NationStates Jolt Archive

A satellite floated unobtrusively in Mercury's shadow, merely one of many. An internal timer, set many months ago, finally ticked to a halt.


00:00:03.....
00:00:02.....
00:00:01.....
00:00:00.....
initiate primary broadcast sequence.....
broadcast successful.....
loop broadcast.....
initiate secondary countdown sequence.....
00:30:00.....
00:29:59.....
00:29:58.....


A simple message emitted from the satellite. Although its signal would no doubt reach far throughout the Sol system, its intended receipients were those in the immediate surrounding area.

Attention / Attention / Incoming live fire / Please vacate sector xx-xx on Sol planetoid designate [Mercury] / Please clear vector xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx / 30 standard minutes until impact / Atten.....

ooc: note, designated sector will not be near anyone's current holdings, although it is conviently (uncomfortably) close to some areas of potential interest.

One light minute away and twenty degrees above the orbital plane, a large vessel (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/Worldeaters/DoGA%20renders/ballistatopfront.jpg) emerged from hyperspace. It was nearly a kilometer long; but it was still far shorter than any vessel in its mass class. Any gravitic readings of the area would have registered something near ten times the vessel's actual, physical size. However, the likely hood of anyone monitering this empty stretch of space, like any other empty stretch of space, was highly unlikely. To prevent drawing any unwanted attention, the vessel remained unchracteristically quiet - with very little emissions of any kind.

Onboard, a simple timer counted down, inexorably pulling closer to time zero.


00:25:46.....
00:25:45.....
00:25:44.....


From the domineering view of his command chair, Captain Rune-Sirat surveyed the military precision of his bridge. Each person working as part of a whole, a seamless integration of men and machine, all focused on a single goal. With him to guide them. He glanced down at his own command console, at his finger tips lay the power to command an entire vessel. One of the most sophisticated setups to be conceived by man, but yet, so simplistic in user interface. Designed so that a single person, with the correct credentials of course, could command the might of the entire warship, albeit at much reduced efficiency. The thought of such power brought a small smile to Rune-Sirat's hardlined face. At least it did mentally; outwardly nary a twitch could be detected.

Pushing a button, unnecessarily, due to his neural interface, Rune-Sirat activated the comm and barked out a command - Status Report. The comm itself was un-necessary; Rune-Sirat's sharp, distinctive voice carried clearly throughout the entire length of the bridge, bringing back with it the XO, who strode swiftly to deliver his report.


Sir, we have arrived at the preplanned coordinates as expected. Countdown to testing is proceeding as planned. There are no extra-national assests in the immediate area. The datalink with Mercury will be initiated in ten minutes. The targetting systems are processing spatial drift calculations pending confirmation from the datalink.

Very well, keep me informed of all progress regarding the test systems. Inform me when the datalink is established.

Yes sir.


A standard report, yet completely unnecessary, as were the verbal instructions. Modern neural interfaces would have allowed Rune-Sirat to communicate with his XO without even utilizing verbal methods. Infact, it removed the need to communicate with the XO at all, as he could have pulled the desired status report directly from the ship's system. However, old traditions die hard, and too much dependence on technology had always been taught to be an unnecessary crutch; a weakness.

While Elijah was indeed his own nation, and tended to make use of his own equipment, he did have a few things that were sent to him from his parent nation of the Hack. Code breaking and electronic intrusion equipment were some of the 'gifts' Josef had given him. He was loath to use such things, largely because he far preferred to make due with his own abilities and work.

However, there were times when sterner stuff was required, and when it came things of this nature, there were very, very few nations who were better.

He dropped his mind into a nondescript server; one he rarely had use for, and patched into a handy Daedalus satellite, which bullied its way into the ship's systems.

> Initiate AccessProtocol \\:\\:violator
> Return //://:violator Successful
> Initiate CommandKey \\:\\:extrncomm\\violator\\tightbeam:orbitalship
> Return //://:extrncomm\\violator\\tightbeam:orbitalship

If you would be so kind, cease orbital attacks on this planet. This is not your personal target. There are some of us who are busy, and really do not appretiate you sailing in here and blowing the hell out of the place.

