NationStates Jolt Archive

The sky trembled with fear.

It did not know fear, yet it trembled with what might be considered 'fear' nontheless.

The only warship 'on the racks' this past month vaulted from the mammoth pit in which it had been stored, displacing millions of tons of air as its MI cores generated the 'false vacuum' which allowed it to even move in an atmosphere...

But this ship is not of any class previously built by the Empire: it is the new flagship, based upon the basic superstructural design that IDF SN designers had been planning to present to CENNA, for the construction of the once-planned Commonwealth class warship.

But this is not the full ship. This is the part of the warship known only, for now, as 'component B'.

'Component A' is lifted into the sky a few moments later, carried by thousands of worker bees - small unmanned craft fitted with MI cores, their power supplied from the ground via microwave power beams - and, within just a few minutes, the two halves of the warship slip together and hermetic seals clamp down, holding the two halves in place temporarily.

A laser lances out from an emitter on the ground, bathing the new ship in greenish-brown light for a mere instant... and triggering nanomachines that coat the two half-ships along the area where they seal together. Superheating themselves over the next sixty seconds, the nanomachines self-terminate - but form a strong, high-strength seal between the ships. The hermetic seals release for a moment-

And the ship holds together. The booming sound of the seals clamping back into place explodes outwards again, again startling wildlife in the land surrounding the Mount Tumnore Experimental Construction Facility.

The newly completed warship lifts into the sky - already crewed, in point of fact (so confident were the IDF SN of the smooth success of the operation - overconfident, perhaps) and heads towards orbit. It is a severe divergance from previous EOTED designs: the only common attribute it has with it's preceding classes of ship is the absolute grace and smoothly curving shape of its form. It's not-at-all-blunt nosecone swirls, as usual, with curves extending into infinity... and reaching back, swirling all the way around the warship to the tail, where another nosecone sits. Instead of the usual symmetry (excluding the nose-cone) of an EOTED warship, this ship has rotational symmetry on one axis alone; and every single fold of the hull extends further outwards towards the centre, sweeping back inwards from the centre back to the swirling 'rear' nosecone. As a consequence, the warship is thicker than previous models: she is nearly one-point-six kilometres long, and nearly three quarters as deep and wide. One-point-two kilometres deep and wide, and one-point-six kilometres long, she is the largest warship ever constructed in the Empire by far - dwarfing previous ships to the extreme. And every single 'fold' of her hull holds gunports...

...she is clearly an instrument of destruction. A strike ship. A predator. She bears no markings, however; no nameplate, no registry number: her naming ceremony has not yet taken place.

Unchallenged by the air she pushes through effortlessly - her eight prototype Type IV NSF generaters producing enough energy to propel her at flank acceleration without sacrificing the barely-visible PDEF grid - she surges into the sky, a dull and relentless roar trailing behind her sleek but bulky form.

The several thousand observers on Mount Tumnore, however, have but on question upon their lips: will the damnable beast they just launched be worth the four-and-a-half trillion US dollars spent on developing and building her and the bleeding-edge equipment inside her?

* * *

One Hour Later: Vilya Elenoston Space

The fleet had dispersed to allow their new flagship to pull alongside the smoothly spherical Sol Orbital Colony of Vilya Elenosto (in point of fact, the Colony is still in Earth orbit, but nobody disputes the name). The inhabitants of Vilya Elenosto - all nine hundred of them, currently - rush to the VisiWalls on the outer deck of the Colony. It's quite a scramble, in fact, despite the fact that the new warship will be sitting outside for quite some time.

Silently (of course), she comes to rest.

* * *

"The Empire of the Eternal Dawn invites its allies to send representatives to Vilya Elenosto for the official launch of that Colony on its historic journey to the area of stellar space currently designated in the Empire as Alpha-Zero-Zero-Zero.

"Furthermore, we invite our allies to send military representatives to the naming ceremony of the new IDF SN warship, the IDSS Syrnë Ahcarynca - the first EOTED warship to be named in Nenyan instead of English or Quenya. The name, in English, is Glorious Eagle. In Quenya, Alcarinqua Sornë. She is the first of the new class of warship, the Syrnë-class, which we openly define as a DSA-II dreadnought.

"Non-military observers from non-allies are welcome to visit Vilya Elenosto. Vilya Elenosto has a 'no weapons' policy; no arms of any variety are permitted aboard the Colony. Furthermore, despite the obvious inconveniance, all boarders will have to go through decontamination procedure to prevent a punctured equilibrium scenario.

