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The Federation of Mars

9 (37.5%)

The Outer Systems Republic

15 (62.5%)

Total Members Voted: 23

[Lorknis]

It'd probably be more efficient to just use auto mines on asteroids. If put manned missions on the asteroid, we'd basically never get that infrastructure back since terraforming an asteroid seems silly to me.   

[Azzuro]

Ny Enhet, Ganymede - 20th February 2100

Code: [Select]

Quiver class Fighter Base    12 150 tons     170 Crew     1207.2 BP      TCS 243  TH 0  EM 0
Armour 5-47     Sensors 1/0     Damage Control Rating 0     PPV 0
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    Flight Crew Berths 3   
Hangar Deck Capacity 11000 tons     


This design is classed as a Planetary Defence Centre and can be pre-fabricated in 5 sections

Europa Governor Karlito announces the construction of a large subsurface military installation, the Quiver-class Fighter Base, in order to house the new Falcon-class void fighters and maintain them planetside without the need of a carrier. The first, RNB Tapperhet, will be located in Khensu Crater just 40 kilometers away, to protect the Republic capital. Work on the mining expansion is paused and a considerable amount of industry is diverted to excavate and construct the base, which will be complete in two months.

Out in deep space, the RVS Andes is directed to survey the 'Trojan camp' of the Jupiter trojans on its way to continue the survey of the main asteroid belt.

Aubernia, Mars - 23rd February 2100



After an intense marketing campaign, the Coates Group civilian colony ship departs for Mercury, carrying a load of homesteaders eager to seek their fortunes on the furnace world. Much of Mercury's surface is as yet untouched by settlement, and the five Mercurian cantons account for only 2% of seats in the Federation Senate. The Republic Embassy also reports that so far, official government channels have neither encouraged nor discouraged the civilian colonial venture.

Abroad RVS Andes, Trojan Camp Asteroids - 25th February 2100, 12:15 UTC

The Andes discovers TNE deposits on Comet Schaumasse and the asteroid Troilus. It now sets course to continue the survey of the asteroid belt.

Code: (Schaumasse) [Select]

Mercassium 20 868 (0.8)

Code: (Troilus) [Select]

Corundium 2 511 (1)
Abroad RVS Andes, Asteroid Belt - 30th February 2100, 20:40 UTC



Major TNE deposits are found on the comets Wolf-Harrington and Machholz within the asteroid belt, most importantly a deposit of 124 thousands tons of Tritanium on Machholz.

Code: (Wolf-Harrington) [Select]

Duranium 19 226 (1)  Neutronium 62 830 (0.5)  Mercassium 9 134 (0.5)

Code: (Machholz) [Select]

Tritanium 124 654 (0.8)  Boronide 49 212 (0.5)  Vendarite 34 200 (0.8)
Within a day, TNEs are also detected on asteroids Psyche and Hekate.

Code: (Psyche) [Select]

Neutronium 9 000 (0.9)  Tritanium 15 845 (1)  Corundium 4 887 (0.9)  Gallicite 13 493 (1)

Code: (Hekate) [Select]

Corbomite 11 210 (1)  Uridium 16 978 (1)
Aubernia, Mars - 5th March 2100

The Federation announces its claim to the main-belt asteroid Aurelia, the closest asteroid to its unmanned colony on Astraea, also informing the Republic embassy of an overlapping 10 million km exclusion cordon. State media broadcasts holotours of an automine, although Republic intelligence analysts cannot definitively confirm that it is on Aurelia and not Astraea.

Abroad RVS Andes, Asteroid Belt - 8th March 2100, 15:50 UTC

TNE deposits are found on the asteroids Ariadne, Artemis and Melpomene.

Code: (Ariadne) [Select]

Neutronium 8 821 (0.9)  Tritanium 15 611 (1)  Corundium 12 457 (1)

Code: (Artemis) [Select]

Neutronium 2 809 (1)  Vendarite 900 (1)

Code: (Melpomene) [Select]

Boronide 36 (1)  Vendarite 1 296 (1)
Abroad RVS Andes, Asteroid Belt - 14th March 2100, 14:40 UTC



The Andes makes a close approach to the Federation colonies of Aurelia and Astraea when surveying the asteroid Klotho, 2.6 million km outside from the Aurelia exclusion cordon. There is no hail by Federation stations, nor any signs that the Federation is aware of its presence. The captain, Commander Mitchell, is nonetheless careful to skirt the cordon on his way to the next asteroid Liguria after detecting Duranium veins within the asteroid.

Code: (Klotho) [Select]

Duranium 20 000 (1) Uridium 49 (1)
Epigeus City, Ganymede - 15th March 2100



The very first Falcon flies out of the Ganymede Aerospace fabricators in a widely televised ceremony involving CEO Hanzoku. It will form the nucleus of a new unit of void fighters, for the moment designated Squadron #1. Until RNB Tapperhet is operational, fighters will be housed on the carrier RVS Moksha, now in orbit around Ganymede along with its gunboat wing.