If the only reason you came to this planet was to test weapons systems, I'll be sorely dissappointed. Surely there are some uninhabited asteroids you can vent testosterone at.

- Elijah

> Initiate CommandKey \\:\\:closeroute
> Return //://:closeroute Successful
> Return //://:violator Off-Line

The message from Elijah that managed to worm its way through some basic defenses was routed thorugh the satellite to the nearest Sketchian infonet, which happened to be right on Mercury. On the surface, security filters worked overtime processing and srubbing data packets. The coded message managed to get past the first few levels of defense, having taken on the form of a routine satellite update. It wasn't until an overseer program, designed for the purpose of picking up on missed links, cross referenced the update with a schedule of expected satellite updates, that the illicit message was finally intercepted and disiminated by the security protocals. After a brief but thorough code srub, the message was determined harmless and rerouted to an interpreter protocal. There, a program analyzed the contents and formulized a report and recommended course of action, which was then forwarded off to a human operator.

Comm operator Jenkins sighed, Join the military, protect the people.....or spend all day staring at a screen....., it was boring, very boring, to sit here, pretending to be busy. Sure, the pay was nice, and the job was the safest that you could have, but it just wasn't the glorious service he had expected to be rendering as his duty. Being thusly disappointed, he continued staring off into space as his screen blinked at him, announcing a message that required his attention. Eventually, somewhere deep within the recesses of his near comatose state of mind, Jenkins realized that there was something different.....his screen was blinking at him.....he had something to do! Jilting into full awakeness, he hurridly looked around his workstation, no one in sight; not many people were assigned to this particular duty at the Mercury outpost. Pausing to pat himself on the back for yet another successful "sticking it to the man", he set about reading the report and message sent to him. Whoa, someone's all uppity.....its not like we're shooting at anyone. Let's see now, mumbled Jenkins as he checked the background data provided in the report. Ah yes, Elijah.....Caloris Basin.....I remember them. Told us to "bugger off" the first time, nice to see nothing's changed. Feeling a bit rambunctious, brought about by the extreme boredom up to now, Comm operator Jenkins decided that he was going to add a little flair to his.....the station's, reply. Looking over his worked, he smiled, nodding to himself, good work. With almost a sense of regret, that was the most excitment in weeks, he finalized his report and sent it up the chain.

Evidently, Jekins' humour was not lost among command, or it was merely justified by the highlighted sections of his report. Or maybe it was that command decided not to even bother looking at it. Whatever the reason, the reply was sent off directly to the Caloris Basin without alteration.


Dear Elijah,

It is with great regret that we must inform you that your request will not be honored. If you will please take notice that, as stated by yourself in the past, Merucury is free land that anyone may come to occupy and utilize as they see fit. Furthermore, if you care to realize, the target area on Mercury is fully within the holdings of the Order, and thusly, no where near those of your own. We are a peaceful organization, who only wish to be left to our own devices. The Broadcasted warnings are for the benefit of everyone, and we think you should be less critical of those who take the effort to ensure that your safety is being accounted for.

CSF Mercury, Sketch division

[OOC: Meh, misread the post. Thought the ship had sent a signal to the satellite.]

> Initiate CommandKey \\:\\:extrncomm\\tightbeam:sketchiansatellite
> Return //://:extrncomm\\tightbeam:sketchiansatellite

I see.

I am thrilled that you agree with me that Mercury is free for settlement. I have a few friends who were wondering. I'll be sure to tell them that you have changed your stance and will welcome other nations with open arms.

- Elijah

> Initiate CommandKey \\:\\:closeroute
> Return //://:closeroute Successful


Elijah's avatar smiled thinly before pulling up some Hacker encryption codes for his next transmition.