"We look forward to welcoming our friends to Vilya Elenosto."

~ High Lord Aglar ux-Rihad of Vilya Elenosto (CINC IDF SN-VEA; ATCINC IDF SN)

[OOC: Some notes on Nenyan:

Nenyan is derived from Quenya. Many of the changes in words are merely due to lingual shift; a tendency to replace the 'vowel-r' ('er', 'ir', and so on) combination with 'y' is especially common. In Nenyan, 'y' is a vowel, and as such is open. The pronunciation of Syrnë Ahcarynca in phoenetic English is: 'sir-NEE ah-kARin-KAR'. Capitals are used to indicated emphasis. Emphasis in Nenyan is always on the last syllable - for example, va'endë (maiden), is pronounced var-en-DEE. Likewise, apaar (after), is pronounced 'ap-ARR'. The only exception to this rule is the 'double syllabilic rule'. This rule states that, if two syllables are combined (always as the middle syllable of a word), then the first 'half' of the double-syllable is emphasized as well as the last syllable - as in 'ah-KARin-KAR' (Ahcarynca). For pronunciation rules, see the notes at the back of LotR - Quenya and Nenyan pronunciation are virtually identical, excepting Nenyan-unique words... of which none are mentioned here.

One last note: Imperial Nenyan is always spoken quickly; Common Nenyan is spoken slowly. Good speakers are expected, therefore, to speak in Imperial Nenyan.

Notes (OOC information only; only width, depth, height and mass information is available ICly, as well as Assault Classification type) on the Syrnë-class warship:

Class: Syrnë
IDF Assault Classification: Type Zero DSA-II Dreadnought
Length: 1.6km
Depth: 1.2km (deepest point)
Width: 1.2km (widest point)
Momentous mass: 182,000,000 metric tons (approximate)
Power: Eight Type IV NSF cores
Power storage: Two hundred sixty one Type III SCBCs
Energy output: 20gW
Energy storage threshold: 35gW hours
Crew: 45
C&CUs: T/C/S SSASI, Type I (mk4); ICAS Type Alpha
Armour: N/A
Offensive Armarment: 15 DFK-ELS 'rolling' guntubes; 25 AD-ECs; 250 SA guntubes; 78 ELS guntubes
Defensive Armament: 1 fully skin-integrated PDEF grid; 100% coverage; high-end power consumption (4476ds/s)
Engines: Three IDFRD VMI/TPCs (Mark VIIIs)
Mounted launch systems: Yes
Total MLS: 25
Gunports: Yes
Total gunports: 343
Stellar drive: One Mark I IsnCo T-drive
Standard assault capability example, Type I engagement scenario (fleet-to-flee combat begun): 93mps; 5580mpmA; 2790mpmB


Abbreviations:

IDF: Imperial Defense Forces
NSF core: Nanoscopic Friction core
SCBC: Superconductive Battery Coil
DFK-ELS: Direct-Fire Kinetic/Electronic Launch System
AD-EC: Arm-Deployed Elecron-Cannon
IDF VMI/TPC: Imperial Defence Forces Variable Magnetic Impetus Triumsys Propulsion Core
T-drive: Transitional drive
SA: Small-arms
DSA: Deep Standoff Assault
C&CU: Command & Control Unit
T/C/S SSASIC&CU: Targeting(andTracking)Communications(and)Sensor Sub-Sentient Artificial Semantic Intelligence Command&Control Unit
ICAS: Independant Calculation Augmentation System
mps: missiles per second
mpmA: missiles per minute (full assault protocol)
mpmB: missiles per minute (half-assault protocol)
ds/s: Defensive shots per second

Definitions/explanations:

NSF core: A power core utilizing nanoscopic magnetized particulate iron and a powerful EMH. Identical to classic power generation techniques (magnet-in-a-coil, coil-in-a-magnet), but designated as 'self-feeding'. Not really a power core, but rather a power storage device, the NSF core depends on fairly frequent exposure to planetary EMFs. Directly linked to the MI cores.

SCBC: A superconductive coil based battery back. 1.34mW (approximate) storage per coil (Type III).

ELS: Electronic Launch System. The bog-standard drop-and-forget launch system; can fire virtually any adapted self-propelled missile, ranging from EFMs to YBMs. 1:1 firing ratio, when coupled with the rolling guntube system.