Out in the belt, TNE deposits are found on the asteroids Euphrosyne and Chicago.

Code: (Euphrosyne) [Select]

Duranium 4 471 (1)  Tritanium 1 474 (1)  Mercassium 8 493 (1)  Vendarite 15 415 (0.9)

Code: (Chicago) [Select]

Duranium 19 700 (1)  Corbomite 5 171 (1)  Vendarite 3 482 (0.9)  Uridium 4 914 (1)
Aubernia, Mars - 28th March 2100

The Federation makes its third asteroid claim, this time to the Ariadne asteroid on the inner edge of the main belt, close to the current location of Mars. As usual, the Federation government shows off its automatic mining efforts and imposes a 10 million km exclusion cordon. In an classified message, the Republic embassy notes that no administrator has yet been announced for the colony, perhaps indicating a lack of qualified leaders for the position.

On Ganymede and Europa, there is small-scale discontent at the latest Federation claim. Some believe the Federation is too expansionist, while others call for the Republic to match them.


Location of Ariadne in the belt. Ariadne is known to have deposits of Neutronium, Tritanium and Corundium.

Any suggestions on fighter unit organisation and naming? And any suggestions on how to respond to the Federation, if needed?

[TalonisWolf]

It appears that the Federation is claiming resources and territory quite aggressively- perhaps we should grab the more valuable deposits before the Feds do?

[Lorknis]

I concur, we should probably match them in the least when it comes to asteroid mines. I propose that we mine Wolf-Harrington, Machholz, Psyche, and Klotho.

[Azzuro]

I concur, we should probably match them in the least when it comes to asteroid mines. I propose that we mine Wolf-Harrington, Machholz, Psyche, and Klotho.

Any preference for the order in which we do this, or how many automines to place on each? We currently have five freighters with one cargo hold each, so if you split them up you can place one automine on all four simultaneously, five mines on one asteroid at a time, or any other permutation thereof.

Oh, and also the comet Wolf-Harrington is 'inbound' toward the sun, if you compare the last and third last pics of the update. The Federation may not be too happy once it crosses into the inner system proper with our mining colony on it.

[Lorknis]

May as well put a mine on each one of them. Even if the Wolf asteroid passes by the Federation, it'll probably be fine.

[Karlito]

I don't think we should be in a rush to set up mining in the asteroid belt. For one thing, we actually lose some mineral income from moving mines off Io. Plus if we claim a bunch of belt asteroids it's bound to lead to tensions with the Federation later. We have much better claim to the Trojans and Kuiper belt for future expansion. I wonder if we shouldn't just try to preemptively divvy up the system's mineral rights, Treaty of Tordesillas style.

[Azzuro]

Ny Enhet, Ganymede - 28th March 2100

Opinion is divided within the upper echelons of Republic government on how to respond to recent Federation claims in the asteroid belt. Ganymede Governor Lorknis presents his plans to establish automated mining colonies on the asteroids Psyche and Klotho, and the comets Wolf-Harrington and Machholz, in order to match Federation colonization efforts. However, Europa Governor Karlito argues against this plan, pointing out the loss in mineral output from relocating automines off Io, and possible diplomatic tensions with the Federation's existing colonies.



After a close vote in the Republic Congress, a slight majority of representatives vote to enact Governor Lorknis' plan. Freighters are dispatched to drop off one automine each per asteroid and comet.

Abroad RVS Andes, Asteroid Belt - 4th April 2100, 22:30 UTC

TNE deposits are found on the asteroids Diana and Sappho, in the 'southern' portion of the belt.

Code: (Diana) [Select]

Tritanium 6 084 (1)

Code: (Sappho) [Select]

Corundium 23 800 (1)
Psyche Station - 6th April 2100



Freighter groups unload a single mine each on the asteroid Psyche and comets Wolf-Harrington and Machholz before returning to Ganymede. The fourth asteroid, Klotho, is an additional day's travel away owing to the need to skirt the inner system.

On Aubernia, Republic diplomats inform the Federation of the three mining colonies established, along with a 10 million km cordon of space around them. While the Federation acknowledges the claim to Psyche, Federation diplomats lodge a protest over the cordons around Wolf-Harrington and Machholz as these bodies move over a large distance in their orbits. In particular, the Federation government notes that Wolf-Harrington will pass within the inner system soon and thus within their sphere of influence. The embassy notes that within Federation media, officials publicly say that internal Federation void shipping will not be diverted around Machholz once the comet crosses Mars orbit.

Within the Republic, approval ratings for the government instantly surge once the colonization claims are announced. Civilian Administrators John Newman and Xue Qiong Na are confirmed as Governors of Psyche and Machholz respectively. Unfortunately, as the Republic lacks any more qualified civilian administrators, the post of governor of Wolf-Harrington and any future colonies will have to be left vacant for the interim.

