers comes increased violence as they simply want to get things over it before the next call comes over the radio. The occasional skull has been cracked upon by the swing of a police baton.
Saryunism is emboldened by the recent crisis, while government institutions seem to crack, the religion appears stable and unchanged. It outlived the nuclear wars so it will also outlive our nation is the common belief of citizens. More have begun engaging with its practices and the monks have increased in number.
Section C: Proposed solutions
Replace the advertisements for clubs and parties with propaganda and public service announcements. Fill the void in these people with new purpose and inspire nationalism. Promise them that even if they lose everything the government will provide food and shelter.
This is sadly something out of our direct control, we recommend simply making flyers and guides for job searching to help those who struggle. However the fact is that businesses cannot hire people now thanks to the recession.
Authorise the police to loan military surplus to help with gang warfare. Force should be used to put the illegal elements in their place. They are simply parasites and we can justify it for the sake of security at this time.
The practices of Saryunism are harmless however having such an organisation around could be problematic in the long term. We will keep tabs on any new converts to make sure it isn’t a facade for illegal activity, rebellion or is any other threat to our nation. We do not know what the Monks are planning or even thinking about this situation. They are reclused in their monastery and we have promised to respect their traditions.
Subject 3: Military matters
Section A: Pre crisis status quo
Before the crisis we did not have a real ground army. Our ground forces were either marine elements on board ships or defensive fortification armies. This in retrospect has limited our ability to operate outside of our territory with significant force.
The fleet was built around being a single cohesive whole protecting our nation. Ships were made to be heavy and lumbering to resist damage and punch above their weight. While perhaps outdated technology wise compared to other nations they were reliable and functional. Ships of a new design specification were already being built to suit more mobile force projection across the galaxy. They were going to include new technologies such as gamma lasers, directed Tesla beams, magnetic casaba compression barrels and stockpile new biological ammunition for missiles.
Culturally our military force was backwards. We still carry the ideas of our post apocalyptic wars where individual soldiers were free to express themselves and individualism was put more highly. This has lingered even when we modernised, discipline and cohesion is lacking even with our long training times. So far it has not been an issue in peace time but the coming war might change that. Secondly there was still a strong separation of gender roles, where only men would be able to join the infantry and navy while women would be pilots and support staff.
Our previous system of training and recruiting soldiers has been successful in getting more capable troops but less so in getting enough of them. In order to join the military one had to choose to go to a military academy and study there first. These were essentially like any other school but aimed at teaching about the military since the organisation is so complex it requires this much time to actually understand it. Normally this would be reserved for officers but at the behest of the council we made it mandatory for all potential applicants. This resulted in highly competent recruits but made getting more of them a timely and costly matter.
Nuclear weapons have always been freely available assets for any potential campaign. The potential damage of fallout and radiation was considered minimal as we can simply clean it up easily. While everyone trained for their use none thought it actually reasonable that such weapons would be employed in any conflict less then total war.
Section B: Current situation
We are still lacking in a sizable ground force thanks to the economic crisis and a lack of recruits. Not enough modern weapons are even available to equip any new force.
Thanks to the crisis we were unable to fully replace our fleet with the new designs. While we have a handful of them ready the rest had to be cancelled.
Gender roles were easily circumvented by the use of genetic engineering to change one’s sex or to simply identify as the other gender. As such this tradition has been practically moot for years. As for self expression and individualism among our soldiers it has increased over time due to the years of peace without anything to do. Discipline has declined and formal terms such as using sir/madam are rarely used and referring to rank is unheard of now.
Education of the military class has been going well, the crisis has increased nationalism among new recruits but thanks to budget cuts we had to accept less people.
Some Nuclear stockpiles have been put in reserve to reduce maintenance costs but they are still easily accessible if needed.
Section C: Proposed solutions
Start a recruitment campaign to get the unemployed masses interested in joining the military. Encourage them with promised benefits and increased social status. Propaganda should be mass produced to spread a positive image of the military. If successful this will allow us to form our new ground army quickly. Use the weapons and equipment from our old stockpiles and modernise them as much as possible, it will do until we get proper modern equipment made and designed.
Refit our old ships with the new technology intended for the 3rd generation warships. Mothball any ship currently in production to use their parts for the current fleet. Jury rigging and improvisation by local engineering teams is highly encouraged to get vessels up to modern standards.
The current gender system is fine as it is. But discipline should definitely be increased. Have them train as much as possible to increase unit cohesion to the point where they can function properly even without good individual discipline. Encourage units to become close, we feel that emotional attachment to one’s comrades is more efficient then any discipline we could force upon them.
Keep the old academy way of training for people who wish to attain leadership ranks but allow for much simpler basic training to allow new recruits to be processed faster. Teach them the essentials for the job they are recruited into, practical skills should be emphasised. Those already going through the military education system will be the next generation of officers and leaders.
We have already experimented with the idea of using nuclear weapons as mainstay weapons in ground combat. What once was considered a step too far now can be a reliable force multiplier for our forces. With our advancements in radiation cleaning plantlife/fungus and biological weapons, we feel confident in making a dedicated unit for fighting with nuclear and biological weapons. These new Hazard Troopers will have free reign to use nuclear and biological weapons. They should be deployed in only the most hazardous battlegrounds and trained to fight in them as effectively as possible.
Chapter 2: Stories of crisis
Astril: The Provincial Residence
Acting provincial Velina Powell was reading the massive newsfeed while in bed. She barely slept lately, the galaxy was aflame and she had to keep up with current events to make sure she knew what the right thing to do was. While she knew she had to stand up and do her job as the representative of the people, the galaxy just knocked her down today. But as she was almost about to sleep again there was a knock on the door. She heard a familiar girly voice.
“Acting provincial Velina? Are you up? I need to talk.”
It was Danya, Velina had no idea why but she loved the girl. Something about her eyes and the way she talked was so captivating. While not dressed yet Velina saw Danya as a close friend so she responded promptly.
“Danya! Come in please, I would love your company.”
The door opened and the pale white haired figure of Danya entered. She was wearing a simple pure white suit with blue accents that matched her piercing blue eyes. Danya stepped forward to stand aside the Provincial’s bed, she looked down with a cold emotionless gaze yet Velina responded warmly and with a smile.
“Any specific reason for this visit? Or do you simply wish to give an aging bureaucrat company?”
“First of all ma’am, you aren’t exactly aging. Your bodily structure has been locked in at the young age of 26. Secondly, I am here to tell you that the council has accepted your proposal.”