DFK-ELS: A 'direct fire' kinetic missile launch system. Similar to a rail gun, but equally similar to a mass-driver, a DFK-ELS actually fires missiles from the tube as opposed to the usual system utilized by EOTED MLSs (missile launch systems) - a normal EOTED MLS simply drops the missile, allowing the projectice to attain velocity under its own power. Allows much, much faster acceleration to the target velocity of the DFKM (direct fire kinetic missile). Requires a specialized missile; KKMs (kinetic kill missiles) cannot be fired by a DFK-ELS launch system.

Rolling guntube: A rapid-deployment missile rack system. Rotating deployment arms hold several missiles or more and deploy them to the tube, allowing a 1:1 firing ratio.

AD-EC: A particle weapon. The E-cannon fires a steady stream of electrons and protons at the target. Close-range space weapon, although it can be utilized over fairly long distances inside an atmosphere; however, energy consumption is very restrictive. Deployed on a 3-axis swivel-mount arm, meaning that the weapon is subject to rather restrictive firing arcs. The weapon is a direct descendant of electron-flux based weapons developed by the Empire.

SA: Small-arms. Small arms canisters contain iron fines, and a small concussive explosive device. Best utilized in stellar space. Not self-propulsive.

IDF VMI/TPC: A triple-role magnetic impetus propulsion system. Primary role is for propulsion, but the EM field is highly variable (in comparison to the IDF MI/DPCs used on strike aircraft), allowing for tertiary use as a local-area detection device. Secondary role is, in fact, a side-effect of the propulsive system; one of the side-effects of an MI field is the production of a small false-vacuum.

T/C/S SSASIC&CU: An artificial intelligence (sub-sentient) responsible for a number of tasks. Designed to improve crew-to-ship ratio, and directly responsible for the co-ordination of the point defense grid on any EOTED asset.

ICAS: An independant computation device responsible for calculations. As ASIs (artificial semantic intelligences) are incapable of mathematical calculation - whether sentient or sub-sentient - they are dependant on external calculation systems. The ICAS provides for that requirement.

DSA I & IIs: Warships designed to operate as part of a fleet (or, in less than ideal situations, without), and designated as a primary strike asset. Designed to operate in 'deep standoff' position in fleet formations, behind carrier group(s) defensive grids. In singular bilateral combat, designed to engage from extreme range. The DSA I is the Retribution-class; DSA II is the Syrnë-class.]

(OOC: Someone's obviously put a lot of effort into this, *two thumbs up*

Disguised friendly bump)

(OOC: Someone's obviously put a lot of effort into this, *two thumbs up*

Disguised friendly bump)

*seconds*

Though it is a friggin' expensive vessel. :P

[bump due to nothing else to do]

<tag for later posting>

You're crazy... you really are... :shock:

Anyway, good job there :wink:

The day broke clearly over the Federation, ending some days of rain.

But it was still damp and cold this morning.

Very damp and cold, but the morning was still and clear, and the sweet song of birds was in the air, fluting over the grounds of the Imperial House.

D'ron was awake, sitting in his chair as the sun rose, and light began to stream in the windows.

He was reading reports, and drinking some hot chocolate. None of the staff knew how he survived without coffee or tea. But it was simple. He didn't like either drink.

And so, on a cold morning, he drank hot chocolate, wrapped in a heavy black robe, while his hair dried from his shower.

Then....

A light touch on his shoulder. A caress. He smiled, and placed his hand on top of the one already there. Lesley. Tugging gently, he pulled her into his lap and gave her a good morning kiss.

"So we're going to Vilya Elenosto today, Dar?"

D'ron smiled. "Yes we are. And we're supposed to leave in a few hours, so get ready, dear heart."

Lesley smile, and scampered off to the shower.

************

Two hours later, D'ron consulted his internal implants, checking the time. If Jessica was late, he was going to be upset with her. And moreso if she made him late.

But of course, she was not late. She strode into the Forbidden Honor's underground hanger bare seconds after D'ron had checked the time, and he sighed when he saw what she was wearing.

The black nano-fabric jumpsuit literally looked as if she was cloaked in oil. It gleamed with her movements, in the soft light of the hanger. A red cloak, also of nano-fabric, presumably, fell to the floor and swirled behind her as she walked. Her gloves and boots matched the jumpsuit seemlessly, though the red belt on which her inherited dagger, sent from Lavenrunz, true to their word, hung. The whole ensemble was sexy (overly so, thought D'ron, for his little sister) and yet presented a predator's face, as well.

