Issue #62
Monday, April 17th, 2006Planet Busting Successful
A new weapon was unleashed early last week on the defenseless and unsuspecting populace of Usube. Those that survived the initial blast had a few minutes to live as the surface of Usube was literally stripped of all living life. The blast turned the once thriving planet of Usube into a radiated wasteland.
Initial reports indicate a nearly meaningless number of survivors. The test of the weapon could be considered a success.
But success for whom?
Empire intelligence has long been monitoringx reports that the Federation had been developing planet busting weapons. Preliminary scans from the remnants of Usube show signs of these same weapons. The Federation, however, claims that they have been exploring the POTENTIAL for such weapons and had not, in fact, actually developed weapons of such immense power.
With the knowledge that the Federation had been developing weapons of various kinds (the released Z series drones being just one of them), the Empire demanded the federation cease all research on weapons of this magnitude and disassemble those weapons (and prototypes) already in existence. Claiming the explosion was sabotage, the Federation refused.
The Empire felt that had no choice but to obtain the weapons by force and declared war. Whether the explosion was legitimate test by the Federation, a setup by the Empire, or sabotage by some third party, we may never know.
Have friends, relatives, or associates on Usube during the attack? Please contact the Usube Survival Group for more information.
WAR!
And so it begins. Another war between the Federation and the Empire.
To say it was a shock was an understatement as pilots on both sides tried to grasp the implications at being at war. It varied a bit depending on whether citizens were part of the Empire or the Federation. The Empire looks to have been much more prepared for such a possibility. The alliance owned MO’s were closed and citizens in Empire space were generally comfortable with their safety.
However, Federation citizens and alliances seem to have adopted more of a “sit back and wait” attitude of neutrality. Little has been said from the Federation Rashkir territory – their proximity to the Empire makes it quite a trip for any attackers. The Federation Human core, however, may have a serious problem due to their lack of alliance owned MO’s and their close proximity to the Empire.
And then, of course, there are the alliances and traders inhabiting the West and South Pardus Rim – the main corridors between Empire and Federation space. With the war here, alliances in the SPR/WPR will need to be much more careful in their travels - even in their own backyard.
Lastly, there are the neutral citizens, who don’t really care one way or another. In fact, in the right circumstances, neutral citizens could make out rather well, but that remains to be seen…
The War – Early Conflicts
So far the war has seemed to be entirely one sided as the Imperials have taken the offensive and flooded into Federation space. While there have been losses on both sides, the Imperials seem to more than have the upper hand in terms of fighters, experience, and organization. The ‘neutrality’ that the major Federation alliances have taken will not last long as Imperial fighters continue to infiltrate and destroy Federation ships and infrastructure.
MERC, Ruby Legion, TSO, and Imperial Guard have all announced their intentions to kill as many Feds as possible (with some exceptions due to NAP’s and such). Other Empire based alliances and individuals are joining in as well with the sole intention of making the Federation pay for their actions on Usube. What will one side or the other consider for victory? It’s unclear.
But hope is not lost for the Federation. Rumors have surfaced that the Federation is hastily trying to re-erect some old defenses and get a solid battle plan together. The Empire tried to hold the Federation down once before and failed to destroy the Federation. Had it not been for Union involvement, there’s no telling what might have happened. Without the Union’s direct involvement this time, it will be interesting to see exactly how the Federation fares.
OOC Note from the editor: While the killing of newbies of the opposite faction IS allowed, it is generally considered bad form. Everyone please try to use SOME discretion when it comes to warring with the opposite faction. Thanks.
Introducing – The Union
The Union. We never thought we’d see them again after their treachery long ago, but space lanes have once again opened up and the Union is once again among us. The fact that their reappearance happens to coincide with the inhumane destruction of Usube has some questioning the true nature of the reappearance of the Union. Many suspect that they are no different now than what they were when they left.
However, the Union is slowly but surely gathering a following. Many traders appreciate the trading philosophy of the Union. Other pilots simply do not want to be in a war and have joined the union. Some members of the Federation are simply disgusted with the Usube incident that they’ve left and joined the Union. The Union seems to be attracting a variety of races from all corners of the universe with a goal of reestablishing themselves as an independent power.
Several Union alliances have already been created to assist in the development and prospering of Union space. Razened, Quicksilver Inc, and Union Coordination Council are just a sample. Other Union based alliances will likely be established as well as the expansion of existing alliances into Union space. One interesting aspect that has come up already is the establishment of Fed/Empire starbases within Union space. Seeing as Union space is fledgling, the ability to rank in Union space will be a bit crippled should the landscape be littered with non-Union starbases. Union alliances have made a habit of shooting down any non-Union trade outpost that has been going up. The response these alliances have been receiving is that the outpost owner was going to transfer or change to Union after the base became official. Either way, tension is slowly mounting in the Union area in the first week of existence.
Chat with Alathaniel
Despite the fact that TST was located in the neutral zone, there were very good reasons to keep tabs on the war (for both newsworthy and personal reasons). Through the public channels, all I’d heard was that Imperial forces were storming through Federation space, killing at will with little/no resistance from the Federation. Hoping the Federation would not simply roll over and play dead, I decided to contact one of the higher ranking officers in the Federation from Fed’s biggest alliance, The Triad, and gather some of his thoughts on the situation. Fortunately, Alathaniel was able to squeeze me into his obviously busy schedule.