> Initiate AccessProtocol \\:\\:lockdown
> Return //://:lockdown Successful
> Initiate CommandKey \\:\\:extrncomm\\lockdown\\tightbeam:dln
> Return //://:extrncomm\\lockdown\\tightbeam:dln

Imperatris Nathicana,

I would like to take the time to personally invite you to visit me on Mercury. Previous concerns regarding my neighbors have been alleviated as they have acknowledged to me that I was right about Mercury being open to whomever choses to come. I have already prepped a dome to serve as an embassy, and am currently surveying potential craters for research facilities. Please let me know when you or yours will have the free time to swing on in.

- Elijah

> Initiate CommandKey \\:\\:closeroute
> Return //://:closeroute Successful
> Return //://:lockdown Off-Line


[OOC: The above was sent using full Hack and NDA security protocals. With Elijah's IT of 1,234th and Hack's IT of 7th, I am going to assume I can claim this message is uninterceptable/crackable.]

Nod, the Commune, Elsewhere

granular pebbles: check this bulletin. pretty colors?

konrad diehl: i was running some checks on the <designation> sensorset, and i preempted an actual scan along the reverse of that vector. it looks like applying quantum methodology to ftl observation can actually be useful. well, at least that explais a couple of tricks our mutual friend has pulled.

rou chrome steel phallus: like sifting large datastreams for text-strings holding the inane prattle of barely-uploaded meat? anyway, you might want to take a look at this event. the civilian applications are as always more interesting than the military.

konrad diehl: obsessing much, csp? i agree on the pretty colors though.

granular pebbles: i will be sharding and running some minor bodies strung alongside and on the vector. managed to clear it with resources. pretty pretty colors.



Off Nod, a reflective ellipsoid spawns a few dozen others. The parent's primary power goes fully active, and the children briefly suckle at its plasma tit. Then the wispy, almost massless things head off for assigned positions near and on the stated vector.

00:20:03...
00:20:02...
00:20:01...


Captain Rune-Sirat stirred slightly in his seat; with a wave of his hand, dissipated the globe of light surrounding his upper torso. Emerging from his datanet immersion, he had just completed checking up on the status of the rest of the ship systems. He would have done a more indepth analysis on the crew performance and other systems had not the datalink update alert interrupted him. Now focused on the more important work at hand, Rune-Sirat cast his gaze over bridge entrance. As expected, the XO strode in purposefully, crisply halting before the command chair. A nod from the captain brought forth a rapid fire report.


Sir, the datalink has been established. Our technicians are confirming the spatial drift calculations. We will be ready to proceed with the operation in three minutes.

Good. Tell the technicians to take their time.

*a frown from the XO*

We have a rather small target area to work with. We don't need to be annihilating anything unnecesssarily just yet.

Yes sir.

You may begin the operation when ready. Keep me updated on our progress.

Yes sir.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------


00:17:59...
00:17:58...
00:17:57...


Commander Li was a no nonsense man who took his position seriously, far more seriously than most felt necessary. Perhaps it was just the integral training as becoming an XO, or maybe simply his own penchant for perfection. Whatever it was, his presence, unlike the CO's, was an ever pervasive reality. Whereas the CO may be monitoring you from the ship's sensors, the XO was guaranteed to be there when you least expected it, or wanted it. And there he was, sweeping through the departments, silently prodding everyone to work harder and faster. He made sure that the technicians did not, infact, "take their time" as the CO so generously gave them leave to.

Sending his superior a mental update on progress, Li continued down his operational tasklist, ever aware of the countdown.


Navigation, report.

Holding steady sir, reaction drive units are up and ready.

Communications, report.

Datalink established sir. Signals are clear. Targetting data confirmed by surface observation units.

Weapons, report.

All batteries primed and ready sir. Target telemerty have been entered and the adjustments have been made.


Another mental update delivered, this time followed by a confirmation to continue. Reflexively nodding at the unspoken permission granted, Commander Li breaths out.


Weapons officer, fire one shot from battery one on my mark.

Aye aye sir.

Three, two, one, mark.


