NationStates Jolt Archive

(OOC: This is so we can keep the Allanean Independence Thread clear of the current standoff over Haven).

IC:

(TIS Headline News)

"In recent hours, a standoff of sorts has begun between TIS/Hattian Aerospace Forces and the Sentient Peoples and the ICEL. Apparently, TIS Strategic Forces misread the Sentient Peoples' assigned Precinct to the TIS, but President Newman had this to say:"

"Under no circumstances would we have agreed to that new boundary. We intend to continue to defend that zone with whatever force we have necessary."

"The President met with his cabinent just a few minutes ago, and it has become clear that the major cities are being ordered to begin preparing for a possible orbital bombardment is the standoff ends in a shootout. While TIS Strategic Forces assures the public they will do everything to insure victory, TIS Headline News analysts are fearing that any action taken will break the back of the ISASF."

"Another quick comment: The Ground-Launched Anti-Ortillery Missiles, or GLOAMs, are being prepared for launch under what is known as RED alert. RED alert is the second highest alert status, and if the standoff turns to a shootout, the GLOAMs will launch from their silos and assist the fleet. With their 20 megaton warheads, they might just be peashooters compared to the technology we may face in the coming days. This is TIS Headline News..."

Official Statement from the Prime Minister

We in the Republic do not wish for war. It is for this reason that we would like to request a conference in our capitol of Haton to hopefully end this standoff peacefully.

However we will not back down in our support of our comrades in The Island States. We also will not allow the exclusion zone to be violated.

Sincerely,
Fyodor Leningrad Zyteslav
Sr. Commisar (HPA Ret.)
Prime Minister of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Hattia

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

HNN Urgent Report

With recent tensions in the exclusion zone above The Island States escalating, the Prime Minister and People's Congress have ordered the activation of all military assets.

All members of the militia are ordered to report to their assembly zones, and all civilians should head immediately to the nearest shelter with their weaponry.

Thank you

Flag Bridge, S.P.S. Capella, First Battle Fleet, Low Earth Orbit

Farragut watched his displays as the three hundred twenty ships of his fleet tightened the noose around the Island States exclusion zone. He smiled when the display blinked again, revealing the newly arrived ICEL Battlegroup. So good you can count on some people to behave as expected.

He turned to the communications display linking him to the main bridge. “Captain Hackman?”

“Yes sir?” came the voice of Denzel Hackman back. He sounded perfectly calm.

“Is the Fleet ready to execute its mission?”

“Aye sir, we are.” The image nodded.

“Good.” Farragut reached up and stroked his chin. “Send a message to the ICEL Fleet group, asking them to remain where they are for the time being, and redirect the Fourth Task Force to a higher orbit to box the USR ships against the planet.”

The Captain nodded. “Do you think they’ll fire, sir?”

“I don’t know, but I’d guess it’s a better than even chance they will. In that event, we need to be prepared for incoming ground fire, since we will be passing almost directly over their nations.”

“We’re ready, sir. Can we engage if we take fire from the surface?”

“Of course, Captain. Standard kinetics only, though, for the time being. Twenty five megatons impact energy ought to be enough to take out their ground bases.”

The Captain chuckled. “I should think so, Admiral. And if their fleet engages?”

“Regular procedures. Energy weapons first, then anti-ship missiles, kinetics, standard fifty megaton loads, and laser heads.” Farragut smiled. “If they want to play, we’ll play, Captain, but if anyone on our side makes a mess of it, and we survive, I will personally string him or her up by their balls.”

Denzel Hackman laughed again. “Of course, sir.”

Farragut glanced down at the display. “Time for all groups to reach position?” he asked, waiting for Hackman to confirm what he was reading.

“Six minutes. Five until we cross into the TIS exclusion zone. We should be entering their detection horizon just about… now.”

“Prep for fighter launch. Run out the energy weapons, and bring capacitors to full charge. Load all missile tubes and bring the drive fields to full power. Keep refraining from active scanning, but keep the gravitonic passives running a full track, and initiate visual targeting.”

“Aye aye, sir.” A moment passed while Hackman and his crew relayed the orders. “Admiral, I am pleased to report that the Federation First Battle Fleet is ready for combat.”

“Very well, Captain. Let’s see who wants to die today.”

'The Aumanii government finds the actions of the USR to be despicable and uncalled for. We stand by the FSP in the case of any eventuality. It would be in the best interests of The Island states and Hattia to stand down immediately.'

~Overlord Jarak Romendacil Rosiro, Lord Commander of Auman.

The Terran Foreign Ministry wishes to remind Auman that criticisms of our USR allies will not look good when we are reviewing your request to purchase land in the Republic of Ancient Terra. For that one remark, the price will be higher.

Good day,

~The Terran Foreign Ministry~

(ISASF Asherton)

"Tight-beam communications to all ships, send them an encrypted packet that will unlock the necessary fleet formations, targets, and a few tricks we're going to play," Admiral said.