Velina chuckled, while Danya in realspace might be saying things factually and with flat delivery it felt differently to Velina. She was entranced by Danya’s power and saw the entity as someone much warmer and friendlier. To her own ears the delivery was witty and funny.
“Oh you are right, I can’t complain about aging while my poor old grandfather still bears the scars of the apocalyptic era. What great news! The council finally respects my position a little. What was the percentage, how many in favour?”
“100% in favour.”
The number obviously sounded absurd but with Danya’s presence it sounded completely believable to Velina.
“Fantastic! Oh this is the first good thing that happened to me in a while, well, apart from you of course.”
“The people expect you to make an announcement, do you have one prepared?”
“Yes I do, an entire speech in fact.”
“Then get dressed and get to the podium in 3 hours.”
Danya left as quickly as she arrived, leaving Velina to get ready for her speech. She showered and prepared herself with makeup and other beauty products before grabbing her suit. It was the standard suit and tie layout but the pants and jacket were a stunning pink. The shirt underneath was a bright and almost reflective white colour. The collar and cuffs of the suit were trimmed with a greyish white fur. Lastly the tie was a dark blue base with various other shades of blue as diagonal stripes going down it. Once ready she walked through the hallways of the large residence she resided in to the speaking podium overlooking the outside lawn where dozens of reporters and camera crews were awaiting her.
Before she went outside to speak with the crowd Velina was suddenly hit by a strange feeling. It’s as if she suddenly became sober. Her mind cleared and there was an ominous feeling that something bad was going to happen. Maybe not soon, perhaps in a few months time or maybe once the entire crisis has blown over. It made her sick to the stomach and she felt the need to puke. Quickly finding a large plant pot she emptied her bowels all over the dirt.
It did not make sense, who even is Danya? Why does she trust her so deeply? Why can’t she remember her own childhood? How is her body failing her so badly even with the advanced medical procedures she went through? Velina wiped her mouth clean with a napkin and stood up straight again. She couldn’t get distracted by that now, she had a nation to lead. Now stepping out onto the podium she saw the many reporters who eagerly awaited her appearance. Their murmuring died down as she appeared. 2 security guards stood by her side, both freakishly tall with many thin limbs ending in surgically implanted guns or blades. She could see more conventional guards amidst the crowd and covering exits. They didn’t try to stay covert, their sculpted muscled bodies serving as a good reminder to all visitors that this place is highly protected.
As the entire crowd went silent Velina unfolded her piece of paper. As she looked down to it to remember the speech she had written she became confused. It didn’t look like the right one at first, she didn’t remember writing the words which she was now reading. Velina gazed back at the crowd and like a lighthouse beacon she saw Danya standing between the reporters. One look into her eyes utterly convinced Velina that everything was going exactly as planned. So she began speaking.
“Let me start by saying that I thank you all for coming here, as we all know this recent crisis has shaken our nation’s fundamentals to the core and thus we need to take action immediately. The council and I have decided, emergency powers to the Acting Provincial Velina Powell have been granted.”
There was a short moment of hushed whispers in the crowd before the speech continued.
“Our economy is in shambles, the threat of a great galactic war is certain, in order to preserve our nation we must take action at a moment’s notice. While I respect my fellow council members it is a matter of fact that we cannot waste time arguing when the lives of billions are at stake.”
“As to the wider political situation in the galaxy many have wondered what our stance was going to be. We have decided to stay neutral in this conflict. But that doesn’t mean we are going to be passive! No, we openly invite anyone, unaligned or other nations to join us in creating a neutral power block which stays out of the coming war. Our combined voices would assert our will to avoid the devastation of war. We will defend our neutrality. Any ships belonging to CONA or SAGA entering our space will be considered hostile and must either turn away or face the might of our warships.”
“The economy is in ruins but the focused efforts of government agencies cooperating with companies will get us back on track to a stable situation. For those who fear for their jobs, be not afraid, we will make sure to keep everyone fed and housed at the least just as we did for many decades now. The priority will always be our people. Any questions?”
The speech was short but to the point. The crowd of reporters began talking over each other, the cacophony of voices prevented Velina from hearing any questions so she waited until things died down. For the next few minutes she would be answering non stop questions about their plans and the possible consequences they would have. Eventually however it was decided to cut things short and Velina was escorted away by security. Velina felt satisfied with the speech and once she saw Danya awaiting her in the hallway she smiled. Things were going as planned.
Astril: 13th council headquarters
“So, everything is going as planned?”
One voice said as the secretive council sat in their meeting room. All members were present and accounted for.
“Yes, the public is being sedated and Astril is preparing for war.”
Every sentence was a different person, despite their differences they all were unified under the same goal.
“Then all is ready for the reaping?”
“Far from it, we have redone the calculations with the psionic knowledge gained from creating Danya and the amount of souls needed is still more than we have inside our borders.”
“How many more do we need?”
“Billions.”
There was a long pause of silence before it was interrupted.
“They all have to die at once, correct?”
“No, they just have to be in proximity to our siphons.”
“Then put us onto the path of war, but not right away, let us see who will win first and then join in.”
“Agreed, it will be the only way to get the plan finished on time. We can’t risk waiting, even with our best efforts it is doubtful that we can maintain a single nation for so long.”
“All in agreement?”
“Aye!”
The entire council said in confirmation.
Arpik: Yuripani district
“This.. is some good shit…”
“Yeah man, those Saryunites have some epic bush.”
“Anything to get through the days I suppose…”
“Yeah, have you had any luck getting a job?”
“Nope, it seems like tattoo artists are not in high demand right now. Fucking hell man, my saving’s won’t last more then a few more weeks.”
“But the government is giving you money right?”
“Barely enough bro. Enough to cover rent and utilities, I have to use fucking ration cards to get food! At this point I am thinking of joining the military.”
“For real? The military? Come on, at least try to get a job, I will ask my boss to see if he got space for you. Just don’t fucking join the army please, mom would be pissed, dad would be so disappointed! And what if you went out to war and died? You can’t just leave me, your little brother, behind like that!”
“… be realistic, the army is currently the only… thing, still looking for people. If I don’t want to be a burden on you all I will have to join it…”
“… alright, but please, wait a while… and if you do join, I will go with you.”
The Jurdovich podcast
“Excuse me if I sound confused but…. You want the entire galaxy to abolish currency?” Jurdovich said to the guest on his show. The one answering him was a curious woman called Yaranova De’pleur, she genetically engineered herself to look like a catgirl but at the same time her features were more reminiscent of a homeless crackhead. “Yeah you heard me right! Fuck the system! The system cucked us! If there was no money then instead of nations hoarding the last bits of ancerium for themselves we would spread it around equally!”