The mighty cannon roared in the vast emptiness of space, disgorging a single deadly round, sending reverberations throughout the entire length of the ship. Despite it having been only one round, the intense acceleration imparted was enough to cause even the slightest unwanted drift in the multi mega tonne vessel. Reaction drives spiked with energy as they activated for the briefest of moments to seize the vessel in place. Onboard, nothing was felt, as the forces involved acted too quickly and subtly for the human body to detect.

Approximately 60mio kilometers from Mercury: Sun.

He moved through the dense, hot plasma like a fish through the oeans of earth, just somewhat more elegant, his amorphous body changing with the flow of energy and matter, enjoying the touch of radiation of countless different wavelengths, from gamma- to microwaves.

He felt a bit lonely. There were only a few thousand of his kind, sentient, spread all over the sun... Well, at least space wasn't a problem.

Feeling, noticing, and eventually catching one of the smaller, pre- sentient versions of his kind, consuming it like a protozoa consumes bacteria, he didn't really notice the things happening at Mercury, even though Mercury was, for now, pretty much the only one of those cold, deserted, life- defying bodies he and his kind cared about. Unfortunately, it takes approximately 200 seconds for information from Mercury to reach him.

Secondary issues.

Another problem was the previously consumed, pre sentient entity he could feel... Apparently, it wasn't as tasty as he had thought.

Damn.

Brotherhood Global Intelligence and Communication Agency #3, Peru

"What the hell?!?" the observer shouted. "Mike, get over here. You gotta see this."

"What's this...lemmesee...Spysat 122 gathered data yadayadayada...sector yadayada......! What the...?"

"Those are abnormally high energy levels."

"Where the hell is that?" He paused and looked at his screen for a few moments. "Mercury?"

"I checked already, the impact site is claimed by Sketch. Either they're under attack, they're testing something or something went horribly wrong. Either way, something big exploded there."

"Sounds interesting. Let's set that sat to keep watch of things around there. Maybe something else'll happen."

"Good idea. And I'll send this to Cairo and Metus."

A tonne of depleted uranium alloy hurled through space at incredible speeds. Exiting the muzzel at just below the c-frac threshold, the massive round would take little over a quarter of an hour to reach its destination; if not for the powerful integrated drive system. A mere fraction of a millisecond into flight, already far out of natural eyesight, a compact, but powerful diametric drive flared with energy. With enough power reserves for two full minutes of "burn", the drive would take over where the ship left off and continue the acceleration up to an astonishing c-frac threshold of 10%.

The satellite hung lazyily in its orbit, just waiting for the shell to arrive so it could calculate the direction of the source.

30 minutes from Mercury Orbit
Cruentis class Missile Dreadnaught #3

Another day, another galactic crisis...

Core Commander Willard Broadstreet seated himself snugly in the operational VCM and began turning its functions on in a routine manner. Strategic and tactical displays of all kinds were at a twisting gesture of his fingers. Data from hundreds of warships and thousands of smaller craft - when deployed - all made it's way here, through a sturdy network of analyzing and perceiving and filtering agents.

Damn Das Sketch and his weapons testings...

He took orders from the High Imperator. But Das Sketch, like any political figure with all too much power and an interest in micromanagement, had intervened and ordered this operation, post haste.

Well, at least we don't have our pants down here...

With grim satisfaction he recalled the shameful pull-out of the Orion Sector. His forces were not all faster-than-light mobile, and only a part of a battle squadron could be fielded so distant. Not enough to turn the tide. They never saw combat. Steel Butterfly was being overrun with rebels.

And here we are, all for a damn lump of rock near the sun...

Ah, but it was much more than that, Mercury. The High Imperator had plans for it. Construction had begun heavy, slowed, halted, and begun again as funding from the Order national governments could be wrenched from their greedy paws. But it had always gone on, the militarization of Mercury, and slowly but surely, the JIL began to base its Sol operations around Mercury at least as much as Earth.

If you gotta do a job, may as well do it right... my old man said that...

He laughed. His old man never said such a thing, at least to him, having died before Willard was born.

After reviewing the SOE and the CSFCA reports, he felt he had a somewhat good handle on the situation.