Freighter FT Amirani 005, Asteroid Belt - 6th April 2100, 22:40 UTC



As the lone freighter Amirani 005 approaches within 33 million km of Aurelia, the ship registers a hail from a Federation ansible on Aurelia. A crisp female voice announces, "Attention Republic vessel, this is Administrator Brennan of Federal Aurelia. What is your destination?"

[Hanzoku]

((Probably shouldn't actually say this, but... "Hi, we're your new next door neighbors, and we're just moving in today! We'd send over a fruit basket and some wine, but we know that the Federation is a bit antsy about people stepping on their space-flowers."

That said, we really need to get that treaty on free civilian movement rolling, before the asteroid belt becomes impassible without violating one or more exclusion zones.))

[Azzuro]

Office of the Republic Diplomatic Service: Obscure, Obfuscate, Overstate

Ny Enhet, Ganymede - 8th January 2100
At the Federation embassy, Europa Governor Karlito broaches the idea of a diplomatic summit in person between the two powers to negotiate freedoms of travel in space. Ambassador Patel replies that while the Federation is tentatively interested in such a meeting, senior Federation leaders are not willing to travel to Republic worlds without the escort of Federation military ships to guarantee their safety, and the Republic Navy is adamantly opposed to any such transits. She intuits that if suitable neutral ground can be agreed upon along with military escort, then such a summit would be possible.

Sir, this was the last communique regarding a possible diplomatic summit between us and the Federation, dated nearly four months ago. If you wish, we can try approaching the Federation embassy again, although present circumstances are not conducive to diplomatic outreach.

With regards to the freighter Amirani 005, we are not yet within the exclusion cordon of either Astraea or Aurelia, which are 10 million km in radius. Amirani 005 is currently 33 million km from Aurelia, and will pass to 12.6 million km away at closest approach, which is the distance of the asteroid Klotho from Aurelia.

If you have any immediate suggestions on what response (if any) to reply the Federation hail, please send them in.

[Lorknis]

I suppose there is only one way to respond to their hails:

"This is Amirani 005, our destination is the Klotho stellar body."

We'll try to keep this brief and if they ask us why our ship is heading there, we shouldn't lie and be honest about just placing an auto mine there. While I wish no ill will to the Federation, we mustn't look weak in their eyes. But perhaps more importantly, we musn't look weak to our citizens.

[Azzuro]

Freighter FT Amirani 005, Asteroid Belt - 6th April 2100, 22:40 UTC

"This is Amirani 005, our destination is the Klotho stellar body." The captain of Amirani 005, one unremarkable Lieutenant Commander Joe Hartley, delivers his line in an emotionless monotone, but his palms sweat as he rereads the message locked to his personal console. -reply briefly-do not lie about your mission-DO NOT LOOK WEAK! Internally, he wonders how he is to accomplish the latter.



Seconds drift past into minutes with the serene grace of a Jovian cyclone, as he awaits the inevitable question of their purposes.

Callisto Deep Space Monitor Array, Callisto - 6th April 2100, 23:31 UTC



The Callisto Monitor Array picks up the thermal drive signature of a Federation freighter breaking Lunar orbit at 2326hrs. Parse algorithms quickly flag this as important, and within five minutes Republic analysts confirm the freighter's general heading toward the Astraea region of the asteroid belt. Current tracking is insufficient to extrapolate its exact target, but at current speed, she will take just over three days to reach Astraea if that is her destination.

Freighter FT Amirani 005, Asteroid Belt - 6th April 2100, 23:31 UTC

The incoming message blossoms abruptly across the bridge's viewscreen, rousing the crew into alertness after the better part of an hour spent waiting.

"Amirani 005, you are to divert your course. The asteroid Klotho, and surrounding space out to ten million kilometers, is claimed as sovereign Federation territory, and you are not permitted to approach. Amirani 005, reply to confirm your change of course."

The message is rebroadcast to Ganymede to an emergency teleconference of available Congress representatives. After a stunned moment, the feeds dissolves into uproar and a babble of overlapping voices.


Amirani 005 is now 21.4m km out from Klotho, and 28.4m km from Aurelia.

[Hanzoku]

The Federation is trying to make us back down and look weak over something so minor as asteroid claims.

I suggest putting down the mine - we made our claim known in advance and will be first to have feet on the ground. Be prepared to put a garrison battalion in place as well if the Federation wants to rattle sabers.

[Lorknis]

The Federation is trying to make us back down and look weak over something so minor as asteroid claims.

I suggest putting down the mine - we made our claim known in advance and will be first to have feet on the ground. Be prepared to put a garrison battalion in place as well if the Federation wants to rattle sabers.

I agree since the Federation wouldn't be so petty as to go to war over a simple mine, I hope.

[Karlito]

We might as well go through with dropping the mine. If the Federation is crazy enough to start shooting over this then it wouldn't have been worth negotiating with them in the first place. Otherwise, since we'll have to work out a more long-term agreement for Sol system mineral rights, I wouldn't mind giving up the colony and maybe some of the other belt ones for other assurances.