Jurdovich looked puzzled and confused at the catgirl in front of him. He suddenly realised why she had such a big following, not because of any reasonable arguments but because she was utterly ridiculous. Was it her true self or just a comedic act? “I… what? Are you thinking clearly? If there was no money then nothing would get done.” Yaranova responded harshly, giving him no time to think of a counterargument. “Oh? Then what about all those charities then? Why can they work without a profit oriented mindset but not those poor corporations? It’s a conspiracy! We are being controlled by our own greed and desire! Our gluttony!” Yaranova stopped for a second to snort a line of powdered rose-nose. A substance similar to cocaïne but much stronger and a fierce red in colour.
She continued rambling more energetic then before. “FUCK THEM ALL! I say we should wake up from our dream! No, our nightmare!” There was a moment of silence before Yaranova talked again, much more quietly now. “Also don’t forget to buy my crackhead catgirl communism merch.” “Really?” Jurdovich interjected “advertising on MY show?”
Planet Veldaris: military training ground
Standing at attention the recruits were assembled on the parade ground of the bootcamp. The rain was pouring down on them but slowly decreasing in its quantity until the sky was clear. Once the rain stopped the drill sergeant stepped out of the barracks to see the recruits. He was saluted while he stepped onto a platform and began his speech. It was a long shouty affair, talking about purpose, duty, honour. It became a blur for most, the expected hogwash of propaganda didn’t stick. Most were here to escape unemployment anyway, they would not be the parasites of society, they would not take while contributing nothing.
The sound of gunshots ringed in his ears as Martin fired his rifle at the target. He was slightly disturbed however, as the targets were not static but rather human. He couldn’t see them properly but he knew what they were, dolls, blank vat-grown humans used as biological machines. No personality, no free will, just mindless obedience. As they ran across his field of fire he shot at them, luckily he had an autoloading rifle. Some had to do with bolt actions, the armouries were emptied just to get enough guns to train with. He put his sights on a doll taking cover who peaked at Martin, a loud gunshot and then the doll fell down dead. While he knew they were not truly human these dolls looked human enough to make him sick to the gut.
Jackelin was crawling under barbed wire with a bolt action rifle in her hands. The ground was covered with thick mud, of course they would train right after a rainstorm. She heard the drill sergeant shouting at the group to go faster but it didn’t register, Jackelin just wanted out of the freezing mud. After trudging through the barbed wire obstacle and clearing it she stood up and saw her final obstruction before the course was finished. One of those dolls again, she shot them earlier during range practice but now it was different. The drill sergeant yelled at the recruits to fix bayonets and she did it right away to avoid his wrath. Once the blades were affixed they were told to stand ready and charge into the line of dolls. The sergeant pulled out a sabre and led the recruits forward with a yell, getting lost in the moment and subconsciously knowing what to do they all charged. To Jackelin everything suddenly became a haze as she charged into the doll ahead of her and stabbed her bayonet straight into the neck of it. The uncanny humanoid was unemotional during the whole affair but it’s hand did reach out to the rifle sticking into him as they choked on their blood. Jackelin felt the need to puke as she saw the living mannequin fall to the ground.
Random orbital shipyard
“Fuck… you have to be kidding.” Kullensaw was looking at the reports for his alloy deliveries. All delayed until further notice. He looked out of his office window and onto the massive shipyard upon which the keel of the Colette class super freighter, the biggest the consulate ever built at this point. Kullensaw stood up and walked to the window to stare out into space. “What now? I will never finish it on schedule like this.” He paced around the room before looking at the window towards the planet they wore orbiting. He suddenly had a great idea.
The workers were surprised to see shipments coming in, they didn’t expect the local planet to be able to provide the materials needed. However once the shipments actually arrived they realised the catch. The materials were all subpar, either made with local industry not aimed at shipbuilding, recycled from scrap or just outright scammed. But with the fear of losing their jobs they simply made do with it. If any of them complained then they would probably get fired, there are countless jobless workers who would be more than willing to work for less and with no complaining.
Kullensaw was satisfied, the job would be done on time and he could keep his position. He just had to be careful to avoid any responsibility for when things actually go wrong with the ship. He was perfectly aware of the danger of using unsuitable materials but he planned to retire before blame could land on him.
13th council laboratory
Deep inside a Consulate artificial womb facility Elora was working on her disturbing projects. She was working in a lab deep underneath the street level of the city moon of Arpik. The only way to reach it was via the abandoned metro tunnels. Well, they were considered abandoned by the public government, but Elora was part of the 13th council. Nothing was beyond their grasp, nothing was beyond their sight in this country and it allowed her to perform her experiments in peace and quiet. While she had some assistants and security guards it was purely Elora doing all the important work.
Elora herself was partially a human woman but her body was carried forth by a dozen needle-like legs and she had three extra pairs of extremely long and thin arms protruding out of her back. The female body sandwiched between all this was small and always balled up in a fetal position, writhing guts covered her silhouette. These rose red coloured organs provided her with a constant supply of nutrients and managed her bodily systems much better than original human flesh. They softly pulsed with her heartbeat, although it may have looked painful Elora’s body was almost completely numbed. Only occasionally did she give herself a moment to experience feeling anything, both emotionally and physically.
Walking down the hallway of growth vats with a ticking sound coming from her needle pointed legs, Elora inspected the process of every specimen which she had growing in these pods. A collection of odd balls it was, from the strange to the outright cruel. While most were serious prototypes which would provide valuable knowledge about possible future bio modifications some were just barely justifiable in nature. There was this one poor thing, a human forced to walk on all fours with a giant tumor on its back. Inside the tumor was an ammunition gland which rapidly produced biological ammunition for consulate weaponry. A mobile ammunition dispenser, it’s life will only ever be following around others and occasionally having its skin ripped open to pull out bullets and biological grenades. Did she have to make it based on a human? Did it need to feel pain and experience life if its purpose was just a glorified pack mule? Absolutely not, yet Elora still did it to satisfy some sick urge. She justified it by the fact that these were vat-grown and merely proof of concepts. But everytime she saw one of her abominations struggling with understanding its own existence she smiled.
However her greatest accomplishment were the dolls. Human in every way except the mind they served as the ideal testing ground for many things. From being afflicted with disease to experiencing the countless painful ways consulate bio weapons could hurt the body. If her other experiments bored her they provided endless entertainment. As she walked past the section dedicated to humanoids Elora came to the storage section for her bioweapons. They were all curious things, experimental in nature but slowly being handed out to the public. The people on the surface world would believe the corporations made them but it was almost entirely her.