So.. they think us weak, of will or capability... they doubt our Mercury Policy...

He checked the ship transfer lists in Sol. There were more ships, numbering finally in the thousands, most scattered in wing patrols. Only the 325 warships of the 1st IWBS fell under his direct command... would it be enough?

For this was political now, he realized. Any high ranking officer, no matter how humbly he began (and Willard Broadstreet had not began all that humbly) had a decent grasp of politics. You had to.

And the Order's power was being, at last, challenged. It was time to answer that challenge and make a statement. To that end, he could agree with Das Sketch's plans... if only they'd all been given more time.

Well... just in case...

He decided he would call in command for reinforcements. He figured command would know the reasons.

> Initiate AccessProtocol \\:\\:lockdown
> Return //://:lockdown Successful
> Initiate CommandKey \\:\\:extrncomm\\lockdown\\tightbeam:dln
> Return //://:extrncomm\\lockdown\\tightbeam:dln

Imperatris Nathicana,

I would like to take the time to personally invite you to visit me on Mercury. Previous concerns regarding my neighbors have been alleviated as they have acknowledged to me that I was right about Mercury being open to whomever choses to come. I have already prepped a dome to serve as an embassy, and am currently surveying potential craters for research facilities. Please let me know when you or yours will have the free time to swing on in.

- Elijah

> Initiate CommandKey \\:\\:closeroute
> Return //://:closeroute Successful
> Return //://:lockdown Off-Line


[OOC: The above was sent using full Hack and NDA security protocals. With Elijah's IT of 1,234th and Hack's IT of 7th, I am going to assume I can claim this message is uninterceptable/crackable.]

"What a fortuitous offer ..."

Additional research facilities were always a welcome thing, especially on such places as offered unique conditions, such as Mercury did. The fact that they already had an ally firmly entrenched - in fact, being there before other less friendly forces had been - sweetened the deal immensely. Add to that the convenience of a location closer to home in which to do some testing for equipment designed for Nuovo Toscana, and it was an excellent opportunity indeed. After all, if it could survive Mercury, the environment of the new colony planet would be no challenge.

Nathicana thought back to her last dealings with Mercury, and she shuddered involuntariy at the memories. Dragonisia, a nation long since gone to dust, had once claimed that planet for their own. After all the terrible dealings there, she had never thought she would see the day her own nation, once occupied by the treacherous dragonkin, would outlive the bastards.

True, they had compensated handsomely for many of the wrongs perpetrated. But for some, there clouldn't possibly be such compensation, and her hands clenched agrily as she recalled them. She couldn't help but think that she should have taken over their holdings once the virus had done its work. It could possibly have solved a few things after, and if anyone had a right to them, it was the Dominion.

Still, at the time it had been a matter of 'good riddance' and wanting to distance herself from that portion of history entirely, or at least as best she could. The memories were ... unpleasant, and she still now and then got a sick feeling in her stomach when she thought about them. Even now after all this time, she was unsure of how a visit there, even to an ally's holdings, wholely unrelated to the mess, would affect her.

"Would be a shame to not at least look into it," she murmured thoughtfully, before working up a response and sending it back via the same protocols it was recieved with.

Elijah:

What a generous offer! I would love to accept your invitation, and am glad to hear that your neighbors have lightened up a bit. All the same, considering past dealings with some of their group and the lingering complications relating to it all, I think I'd like to have a better idea of what exactly is going on up there before I just hop a flight.

I'll be free likely between <DATES>, if that works for you. Attached is a file outlining the security proceedures I'll be taking as well, due to the delicate nature of the area - assurances aside. Let me know how all this meshes with your plans, and we'll go from there.

--Nathicana

Several Sketchian observation satellites floated gently above the surface, observing the target area; a simple crater over a hundred kilometers in diameter. Already pocketmarked by dozens of smaller craters, this particular crater was about to get a few fresh ones.