D'ron glared at her, briefly, and turned to inspect the rest of the party. Lesley was looking away from him, at the moment, but it was no matter. Her red hair, tied up elaborately above her head, was perfectly offset by the deep forest green dress she wore, which was bright enough still to not look odd against her darkly tanned skin, thanks to a week at the New York and New Jersey resort recently. A white gauze cloak fluttered about her in the internal cycling air, giving her the appearance of nearly being wreathed in a cloud. D'ron smiled as he flickered his gaze over her, examining the strategic openings in the dress, at the neck, and along her right leg.

Yes, she could certainly play the game still.

Cortana, had she been human, or cared about such things, could have also played the game. Her purple hair and matching eyes in her delicately featured face gave her a look of innocence, that anyone who knew her knew she did not possess. Of course, her outfit would have given that away. A skin tight black jumpsuit, with a purple V running from her shoulders to groin, which, at the shoulders, was connected to a floor length purple cape of the same color, the color of her hair. Black, heeled, calf-boots completed the outfit, with her fingernails purple to match as well.

D'ron himself was rather sedate in comparison to the women around him. Solid black nanofabrics made up his shirt, pants, and cape, while matte black nanoleather made up his gloves, boots and belt, from which hung his sword.

Once in orbit, they would be joined by Fleet Admiral Farragut in his shuttle from the S.P.S. Capella.

With this group, D'ron was glad that nanofabrics would allow most decontamination procedures without stripping.

************

About thirty minutes later, the one hundred fifty meter long Forbidden Honor and the five meter shuttle that Farragut was in approached the Empire of the Eternal Dawn Sol Orbital Colony of Vilya Elenosto, and requested docking instructions.

Fortunately, if the Honor could not dock, she carried a shuttle of her own to transport her passengers to the giant blue sphere hanging silently in space.

A small segment of the spherical Colony simply dissolves, folding up and away to cover the surrounding hull segments. Inside, a dull blue light shines through - the hangar deck itself is small, only really intended to be used for rapid transfer of civilians back and forth. Vilya Elenosto doesn't get many visitors; generally people fly right on past, and head down to the IsnCo Spaceport in Nenya.

Vilya Elenosto is dwarfed by the warship that sits away from her on a relative 'upwards' (000 by 024) axis; clearly this is the new Syrnë (Eagle) class dreadnought. It's rather clear that this is the case primarily because the ship is so vast in comparison with any other EOTED ship in the area - and the occasional glint or spark of light that glitters in the night of space above gives testimony to the 1 Stellar Battlegroup being stationed here. They aren't exactly visible, but their presence is clear to anyone with sensors at their disposal - and there are over a hundred ships of varying sizes and classes in the area.

But the Syrnë Ahcarynca is by far the most impressive. She dwarfs the Colony, and, although she is barely visible thanks to the low-reflective paint she is coated with, it is quite clear that she is a diversion from the old style EOTED stellar warships. She isn't smooth, and yet she is smooth at the same time; no effort at stealth has been made with this ship, for her form is swirling - 'lips', ever widening from the central core shape of the warship, swirl away and around her form, housing her multitude of weapons in invisible black obscurity. In essence, the classic rippling corkscrew nosecone shape of an IDF SN warship has been applied to the entire ship. She is, to sum up, vast, being almost double the mass of a Retribution class ship.

A microwave beam - being the preferred guidance system used by Vilya Elenosto - lances out into 'empty' space, awaiting a shuttle. The beam will carry the shuttle directly into the Vilya Elenosto hangar deck and straight onto the landing pad: there is no real need for communication or greeting, but three X# fighters move out into the open.

"Welcome to EOTED Space, Forbidden Honor," is the only communication made by the X# escorts, however. Simple, short... efficient.

Boring.

The Honor drops into a stable orbit, two hundred fifty kilometers clear of the Colony.

A shuttle drops free of the larger ship, and joins the shuttle with Battle Fleet markings. One by one, they dock with the station, and the passengers debark.

Farragut is escorted by a young Ensign, also in full mess dress, of nanofabrics, and they join the four civilians in decon.

The shuttles disappear from the station as quickly as they docked, and join the Honor in her orbit, leaving room for others to dock.