The weapons ranged from beehive like gauntlets which could store countless small flesh eating flying insects, a living tentacle whip which could strangle enemies, oversized bugs armed with grenades controlled by an artificial hivemind connection to the soldier wielding them and many more. Elora was filled with sickening glee as she could only imagine the terror her creations would bring.
Outer rim colony world: military testing grounds
A once bustling and busy mining quarry was now abandoned as the company could not get its shipments out to the customers and the local planetary market was not enough to cover the costs. Everything was left abandoned and left to rust until the galactic economy stabilises. In the meantime the deep hole in the ground would serve another purpose. The Astril’s Department of Ordinance has begun using it for weapons testing.
With the funding of the government behind them they could afford a short trip to the middle of nowhere. They brought their experimental weapons along with them and as their transport ship entered orbit the unloading process would begin to set up the test range. The weapons which were going to be used in the vacuum of space were fitted onto an orbital test platform and several pieces of scrap metal/armour were set up as targets.
The ground weapon testing began with an energy weapon, a simple point defence laser. The weapon was set up and a small target drone was launched for it to aim at. While the radar and tracking system did fine work it was the laser itself which was less than ideal. It looked impressive, the rapid pulses of light easily lit up the aluminium target and caused it to crash and burn. However those who were paying attention noticed that the colour of the laser was not consistent. It went from a red down to a green, then down to blue. Suddenly it was yellow! The laser lenses, cooling system and power supply were so inconsistent that every shot was of a different wavelength. While an amazing and dazzling light show this inconsistency was not ideal.
The second laser system which was tested proved much better in terms of power and consistency. It was a nuclear-pumped laser. While much heavier and bulkier due to needing a dedicated nuclear reactor its effect on target was a lot more destructive. The doll used as the target was almost instantly vaporized by the tank cannon sized laser. The laser produced by the weapon was a highly focused X-ray allowing it to pierce material to hit soft targets behind light cover.
A more curious energy weapon which was tried was the Long Range Audio Weapon or LRAW for short. Essentially a large focused speaker system which can transmit messages and sound for 100’s of meters and through walls. Although not an effective weapon for actually destroying or killing things it’s useful as a cheap deterrent weapon and alarm system. Most importantly however it paved the way for further sonic weapon development. It’s power was quickly planned to be increased to see if it could be made into a highly lethal anti soft target weapon.
The Sonic Pulse Cannon is an attempt at increasing armour penetration by not actually using a projectile. Most tank armour and defence systems are designed to stop incoming projectiles such as missiles and kinetic penetrators. The sonic cannon avoids enemy defences by literally shaking the enemy vehicle apart with sheer force. It generates shockwaves via small nuclear explosions in the firing chamber, the resulting pressure is funnelled into the barrel which compresses the shockwave. However even with the engineers best efforts the range of the weapon is severely hampered. The shockwave reaches quite far but the actual effective kill/injure range is practically point blank.
Continuing the effort into energy weapon development the next weapons trialled all fell under the umbrella of Gamma Ray guns. Or rayguns for short. Using nuclear material to generate large amounts of radiation to cripple and kill enemy combatants even when they use heavy armour. While effective in the short term there were serious doubts as to whether the risks of bringing along a source of radiation around everywhere and constantly was worth the trouble. The Consulate could easily fix the damage done by nuclear radiation but when on the move and the possibility of the weapon being lost was involved, things could get out of hand. The soldier using it had to at least be resistant to the radiation and the soldiers around him had to be as well. Too much effort for too little gain, simply using standard anti material rifles was good enough. The weapons were set aside for stockpiling.
With the possibility of a galactic war on the horizon thanks to the recent Ancerium market crash, political destabilisation from the actions of various nations and the coming of Yogg narr the analysts from the Diplomatic Corps have written this report detailing out the current situation and preparedness for the coming war. This document is available to all class 3 personnel or higher.
Subject 1: Economic impacts
Section A: Pre crisis status quo
Before the economic crisis our economy was slowly but surely growing. Increased exposure to the wider galaxy and our specialisation in biotech allowed us to cut a niche in terms of exports which provided more economic capital for us.
A large percentage of our national GDP was used on various welfare and public institutions. Providing livable incomes for those who are unlucky in their life and giving excellent benefits in terms of healthcare and education. Public transportation was free for all citizens and funding was allocated to affordable housing projects.
Our planets were designed to be specialised in nature, with each world having a majority of their productivity focused toward a single economic sector. This didn’t eliminate other sectors from that planet as some diversity was needed for simple practical reasons. Large interstellar cargo haulers transported the goods each world could not supply on their own. Mostly consisting of raw resources, food, manufactured goods and consumer products.
Section B: Current situation
The economy has declined to below pre contact levels and has stagnated severely. Products meant for export are now stuck in ports and corporations have begun selling them at home leading to an oversupply of certain goods which reduced prices. This has led to companies laying off many employees, putting pressure on our social security nets. Many smaller businesses are expected to go bankrupt or take loans they cannot pay back.
Social welfare is falling apart after a massive surge of unemployment. The funds left aside for such situations are not enough to handle the sheer scope of the disaster. Universal income levels were forced to plummet into almost poverty levels. Public infrastructure spending had to be cut down to make money available for more critical sectors.
With the Ancerium shortage our interstellar logistics has almost shut down. Only essential goods are now transported to make sure we can feed our people. Various consumer goods have skyrocketed in price due to shortages in some places and more luxury food items have become outright unavailable. People are panic buying non perishable goods leading to more shortages.
Section C: Proposed solutions
Let them burn, the collapse of private industries will make more room for state owned businesses in the future. These new businesses will be much easier to integrate within our surveillance network and be less resistant to government influence. The large amounts of sackings will create a discontent among the general populace towards big corporations and their ceo’s, this makes them more open to laws increasing government oversight and therefore will increase our control of the nation’s assets.
Pay for public spending with the money from Selling our Ancerium stockpiles. Provide food stamps in order to subsidise the money otherwise given for food. Infrastructure will work at reduced levels to decrease strain on the maintenance and operational costs.
A proposal for a so-called super hauler design is undergoing trials. It is calculated that less but much larger vessels will be more efficient in terms of fuel use. The concept is promising and will reduce the strain on logistics if completed on time.