What happened next could only be described as earth shattering. The one tonne shell slammed into the Mercury surface, instantly pulverizing the rocky crust, sending out waves of seismic punishment. The intensity of the impact vaporized both shell and impact surface alike, resulting in a near perfect mass-energy conversion. The result was an unprecendented yield far surpassing that of any thermonuclear or antimatter device in the Sketchian arsenal. Energy spikes released from the impact were clearly registered by the orbiting satellites to be in the 10^17 Joule range; equivilent to just over a hundred megatons of explosive power. Ground imaging showed the impact area to be a mess of shattered rock and crystalized surfaces. All that remained of the shell was a smoldering hole within a small smoking crater.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The look on Commander Li's face was one of someone less than pleased. It wasn't enough to simply wreak havoc upon the Mercury landscape, there was a specific purpose to it. A purpose that was apparently unfulfilled.


Weapons, confirm the impact data received.

Sir, the data is correct. Telemetry correction package has been received. I'm entering them into the targeting system now.

Very well, continue the operation until all batteries have been zeroed.

Yes sir.


With the carry on command, Commander Li left the bridge. Another part of being a capable XO was knowing when your direct observation wasn't needed. There were plenty of other places that could use his oversight, the bridge crew knew what they were doing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The targetting "practice" would continue for several hours; ten minute blocks of silence punctuated by brief moments of catastrophic restructuring of the Mercury surface. Any observers would notice a steady clustering of shot patterns converging into one area, with telltale deviations as weapons operators adjusted their targetting systems by milliseconds (of degrees).

ooc: I've recalculated and adjusted my specs. Current energy outputs should be 4.49 x 10^17 Joules, or roughly 100 megatons.

He felt it coming, slowly... Then faster. And while countless tons of fuel were wasted to accelerate certain objects of mass to high C fracs, the energy released a pure waste of valuable ressources, he finally released it...

Excessive energies let loose as the suncritter equivalent of a belch moved upwards, towards the surface of the sun...

Moments later, excessive amounts of electromagnetic radiation, from gamma rays to radiowaves, were released, a flood of electrons and protons escaped him, mixed with a relatively tiny amount of nuclei from lithium to iron that followed, though far slower. Comparably slower, that is.

Within a second, the equivalent of a 100 teraton explosion was released, heading towards a place reasonably close to Mercury... Sure, nobody was there, but it would be noticed.

Ahhh... Feeling better, now.

And with that, he went on, searching for some more suitable food, not even paying attention to the comparably puny fireworks certain carbon- based lifeforms released.

After all, living on the sun tends to change one's viewpoint.

ooc: 10^16 joule? That's 2.5 megatons, and reasonably... Puny. I would suggest redoing the maths... I get 1.125E^20 joule, ~ 28 gigatons, which would be continent- shattering. Or in the case of mercury, you ought to notice it everywhere.

Nod, the Commune, Elsewhere

Even this close to the Sun, an incoming RKV is fairly obvious. It moves in along the given vector, passes through the cluster of observers, and impacts. The focus of attention splits, between range, origin and target.

granular pebbles: well, that was a disappointment. the kill vehicle looked to be using some sort of fairly elegant drive, and i suppose that is what rou c. s. p. raved about. should be useful for shifting physical media, and maybe power transmission. overall, i'm disappointed, but i'm maintaining surveillance and making the data available.

rou chrome steel phallus: those are two of the five most obvious applications, yes. as for military applications they are limited by the defensive applications of some civilian technologies in common use. i hope i do not have to educate you, seeing as you are at least slightly beyond raw meat and have abandoned the money economy. that makes me hope for you, though i despair of your retarded hillbilly meat cousins. sadly.

limited consensus <timestamp>: will you stop preaching, metaldick?

konrad diehl: whatever. this is at least interesting in that it represents a lot of work on what would seem to be the bleeding edge of the shooter's technology base. unfortunately, it'll all be classified. pity that, there's human interest here. well, i'll be looking at the sun for my pretty colors fix. did anyone happen to get a good look on the affected areas before they were redecorated?

rou chrome steel phallus: yes, there have been surveys made. <reference>

OOC: TG'ed stuff.