Full specs on the nanofabric had, of course, been transmitted ahead, to show that it would allow for decontamination while still clothed. The advantages of high technology.

Nobody is present in the spartan hangar deck, but a female voice announces - from goodness knows where, as no obvious speakers are visible - softly and respectfully, "Please proceed to Decontamination Area C."

One of six doors visible lights up with a gentle blue light. This, clearly, is Decontamination Area C. This is made even more clear and obvious by the fact that there is a big 'C' above the door in several styles of letter.

The hangar itself is absolutely and utterly unremarkable. Gunmetal grey walls and two EM slingshots that run out towards a seamless 'wall' are the only 'furnishings'. The hangar is well-lit, but not glaringly so.

The six Federation visitors proceeded towards Decon Area C, and as they walk forward, D'ron catches sight of the young Ensign eying his sister in her overly tight outfit.

Lesley, look at that boy.

Dar, babe, of course he is watching your sister. He no doubt recognizes Cortana, and I'm rather unavailable to him. And she's the closest one to his age.

Truth, dearest heart. I'm going to have a word with him, all the same.

D'ron, be nice.

I will.

"Ensign, uh, Lafayette?" D'ron beckoned him over as they strolled across the hanger deck.

"Yes, Mister President?"

D'ron dropped his voice to a whisper, so only he, Lesley, and the Ensign, now standing right next to him, could here. "If you are going to look at my sister in that manner, Ensign, might I suggest not being quite so obvious about it in front of me?" He smiled tightly.

Lafayette became a beet red that looked horrible with his uniform. The khaki was just the wrong color. He stammered out "Of course, Mister.... Mister President."

"Remember Ensign, the first reason you are here is not to oogle my sister, but to assist the Fleet Admiral. But I don't mind overmuch, and I doubt the Admiral does, and I know my sister doesn't. Just a friendly piece of advice. Try to be a tad more discreet, okay?"

"Of," the ensign swallowed. "Of course, Mister President. Thank you for the advice."

As the door sealed behind them, Lesley contacted D'ron again. Seems like a pleasant enough young man.

Indeed. That's what bothers me.

Lesley was forced to suppress a giggle at that, though Cortana shot her an odd look, having caught the tiniest piece of it before Lesley managed to bring it under control.

The nanofabrics of their outfits changed angles, allowing for decon to begin, though visible change might have be only present in the shiny fabrics and leathers, whose sheen might have altered slightly.

'Decontamination', although it sounds most unpleasant, turns out to be not all that unpleasant at all. A rack holds about thirty pairs of goggles, and the chamber itself is large enough to easily house that number. Naturally, once the goggles are worn - as the persons involved are being watched by Tatya - the lighting (clearly visible) on the walls and ceilings snaps on. UV lamps. After five minutes or so, Cortana is addressed by that same gentle feminine voice:

"Lady Cortana, please leave Decontamination Chamber C via the airlock directly ahead of you. Please do not exit the airlock until the cycle is complete. Thank-you."

Once Cortana exits, the room fills with what appears to be steam, but is rather cool - it is, in fact, cool air filled with a number of decontamination agents, including, in the last phase, some nanomachines designed to quicken the... evacuation... of the decontamination agents. Very thick with decontamination agents, actually, but quite safe to inhale. The occupants may find themselves with mild headaches for a very brief period of time.

Once the cycle is complete, the feminine voice - Tatya - announces softly, "Decontamination cycle complete. You may find that bowel movements for the next day or so are a little more rapid than usual. Please do not be alarmed. - Please exit via the airlock directly ahead of you."

* * *

Cortana is met by none other than Sarah, in her somewhat new avatar; she wears a gold-and-blue ankle-length curve-hugging shift. She smiles, bows slightly from the neck, and greets Cortana with a simple, "Welcome to the Sol Orbital Colony of Vilya Elenosto, Lady Cortana." Very formal.

Outside of the airlock is a rather simple and bare circular hall, with just two doors leading out. Each door is marked in English, Nenyan, and Quenya.

Above the doors, left to right, is enscribed:

CUSTOMS, and in bold type, RESTRICTED ACCESS: DIPLOMATIC PERSONNEL ONLY

Cortana smiles at Sarah, happiness evident on her face, the joy of seeing an old friend. Well, perhaps not old, for they beings here were ageless, to an extent.

"Hello, Sarah. Thank you for inviting us."

And then, the humans emerged from the Decon chamber, slightly fuzzy eyed, but wearing broad grins.