Tribune: Let’s start off with the beginning. Usube was destroyed by a massive planet busting weapon. Many Federation citizens have quit the Federation in disgust over the happenings on Usube. What are your thoughts on the entire Usube destruction?
Shock, followed by horror and outrage that someone would do such a thing. My most recent visit to Usube was as part of a Federal recon team. When we arrived, almost a day after the incident, you could still see the glow of fires and lingering radiation from orbit on the dayside. Barbaric doesn’t even begin to describe anyone who would do something like this deliberately.
I don’t believe anyone in the Federation was behind it. While I’m not an expert on the subject, any kind of planetkiller weapon would require massive expenditures of resources and materials - too many for bureaucratic obfuscation to conceal, especially after the last war and expenditures on the failed Z-series.
Tribune: Do you believe it was fair for the Empire to declare war with the evidence they had?
An entire world was wiped out. Something had to be done. Given how some of the Imperial nobility has been clamoring for war since even before the Ghost Town incident? War over what happened on Usube was inevitable I think. As for fair? When shooting is involved, I’ve found that fair is often the first thing to be tossed out the airlocks.
Tribune: What are your thoughts on possible Union involvement?
Bad news, if even half the rumors I’ve heard from the last war are true. War is expensive enough without the inevitable profiteering. But deliberately inflaming a war for even more profit is the treason of the worst sort. The Union’s recent emergence from seclusion when the Usube incident occurred is suspicious enough that it deserves closer investigation.
Tribune: Ok, on to the war. Everything I’ve seen so far shows the Imperials having a distinct advantage over the Federation. They seem to be more organized, better fortified, and all-in-all seem to have the upper hand. What is your view on the matter?
Well, I don’t have a complete picture of the entire situation, but I do know what things are like in Human core. The situation is quite tense - I had to shoot my way through an imperial ambush shortly before this conversation, in fact. But the fact is that all we’re facing is solo raiders, here for a pat on the head and a promotion. Their methods and tactics have been no different from pirate’s we’ve faced before - all that’s changed is the missiles and the crest on the bow. If there’s any co-ordination among the imperial forces, I’ve yet to hear of it within Federation space.
Tribune: Without giving away any classified information (obviously) what is Triad doing to help give hope to Federation citizens?
For starters, the old Triad/Ranger MO line has been rebuilt. It may seem to be a case of too little, too late, but the fact is that plan had been in motion since well before the war began. Anyone raiding in human core now has only one way in - and one way out. The smarter ones left as soon as they heard the wall was up, so they didn’t get boxed in. Because the rest of the entrances to Fed space - all of Fed space - are getting sealed off. And sealed by the line officers, since it’s obvious FEDNAV HQ is too busy fixing whatever lowest-bidder centralized system they used to allocate resources properly.
Then there’s the Admirals. Imperial propaganda has been wondering what they’ve been up to, since their names have been conspicuously absent from GNN. The answer to that is simple - they’re focusing on kicking the raiders out so we can get off the defensive. Not wasting their time heading for empire space to blow up trade ships in solo ambushes and brag loudly to the galaxy about their glorious deeds.
Tribune: I know of at least one Federation alliance that is (or was) complying with a NAP with an Empire alliance. It seems that this type of NAP would increase pressure on other Federation alliances. Does Triad currently have any NAPs of this type and what are your thoughts on them?
I assume you’re referring to FTS? To be honest, I’ve mixed feelings on the subject. I’ve always respected them, and until the war started we were working alongside them to clean up piracy in the human core for good. FTS may have a large contingent in Federation space, but that wasn’t always true. Their leadership is neutral at heart, and always has been. But sooner or later I think someone is going to see an FTS ship with a Federal Navy transponder, and decide the Emperor is more important than a piece of paper.
Tribune: Victory in this type of war is tough to define. What would you consider a victory?
Anything less than forcing the Empire to stay out of Federal space will be at most a draw. Actual victory? That’s a question for the Admiralty. As far as I’m concerned, the real assaults - by either side - haven’t begun yet.
I had a list of other questions when Alathaniel’s datapad beeped. He took a quick look at it and cursed before excusing himself from the room. I sat there for a few uncomfortable minutes wondering whether I should remain seated or pack up before a guard came in and escorted me back to my ship. I guess the interview was over. That’s ok, I had a feeling the war was going to last awhile. There would be plenty of time to talk to Alathaniel again in the future.
Attack of the Electrons
During their isolation, the Union had ample time to develop technology well above and beyond technology used by both the Federation and the Empire. While the Federation was to specialize in their ships, and the Empire to specialize in weapons and missiles, the Union looks to have specialized in their equipment.
The Union have developed the Ebidium armor – a class above the best armor used by the Fed or Empire. They have developed larger and quicker restoring shields – none of which are several classes above shields used by the Fed or Empire. Additionally, they’ve developed advanced ECCM jammers and anti-jammers as well as cloaking devices. All devices used to help keep the Union’s ships out of harm’s way.
As to the effectiveness of said devices in the vastness of space? Stay tuned.
Sektor Nine Retires
A long time trader and loyal citizen o the Empire retired recently. Now pilots retiring isn’t exactly something new, but when the pilot retires as the richest pilot that ever lived, well, that’s something to talk about. Sektor Nine paid for his own retirement bash with attendees by all four races, and more than 2000 guests. The best food from around the galaxy was brought in for this glorious occasion. The party was deemed by all to be a roaring success. Here’s hoping Sektor Nine enjoys a peaceful retirement!