04-22-2011, 03:14 PM
G.A.P.H. coverage of State of the Consortium Speech, 2517.92
...And now, my fellow Consorts, we come to the topic of the so-called "alien invasion" of our home system. Many of our countrymen have taken to the press to criticize our handling of interstellar relations, particularly with regard to the "hostile" alien scout vessel detected just outside the outermost planet of our beloved home. The most common complaint was that the action we were taking was not nearly aggressive enough, and that soon we'd all be enslaved by these phantom oppressors.
This in spite of our immediate campaign to construct 2 large and enormously expensive war ships. I myself find them hideously overpriced and utterly unnecessary, but in an effort to quell the ranks of the critics on the extreme right, I signed the papers and ultimately my wife was the one to break champagne over their over-budget bows. Aggressive enough, I should think.
And that particular alien vessel -- a tiny little capsule really, barely capable of supporting a dozen life forms -- departed our system as quickly and mysteriously as it came. In fact, some of our most prominent political officers in the Gravitics University have evidence that this capsule was entirely robotic, and could possibly be nothing more than a remnant of some ancient civilization, long since gone from our star cluster. It stayed for barely a week -- FIVE YEARS AGO. Nothing else has happened since.
In fact, even the vaguely friendly Tilkatians have sent their diplomatic friendship mission on to other uncharted systems, secure in the knowledge that they have found true friends, here in Consortium space.
My good friends, this is the second time in our history that there has come back from the outer orbits to our beloved Ancient Temple peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And now I recommend you to go home and sleep quietly in your beds.
* * *
10 Economic units to whoever gets the reference first.
We finally fixed our naval production line, and have 2 large warships ready for action. One will provide high cover for the home system, and one for OfflineCache. Either one is enough to blow away any transport/scout that should fall within its sight lines many times over.
Mining technology has finally been brought up to match Manufacturing and we are in economic synch again. Production is therefore up, but our disposable income has gone down considerably -- warship maintenance is EXPENSIVE!
Clearly we are going to need to redouble our efforts to beef up the economy. If we need to float an Escort for every system we control, we're going to need a lot more cash. Or we need to set up a few more transport behemoths and move large quantities of planetary-defense materiel to the out-systems.
More tough choices. And now, with the looming presence of aliens lingering just beyond sight, every choice becomes a whole range of other missed opportunities. The game is on indeed...
...And now, my fellow Consorts, we come to the topic of the so-called "alien invasion" of our home system. Many of our countrymen have taken to the press to criticize our handling of interstellar relations, particularly with regard to the "hostile" alien scout vessel detected just outside the outermost planet of our beloved home. The most common complaint was that the action we were taking was not nearly aggressive enough, and that soon we'd all be enslaved by these phantom oppressors.
This in spite of our immediate campaign to construct 2 large and enormously expensive war ships. I myself find them hideously overpriced and utterly unnecessary, but in an effort to quell the ranks of the critics on the extreme right, I signed the papers and ultimately my wife was the one to break champagne over their over-budget bows. Aggressive enough, I should think.
And that particular alien vessel -- a tiny little capsule really, barely capable of supporting a dozen life forms -- departed our system as quickly and mysteriously as it came. In fact, some of our most prominent political officers in the Gravitics University have evidence that this capsule was entirely robotic, and could possibly be nothing more than a remnant of some ancient civilization, long since gone from our star cluster. It stayed for barely a week -- FIVE YEARS AGO. Nothing else has happened since.
In fact, even the vaguely friendly Tilkatians have sent their diplomatic friendship mission on to other uncharted systems, secure in the knowledge that they have found true friends, here in Consortium space.
My good friends, this is the second time in our history that there has come back from the outer orbits to our beloved Ancient Temple peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And now I recommend you to go home and sleep quietly in your beds.
* * *
10 Economic units to whoever gets the reference first.
We finally fixed our naval production line, and have 2 large warships ready for action. One will provide high cover for the home system, and one for OfflineCache. Either one is enough to blow away any transport/scout that should fall within its sight lines many times over.
Mining technology has finally been brought up to match Manufacturing and we are in economic synch again. Production is therefore up, but our disposable income has gone down considerably -- warship maintenance is EXPENSIVE!
Clearly we are going to need to redouble our efforts to beef up the economy. If we need to float an Escort for every system we control, we're going to need a lot more cash. Or we need to set up a few more transport behemoths and move large quantities of planetary-defense materiel to the out-systems.
More tough choices. And now, with the looming presence of aliens lingering just beyond sight, every choice becomes a whole range of other missed opportunities. The game is on indeed...