D'ron spoke up, his eyes quickly glancing over the text in a number of launguages. "Which way?"

Sarah had been about to speak to Cortana, but she buries the comment for later usage, instead bowing to D'ron - the usual 'full-on respect' bow, with her fingers literally scraping the floor. She is even more graceful than Si Ling or Bao Ling; but then, she would be. She lacks bones.

"Mister President," she states slowly, respectfully, pausing a moment... uncertainly.

She continues, not quite sure if she is using the correct title for Lesley (and finding that she, for some reason, lacks the correct surname - do they take surnames from spouses in Sentient Peoples? She cannot seem to recall)- "Lady Lesley," internal cringe, "Lady Jessica, Fleet Admiral. - If you will all please follow me, the High Lord and Lady await."

She doesn't wait to find out if she just breached protocol - instead, she walks towards the right-hand door, hand passing over a small contact set into the wall. The door irises open (of course), and she stands aside to let the party pass through first. Even though she said 'follow me', EOTED protocol insists that she allow 'higher ups' pass through first. And any foreign dignitary is always a 'higher up'. So... she waits. Patiently.

Lesley Collins Smith smiled at Sarah, and relinked her arm with D'ron's. They led the way through the portal, into the unknown, to meet those who had once perhaps saved them all, though their exact role in the matter was unclear.

Farragut and Lafayette, on the other hand, were examining the deckheads, and the floors, comparing their sterile, grey, unmarked surfaces to the Anglachel's and the Capella much more brightly colored and covered surfaces.

Jessica looked about in fascination, though. She'd never been to a space station before, much less a foreign one. She only strayed into space when the transportation she was using did. She wanted to go more, but she couldn't. Nothing she could do about that, though.

Cortana was silent, and walked through the portal last, keeping an eye on Jessica, who was pretty much her charge for this trip. As usual. SHe didn't mind, though, for Jessica was entertaining, and intelligent.

Beyond the portal is an elevator, of sorts, although that isn't actually apparent. It's simply a room. No motion is detectable, but a segment of the wall simply dissolves after a few seconds, and Sarah leads the party through into...

A small chamber, with a single oak table, four VisiWall's, and two people seated behind said table. Enough chairs are laid out for the FSP party, of course, and all of them are the new self-moulding variety, designed to shift shape to fit the bodyform of the person sitting in them.

High Lord Aglar ux-Rihad stands, smiling. "Welcome to Vilya Elenosto," he greets warmly; Danielle is, of course, at his side...

... smiling warmly, though her eyes remain on Aglar, and not focused on the guests, for just the barest of moments, before shifting over the guests.

"Hello, Mister President, honored guests." This was the barmaid, elevated to a rank comparable to a minister, speaking to the man who now ruled her former homeland. There was no trace of the barmaid, except in her accent.

D'ron nearly started as he recoginzed the Palpastini accent, soft and faded though it was. Then everything that he knew came flooding back, and the pieces began to fit together.

"It is our honor to be here," he responded, smiling. He had learned though, since he had met with Semir-randil, and does not offer to shake hands.

Then....

"I understand, perhaps, that the Federation owes you two a debt of gratitude, that perhaps it can never repay?"

Aglar recieves an almost imperceptible nod from Sarah, and breaks into a beaming smile, standing and bowing slightly - but not overmuch.

"Perhaps, perhaps. It was most certainly a trying time for all involved; who can say who owes whom a debt of gratitude? Were I, for example, not in the Federation at that time, I would not have met the High Lady Danielle," and he casts a gentle smile her way, "and that would have been a tragic turn of events indeed."

Danielle reaches out to squeeze Aglar's hand, breifly, and smiles back at him. "It would have indeed. But should we not talk of the past, and instead, look to the future?"

D'ron fought down the grin that threatened to overcome his face as he saw the two, obviously so in love. Lesley broke into his train of thought, obviously thinking a long the same lines, though. Isn't it nice to see others with what we have?

Yes.

"The Lady Danielle is correct, of course. We are here to celebrate the future." D'ron does grin now. "And I, for one, am eager to get started, as are, I am sure, the rest of my party, and yourselves. I look forward to whatever wonders you have chosen to share with us."

Cortana, make a note... We need to do something for these two. A medal, or something.

Yes, Mister President.

And did you know about them?

Yes, Mister President.

We'll talk later.

Yes, Mister President.