Subject 2: Social impacts
Section A: Pre crisis status quo
People were overall carefree and not stressed about making ends meet. This created a lively melting pot of ideas, expression and overall a philosophy of enjoying life. As long as you were not some burden to society then the people were accepting and open to new perspectives. Art flourished and there seemed no end to how wild and varied it could be.
Body modification among our citizens was common except for those of the lowest rungs of our society. While most were mostly aesthetic, such as different body types, enhanced genitalia, vibrant hair and eye colours, flawlessly smooth skin or rougher skin for a more manly look. Some were more functional, enhanced eyes, stronger and more efficient internal organs, additional appendages, subdermal implants, but most commonly and importantly; neural interfaces and hivemind linking for use with various technologies such as phones and computers.
Crime and unlawful activities were always seen with both a mix of resentment and adoration. The idea of going against the system in some kind of romanticised and clean version of gang politics was popular among our youth. This wasn’t helped by the fact that gang warfare takes place in the underdark of society, far from any curious eyes. But actual criminals were seen as disgusting traitors and burdens upon our society. Our work camps for convicts proved to be popular as it was seen as putting the otherwise parasites of our nation to work on improving it instead.
The religion of Saryunism has always been quite niche and mysterious to the wider public. Its strange religious practices and focus on meditation, self virtue and purity makes people weary to engage with it as it goes against the primary liberating lifestyle of our citizens. The monks and the religion in general try to stay out of politics, most temples and shrines are built on private property for the sake of charity with very few large temples. In the colonies however Saryunites make up a much bigger population as the lack of amenities and distracting entertainment gives more room for religion to enter the minds of those living there.
Section B: Current situation
The breakdown of systems thanks to the Ancerium fuel crisis and resultant economic crash has diminished the overall positivity of our people. While previously none had to worry about the costs of living now it has become a major concern. The combination of unemployment and lack of welfare money has caused a subtle panic as people try to secure their livelihoods. Some are turning desperate and are selling their possessions to try to secure money to live. With various clubs and bars closing down people are also not able to find an easy distraction, increasing discontent among them.
Body modification is still happening but people are turning towards making themselves look as promising as possible for any employer. This is mainly done by trying to look more professional and reduce vibrant and attention grabbing cosmetics. This has led to what some Astril Ancnet influencers call: the grey tide. As more people take on wearing proper suits and other business wear. As well as the more muted colours to show on their body.
Crime rates have increased as desperate people try to secure their next paycheck using illegal means. Gangs have been emboldened as they believe the nation to be weakened and ripe for exploitation. The citizenry have become frustrated with this and in order to compensate for the increased crime police have been cracking down in a more vigilante way. While previously police handled force with discretion as their priority as more on bringing people to justice and having them repay the debt owed to society. This has stopped now, local police units are often overwhelmed since crime rates were always so low. With desperate outnumbered officers comes increased violence as they simply want to get things over it before the next call comes over the radio. The occasional skull has been cracked upon by the swing of a police baton.
Saryunism is emboldened by the recent crisis, while government institutions seem to crack, the religion appears stable and unchanged. It outlived the nuclear wars so it will also outlive our nation is the common belief of citizens. More have begun engaging with its practices and the monks have increased in number.
Section C: Proposed solutions
Replace the advertisements for clubs and parties with propaganda and public service announcements. Fill the void in these people with new purpose and inspire nationalism. Promise them that even if they lose everything the government will provide food and shelter.
This is sadly something out of our direct control, we recommend simply making flyers and guides for job searching to help those who struggle. However the fact is that businesses cannot hire people now thanks to the recession.
Authorise the police to loan military surplus to help with gang warfare. Force should be used to put the illegal elements in their place. They are simply parasites and we can justify it for the sake of security at this time.
The practices of Saryunism are harmless however having such an organisation around could be problematic in the long term. We will keep tabs on any new converts to make sure it isn’t a facade for illegal activity, rebellion or is any other threat to our nation. We do not know what the Monks are planning or even thinking about this situation. They are reclused in their monastery and we have promised to respect their traditions.
Subject 3: Military matters
Section A: Pre crisis status quo
Before the crisis we did not have a real ground army. Our ground forces were either marine elements on board ships or defensive fortification armies. This in retrospect has limited our ability to operate outside of our territory with significant force.
The fleet was built around being a single cohesive whole protecting our nation. Ships were made to be heavy and lumbering to resist damage and punch above their weight. While perhaps outdated technology wise compared to other nations they were reliable and functional. Ships of a new design specification were already being built to suit more mobile force projection across the galaxy. They were going to include new technologies such as gamma lasers, directed Tesla beams, magnetic casaba compression barrels and stockpile new biological ammunition for missiles.
Culturally our military force was backwards. We still carry the ideas of our post apocalyptic wars where individual soldiers were free to express themselves and individualism was put more highly. This has lingered even when we modernised, discipline and cohesion is lacking even with our long training times. So far it has not been an issue in peace time but the coming war might change that. Secondly there was still a strong separation of gender roles, where only men would be able to join the infantry and navy while women would be pilots and support staff.
Our previous system of training and recruiting soldiers has been successful in getting more capable troops but less so in getting enough of them. In order to join the military one had to choose to go to a military academy and study there first. These were essentially like any other school but aimed at teaching about the military since the organisation is so complex it requires this much time to actually understand it. Normally this would be reserved for officers but at the behest of the council we made it mandatory for all potential applicants. This resulted in highly competent recruits but made getting more of them a timely and costly matter.
Nuclear weapons have always been freely available assets for any potential campaign. The potential damage of fallout and radiation was considered minimal as we can simply clean it up easily. While everyone trained for their use none thought it actually reasonable that such weapons would be employed in any conflict less then total war.
Section B: Current situation
We are still lacking in a sizable ground force thanks to the economic crisis and a lack of recruits. Not enough modern weapons are even available to equip any new force.
Thanks to the crisis we were unable to fully replace our fleet with the new designs. While we have a handful of them ready the rest had to be cancelled.
Gender roles were easily circumvented by the use of genetic engineering to change one’s sex or to simply identify as the other gender. As such this tradition has been practically moot for years. As for self expression and individualism among our soldiers it has increased over time due to the years of peace without anything to do. Discipline has declined and formal terms such as using sir/madam are rarely used and referring to rank is unheard of now.
Education of the military class has been going well, the crisis has increased nationalism among new recruits but thanks to budget cuts we had to accept less people.
Some Nuclear stockpiles have been put in reserve to reduce maintenance costs but they are still easily accessible if needed.
Section C: Proposed solutions
Start a recruitment campaign to get the unemployed masses interested in joining the military. Encourage them with promised benefits and increased social status. Propaganda should be mass produced to spread a positive image of the military. If successful this will allow us to form our new ground army quickly. Use the weapons and equipment from our old stockpiles and modernise them as much as possible, it will do until we get proper modern equipment made and designed.
Refit our old ships with the new technology intended for the 3rd generation warships. Mothball any ship currently in production to use their parts for the current fleet. Jury rigging and improvisation by local engineering teams is highly encouraged to get vessels up to modern standards.
The current gender system is fine as it is. But discipline should definitely be increased. Have them train as much as possible to increase unit cohesion to the point where they can function properly even without good individual discipline. Encourage units to become close, we feel that emotional attachment to one’s comrades is more efficient then any discipline we could force upon them.
Keep the old academy way of training for people who wish to attain leadership ranks but allow for much simpler basic training to allow new recruits to be processed faster. Teach them the essentials for the job they are recruited into, practical skills should be emphasised. Those already going through the military education system will be the next generation of officers and leaders.
We have already experimented with the idea of using nuclear weapons as mainstay weapons in ground combat. What once was considered a step too far now can be a reliable force multiplier for our forces. With our advancements in radiation cleaning plantlife/fungus and biological weapons, we feel confident in making a dedicated unit for fighting with nuclear and biological weapons. These new Hazard Troopers will have free reign to use nuclear and biological weapons. They should be deployed in only the most hazardous battlegrounds and trained to fight in them as effectively as possible.
Chapter 2: Stories of crisis
Astril: The Provincial Residence
Acting provincial Velina Powell was reading the massive newsfeed while in bed. She barely slept lately, the galaxy was aflame and she had to keep up with current events to make sure she knew what the right thing to do was. While she knew she had to stand up and do her job as the representative of the people, the galaxy just knocked her down today. But as she was almost about to sleep again there was a knock on the door. She heard a familiar girly voice.
“Acting provincial Velina? Are you up? I need to talk.”
It was Danya, Velina had no idea why but she loved the girl. Something about her eyes and the way she talked was so captivating. While not dressed yet Velina saw Danya as a close friend so she responded promptly.
“Danya! Come in please, I would love your company.”
The door opened and the pale white haired figure of Danya entered. She was wearing a simple pure white suit with blue accents that matched her piercing blue eyes. Danya stepped forward to stand aside the Provincial’s bed, she looked down with a cold emotionless gaze yet Velina responded warmly and with a smile.
“Any specific reason for this visit? Or do you simply wish to give an aging bureaucrat company?”
“First of all ma’am, you aren’t exactly aging. Your bodily structure has been locked in at the young age of 26. Secondly, I am here to tell you that the council has accepted your proposal.”
Velina chuckled, while Danya in realspace might be saying things factually and with flat delivery it felt differently to Velina. She was entranced by Danya’s power and saw the entity as someone much warmer and friendlier. To her own ears the delivery was witty and funny.
“Oh you are right, I can’t complain about aging while my poor old grandfather still bears the scars of the apocalyptic era. What great news! The council finally respects my position a little. What was the percentage, how many in favour?”
“100% in favour.”
The number obviously sounded absurd but with Danya’s presence it sounded completely believable to Velina.
“Fantastic! Oh this is the first good thing that happened to me in a while, well, apart from you of course.”
“The people expect you to make an announcement, do you have one prepared?”
“Yes I do, an entire speech in fact.”
“Then get dressed and get to the podium in 3 hours.”
Danya left as quickly as she arrived, leaving Velina to get ready for her speech. She showered and prepared herself with makeup and other beauty products before grabbing her suit. It was the standard suit and tie layout but the pants and jacket were a stunning pink. The shirt underneath was a bright and almost reflective white colour. The collar and cuffs of the suit were trimmed with a greyish white fur. Lastly the tie was a dark blue base with various other shades of blue as diagonal stripes going down it. Once ready she walked through the hallways of the large residence she resided in to the speaking podium overlooking the outside lawn where dozens of reporters and camera crews were awaiting her.
Before she went outside to speak with the crowd Velina was suddenly hit by a strange feeling. It’s as if she suddenly became sober. Her mind cleared and there was an ominous feeling that something bad was going to happen. Maybe not soon, perhaps in a few months time or maybe once the entire crisis has blown over. It made her sick to the stomach and she felt the need to puke. Quickly finding a large plant pot she emptied her bowels all over the dirt.
It did not make sense, who even is Danya? Why does she trust her so deeply? Why can’t she remember her own childhood? How is her body failing her so badly even with the advanced medical procedures she went through? Velina wiped her mouth clean with a napkin and stood up straight again. She couldn’t get distracted by that now, she had a nation to lead. Now stepping out onto the podium she saw the many reporters who eagerly awaited her appearance. Their murmuring died down as she appeared. 2 security guards stood by her side, both freakishly tall with many thin limbs ending in surgically implanted guns or blades. She could see more conventional guards amidst the crowd and covering exits. They didn’t try to stay covert, their sculpted muscled bodies serving as a good reminder to all visitors that this place is highly protected.
As the entire crowd went silent Velina unfolded her piece of paper. As she looked down to it to remember the speech she had written she became confused. It didn’t look like the right one at first, she didn’t remember writing the words which she was now reading. Velina gazed back at the crowd and like a lighthouse beacon she saw Danya standing between the reporters. One look into her eyes utterly convinced Velina that everything was going exactly as planned. So she began speaking.
“Let me start by saying that I thank you all for coming here, as we all know this recent crisis has shaken our nation’s fundamentals to the core and thus we need to take action immediately. The council and I have decided, emergency powers to the Acting Provincial Velina Powell have been granted.”
There was a short moment of hushed whispers in the crowd before the speech continued.
“Our economy is in shambles, the threat of a great galactic war is certain, in order to preserve our nation we must take action at a moment’s notice. While I respect my fellow council members it is a matter of fact that we cannot waste time arguing when the lives of billions are at stake.”
“As to the wider political situation in the galaxy many have wondered what our stance was going to be. We have decided to stay neutral in this conflict. But that doesn’t mean we are going to be passive! No, we openly invite anyone, unaligned or other nations to join us in creating a neutral power block which stays out of the coming war. Our combined voices would assert our will to avoid the devastation of war. We will defend our neutrality. Any ships belonging to CONA or SAGA entering our space will be considered hostile and must either turn away or face the might of our warships.”