And damn it, how many times have I told you not to use that stupid title when we communicate on intcomms? Call me D'ron.

Yes, Mister President. Cortana winked at the President over the top of Jessica's head, showing she was joking.

Aglar bobs his head ever so slightly. "Of course," he utters quietly - although who he is answering is open to debate, perhaps. Probably both Danielle and D'ron.

He touches a contact set into the desk, smiling as he does so. "I'm sure you will enjoy the view, friends," he narrates as the wall behind his desk dissolves into...

...the visage of a warship. The image is magnified, for the massive vessel visible could not possibly be as close as it appears to be in safety.

"The Syrnë Ahcarynca," Aglar comments, "is our newest, fastest, most powerful, and largest ever warship. She has a momentous mass of a mere 182million tonnes - but don't let that fool you. She is longer than a Retribution at one-point-six kilometres length, and far wider and deeper at one-point-two kilometres wide and deep - that's about the same width and depth as a Ret is long."

Depending on D'ron and co's experience, the warship is either very impressive, or not very impressive at all. It all depends. She looks vaguely like a corkscrew, what with those elegant but sharply whirling whorls that sweep around her and out into infinity - well, a limited infinity, for she has a nosecone at either end. All of the edges themselves are forwards facing, which, in truth, is not as easy to pull off as it sounds. The dull glow of open gunports is visible; recent tensions mean that the IDF SN is not taking any chances. Every warship in orbit is running weapons hot, and has been for some time, now, unless otherwise ordered for specific missions.

She lacks the usual etched-on image of the Three Star Sigil, instead being entirely matte, flat black. She's would not usually be very visible (which is fairly obvious, as she isn't exactly all that visible at the moment), as she doesn't put out any light except that that those gunports are releasing; if they were closed, she'd be even less visible. Fortunately, she is now highlighted by lights from Vilya Elenosto, highlighting her elegant curves and shape - for even though she looks somewhat like a corkscrew, all of her lines are smooth and clear.

"She's the first of a new class: the Syrnë class Deep Standoff Assault II. Syrnë is Nenyan; it means 'Eagle'; Syrnë Ahcarynca means 'Glorious Eagle'. She will escort Vilya Elenosto to the Colony's new home on her maiden voyage; then she will return to Earth, and join the soon-to-be-complete 2 Stellar Squadron. None of this information is classified, if you were wondering, Mr. President. I tell you nothing that the public will not be told."

Farragut was of course the most interested in the sight displayed in the visi-wall. LaFayette also watches the ship itself, as does Cortana. They were here for the military reasons, after all.

The ship itself was beautiful, in an odd sort of way. D'ron had always thought that EOTED warships looked odd.

He much perfered the Federation's stable blocky designs, but that came from different backgrounds, and with different technology, allowed for different design philosophies.

But all that didn't seem to matter over much, as they looked at the ship hanging there, nearly invisible against the blackness of space.

D'ron felt Lesley's arm tighten on his. She had never been comfortable with violence. None of them were, per se, comfortable with it, but there was a definite ability to deal with it. Lesley lacked that to the greatest extent D'ron had ever seen in a national leader, even a former one.

But that didn't matter. He loved her with all his heart anyway.

Jessica is the only one to speak. "Why does it look so funny?"

D'ron blinks, and awaits a response. They were going to have a talk...

Aglar smiles slightly, amber eyes twinkling with amusement. "It does look odd, doesn't it? The shape, I am told, is 'more efficient'. The designers at the IDF RDD aren't the most verbose of people, I'm afraid... but I presume that that particular shape is more effective in that it allows a greater number of gunports. Perhaps it's more efficient for MI field generation... although I doubt it. I'm not the most educated on EMF harmonics, though, I'm afraid.

"Still, I must agree. It does look frightfully... um... funny. Perhaps our enemies will laugh so hard they will refrain from shooting at her."

Aglar clears his throat. That was not the funniest thing he ever said, to be sure.

"At any rate. - There are a couple more people who are apparently scheduled to arrive, but they are from the Empire. I'm not quite sure who they are, though... the High King was quite quite secretive. Still, I'm sure they shan't be long."

* * *

And indeed, far far below Vilya Elenosto, a small personal yacht (a new innovation from Rivette, very exclusive at the moment) rushed through the atmosphere on its way along the steady microwave beam that was fired from a satelite in LEO. Inside, its three occupants (two passengers, one crew) waited...