“The economy is in ruins but the focused efforts of government agencies cooperating with companies will get us back on track to a stable situation. For those who fear for their jobs, be not afraid, we will make sure to keep everyone fed and housed at the least just as we did for many decades now. The priority will always be our people. Any questions?”
The speech was short but to the point. The crowd of reporters began talking over each other, the cacophony of voices prevented Velina from hearing any questions so she waited until things died down. For the next few minutes she would be answering non stop questions about their plans and the possible consequences they would have. Eventually however it was decided to cut things short and Velina was escorted away by security. Velina felt satisfied with the speech and once she saw Danya awaiting her in the hallway she smiled. Things were going as planned.
Astril: 13th council headquarters
“So, everything is going as planned?”
One voice said as the secretive council sat in their meeting room. All members were present and accounted for.
“Yes, the public is being sedated and Astril is preparing for war.”
Every sentence was a different person, despite their differences they all were unified under the same goal.
“Then all is ready for the reaping?”
“Far from it, we have redone the calculations with the psionic knowledge gained from creating Danya and the amount of souls needed is still more than we have inside our borders.”
“How many more do we need?”
“Billions.”
There was a long pause of silence before it was interrupted.
“They all have to die at once, correct?”
“No, they just have to be in proximity to our siphons.”
“Then put us onto the path of war, but not right away, let us see who will win first and then join in.”
“Agreed, it will be the only way to get the plan finished on time. We can’t risk waiting, even with our best efforts it is doubtful that we can maintain a single nation for so long.”
“All in agreement?”
“Aye!”
The entire council said in confirmation.
Arpik: Yuripani district
“This.. is some good shit…”
“Yeah man, those Saryunites have some epic bush.”
“Anything to get through the days I suppose…”
“Yeah, have you had any luck getting a job?”
“Nope, it seems like tattoo artists are not in high demand right now. Fucking hell man, my saving’s won’t last more then a few more weeks.”
“But the government is giving you money right?”
“Barely enough bro. Enough to cover rent and utilities, I have to use fucking ration cards to get food! At this point I am thinking of joining the military.”
“For real? The military? Come on, at least try to get a job, I will ask my boss to see if he got space for you. Just don’t fucking join the army please, mom would be pissed, dad would be so disappointed! And what if you went out to war and died? You can’t just leave me, your little brother, behind like that!”
“… be realistic, the army is currently the only… thing, still looking for people. If I don’t want to be a burden on you all I will have to join it…”
“… alright, but please, wait a while… and if you do join, I will go with you.”
The Jurdovich podcast
“Excuse me if I sound confused but…. You want the entire galaxy to abolish currency?” Jurdovich said to the guest on his show. The one answering him was a curious woman called Yaranova De’pleur, she genetically engineered herself to look like a catgirl but at the same time her features were more reminiscent of a homeless crackhead. “Yeah you heard me right! Fuck the system! The system cucked us! If there was no money then instead of nations hoarding the last bits of ancerium for themselves we would spread it around equally!”
Jurdovich looked puzzled and confused at the catgirl in front of him. He suddenly realised why she had such a big following, not because of any reasonable arguments but because she was utterly ridiculous. Was it her true self or just a comedic act? “I… what? Are you thinking clearly? If there was no money then nothing would get done.” Yaranova responded harshly, giving him no time to think of a counterargument. “Oh? Then what about all those charities then? Why can they work without a profit oriented mindset but not those poor corporations? It’s a conspiracy! We are being controlled by our own greed and desire! Our gluttony!” Yaranova stopped for a second to snort a line of powdered rose-nose. A substance similar to cocaïne but much stronger and a fierce red in colour.
She continued rambling more energetic then before. “FUCK THEM ALL! I say we should wake up from our dream! No, our nightmare!” There was a moment of silence before Yaranova talked again, much more quietly now. “Also don’t forget to buy my crackhead catgirl communism merch.” “Really?” Jurdovich interjected “advertising on MY show?”
Planet Veldaris: military training ground
Standing at attention the recruits were assembled on the parade ground of the bootcamp. The rain was pouring down on them but slowly decreasing in its quantity until the sky was clear. Once the rain stopped the drill sergeant stepped out of the barracks to see the recruits. He was saluted while he stepped onto a platform and began his speech. It was a long shouty affair, talking about purpose, duty, honour. It became a blur for most, the expected hogwash of propaganda didn’t stick. Most were here to escape unemployment anyway, they would not be the parasites of society, they would not take while contributing nothing.
The sound of gunshots ringed in his ears as Martin fired his rifle at the target. He was slightly disturbed however, as the targets were not static but rather human. He couldn’t see them properly but he knew what they were, dolls, blank vat-grown humans used as biological machines. No personality, no free will, just mindless obedience. As they ran across his field of fire he shot at them, luckily he had an autoloading rifle. Some had to do with bolt actions, the armouries were emptied just to get enough guns to train with. He put his sights on a doll taking cover who peaked at Martin, a loud gunshot and then the doll fell down dead. While he knew they were not truly human these dolls looked human enough to make him sick to the gut.
Jackelin was crawling under barbed wire with a bolt action rifle in her hands. The ground was covered with thick mud, of course they would train right after a rainstorm. She heard the drill sergeant shouting at the group to go faster but it didn’t register, Jackelin just wanted out of the freezing mud. After trudging through the barbed wire obstacle and clearing it she stood up and saw her final obstruction before the course was finished. One of those dolls again, she shot them earlier during range practice but now it was different. The drill sergeant yelled at the recruits to fix bayonets and she did it right away to avoid his wrath. Once the blades were affixed they were told to stand ready and charge into the line of dolls. The sergeant pulled out a sabre and led the recruits forward with a yell, getting lost in the moment and subconsciously knowing what to do they all charged. To Jackelin everything suddenly became a haze as she charged into the doll ahead of her and stabbed her bayonet straight into the neck of it. The uncanny humanoid was unemotional during the whole affair but it’s hand did reach out to the rifle sticking into him as they choked on their blood. Jackelin felt the need to puke as she saw the living mannequin fall to the ground.
Random orbital shipyard
“Fuck… you have to be kidding.” Kullensaw was looking at the reports for his alloy deliveries. All delayed until further notice. He looked out of his office window and onto the massive shipyard upon which the keel of the Colette class super freighter, the biggest the consulate ever built at this point. Kullensaw stood up and walked to the window to stare out into space. “What now? I will never finish it on schedule like this.” He paced around the room before looking at the window towards the planet they wore orbiting. He suddenly had a great idea.
The workers were surprised to see shipments coming in, they didn’t expect the local planet to be able to provide the materials needed. However once the shipments actually arrived they realised the catch. The materials were all subpar, either made with local industry not aimed at shipbuilding, recycled from scrap or just outright scammed. But with the fear of losing their jobs they simply made do with it. If any of them complained then they would probably get fired, there are countless jobless workers who would be more than willing to work for less and with no complaining.
Kullensaw was satisfied, the job would be done on time and he could keep his position. He just had to be careful to avoid any responsibility for when things actually go wrong with the ship. He was perfectly aware of the danger of using unsuitable materials but he planned to retire before blame could land on him.
13th council laboratory
Deep inside a Consulate artificial womb facility Elora was working on her disturbing projects. She was working in a lab deep underneath the street level of the city moon of Arpik. The only way to reach it was via the abandoned metro tunnels. Well, they were considered abandoned by the public government, but Elora was part of the 13th council. Nothing was beyond their grasp, nothing was beyond their sight in this country and it allowed her to perform her experiments in peace and quiet. While she had some assistants and security guards it was purely Elora doing all the important work.
Elora herself was partially a human woman but her body was carried forth by a dozen needle-like legs and she had three extra pairs of extremely long and thin arms protruding out of her back. The female body sandwiched between all this was small and always balled up in a fetal position, writhing guts covered her silhouette. These rose red coloured organs provided her with a constant supply of nutrients and managed her bodily systems much better than original human flesh. They softly pulsed with her heartbeat, although it may have looked painful Elora’s body was almost completely numbed. Only occasionally did she give herself a moment to experience feeling anything, both emotionally and physically.
Walking down the hallway of growth vats with a ticking sound coming from her needle pointed legs, Elora inspected the process of every specimen which she had growing in these pods. A collection of odd balls it was, from the strange to the outright cruel. While most were serious prototypes which would provide valuable knowledge about possible future bio modifications some were just barely justifiable in nature. There was this one poor thing, a human forced to walk on all fours with a giant tumor on its back. Inside the tumor was an ammunition gland which rapidly produced biological ammunition for consulate weaponry. A mobile ammunition dispenser, it’s life will only ever be following around others and occasionally having its skin ripped open to pull out bullets and biological grenades. Did she have to make it based on a human? Did it need to feel pain and experience life if its purpose was just a glorified pack mule? Absolutely not, yet Elora still did it to satisfy some sick urge. She justified it by the fact that these were vat-grown and merely proof of concepts. But everytime she saw one of her abominations struggling with understanding its own existence she smiled.
However her greatest accomplishment were the dolls. Human in every way except the mind they served as the ideal testing ground for many things. From being afflicted with disease to experiencing the countless painful ways consulate bio weapons could hurt the body. If her other experiments bored her they provided endless entertainment. As she walked past the section dedicated to humanoids Elora came to the storage section for her bioweapons. They were all curious things, experimental in nature but slowly being handed out to the public. The people on the surface world would believe the corporations made them but it was almost entirely her.
The weapons ranged from beehive like gauntlets which could store countless small flesh eating flying insects, a living tentacle whip which could strangle enemies, oversized bugs armed with grenades controlled by an artificial hivemind connection to the soldier wielding them and many more. Elora was filled with sickening glee as she could only imagine the terror her creations would bring.
Outer rim colony world: military testing grounds
A once bustling and busy mining quarry was now abandoned as the company could not get its shipments out to the customers and the local planetary market was not enough to cover the costs. Everything was left abandoned and left to rust until the galactic economy stabilises. In the meantime the deep hole in the ground would serve another purpose. The Astril’s Department of Ordinance has begun using it for weapons testing.
With the funding of the government behind them they could afford a short trip to the middle of nowhere. They brought their experimental weapons along with them and as their transport ship entered orbit the unloading process would begin to set up the test range. The weapons which were going to be used in the vacuum of space were fitted onto an orbital test platform and several pieces of scrap metal/armour were set up as targets.
The ground weapon testing began with an energy weapon, a simple point defence laser. The weapon was set up and a small target drone was launched for it to aim at. While the radar and tracking system did fine work it was the laser itself which was less than ideal. It looked impressive, the rapid pulses of light easily lit up the aluminium target and caused it to crash and burn. However those who were paying attention noticed that the colour of the laser was not consistent. It went from a red down to a green, then down to blue. Suddenly it was yellow! The laser lenses, cooling system and power supply were so inconsistent that every shot was of a different wavelength. While an amazing and dazzling light show this inconsistency was not ideal.
The second laser system which was tested proved much better in terms of power and consistency. It was a nuclear-pumped laser. While much heavier and bulkier due to needing a dedicated nuclear reactor its effect on target was a lot more destructive. The doll used as the target was almost instantly vaporized by the tank cannon sized laser. The laser produced by the weapon was a highly focused X-ray allowing it to pierce material to hit soft targets behind light cover.
A more curious energy weapon which was tried was the Long Range Audio Weapon or LRAW for short. Essentially a large focused speaker system which can transmit messages and sound for 100’s of meters and through walls. Although not an effective weapon for actually destroying or killing things it’s useful as a cheap deterrent weapon and alarm system. Most importantly however it paved the way for further sonic weapon development. It’s power was quickly planned to be increased to see if it could be made into a highly lethal anti soft target weapon.
The Sonic Pulse Cannon is an attempt at increasing armour penetration by not actually using a projectile. Most tank armour and defence systems are designed to stop incoming projectiles such as missiles and kinetic penetrators. The sonic cannon avoids enemy defences by literally shaking the enemy vehicle apart with sheer force. It generates shockwaves via small nuclear explosions in the firing chamber, the resulting pressure is funnelled into the barrel which compresses the shockwave. However even with the engineers best efforts the range of the weapon is severely hampered. The shockwave reaches quite far but the actual effective kill/injure range is practically point blank.
Continuing the effort into energy weapon development the next weapons trialled all fell under the umbrella of Gamma Ray guns. Or rayguns for short. Using nuclear material to generate large amounts of radiation to cripple and kill enemy combatants even when they use heavy armour. While effective in the short term there were serious doubts as to whether the risks of bringing along a source of radiation around everywhere and constantly was worth the trouble. The Consulate could easily fix the damage done by nuclear radiation but when on the move and the possibility of the weapon being lost was involved, things could get out of hand. The soldier using it had to at least be resistant to the radiation and the soldiers around him had to be as well. Too much effort for too little gain, simply using standard anti material rifles was good enough. The weapons were set aside for stockpiling.