"Sir, sensors detect Sentient People ships... Jesus Christ, that's a lot of ships!" The Asherton's sensor officer reported. "They are approaching the boundary and will cross it in the next few minutes."

"Keep RADAR on passive, prepare countermeasures. Set hyperspace coordinates to sector Alpha Tango six-oh-one of Earth orbital space and standby to initiate on my command, and tight-beam that exact order to every ship in the fleet."

(ISASF Asherton; Nearing location of Mosquito)

"This is Admiral Scott of the 1st Island States Aerospace Fleet. Our vessel identified itself before attempting to remove it from our aerospace precinct," The Asherton beamed through the interference. "One of your ships already received identification of our ship, and an answer to your claims of piracy. The fact your satellite persists to hover inside the zone indicates that you are attempting to violate the precinct, and we are giving you notice to remove the satellite immediately (in whatever state it is in because of it's resistance to peaceful methods of removal). Refusal to do so will result in the termination of the satellite. Furthermore, we will drop our jamming, but since you peeked, it's only fair we get a good look too." The Admiral motioned to the sensor officer, who began a slow and wide active scan of the ICEL battlegroup.

"If you wish to continue accusing us of piracy, we'll begin accusing your satellite of aggressive posturing and we can take it from there, if that is what you wish." He cut off intership communications abruptly and turned to his weapons officer. "Let's show them we mean business. If their sensors are good, they can detect our anti-capital ship missiles arming, but the launcher doors remaining closed. Bring the ion cannons to full charge and get ready with countermeasures. Get the Hattians here now."

The scan of the ICEL warships provides some interesting details. Firstly, the two Battlegroups are composed of almost identical spreads of ships. The Squadron is different. The two Battlegroups appear to have several types of ships: each 'group has one vessel that looks large enough to be considered a dreadnought, surrounded on the horizontal axis by two large carriers, plus what appear to be twenty cruisers on one vertical axis, and thirty-seven destroyers on the horizontal-vertical axis, off to the stellar west. There is at least three hundred kilometers between each ship in each Battlegroup, and the two Battlegroups are positioned in such a way as that one has a clear shot at a horizontal-level assault on the center of their designated 'restricted zone', and the other sits down to the vertical south, equidistant to the centrepoint. The Squadron sits along the diagonal, off to the stellar west.

None of the ships are closer to the nearest TIS vessel than three hundred thousand kilometers.

The interceptors form a screen between the ICEL warships and the TIS vessels, with the bombers sticking close to their carriers in a passive-assertive position - for now.

The destroyers are small vessels with tough-to-spot silhouettes, less than seventy meters in length and half as wide and tall; their mass reads quite heavy, however, at seven hundred fifty thousand momentous tonnes. The cruisers are a step up, at just over two hundred thirty meters in length; they mass at about three times the mass of their smaller fellows. They are easier to see, but still present only a narrow silhouette to scanners, due to their conically forward-swept shape.

The dreadnought is another matter entirely. Four kilometers long, it looks just like its smaller cousins, but somehow appears to be 'ribbed', with great encircling depressions in stages further back on her waxing-to-the-center shape. She sweeps back to a blunt edge at the aft, the fore section again being a conical shape. She isn't at all hard to spot on scanners, however: she has an absolutely immense electromagnetic signature, however, which tends to disrupt radar in a minor manner. The very disruption reveals her presence, but her sensor image is a little less sharp than the rest of the ships in the two Battlegroups.

The carriers are about three kilometers wide and long at the widest and longest points, being generally conically-shaped but with a wider, sharper curved center section. It isn't clear from where her fighters, bombers, or interceptors would launch from at first inspection.

Nor are any offensive weapons actually immediately apparent on any of the ships; there are odd scores in their hulls, each and every one of them joined to the next score, and these glow a dull blue-white - but a detailed scan would note that this is a point defence system. There are some depressions in the hulls of the ships - six on the destroyers, twelve on the cruisers, none on the carriers, and some one hundred and twelve on the dreadnought. If these are gunports, then the two Battlegroups combined are potentially a very lethal threat indeed, depending on their firing ratios and what weapons they actually carry.

The Squadron is differently composed; there are no carriers in the Squadron, but there are two very different ships: these are just over three hundred meters long, and have exceptionally tiny radar cross-sections. They are visible to more sophisticated and sensitive RADAR systems, of course, and a careful scan reveals their length and width and height as being at a 4:2:2 ratio, giving the ship a long, forward-swept look. These two ships, like the carriers, do not appear to have any of those odd little depressions that might be gunports.

The purpose of these ships - possibly frigates - quickly becomes obvious, however. They extend their odd EM fields outwards to merge with those of the other ships in the Squadron, and the scanning resolution sharply drops: they are (counter-)countermeasure frigates, almost certainly.

The response from the IDSS Syrnë Ahcarynca is swift, and the voice is yet again cold, mechanical. The captain of the vessel still does not deign to let her voice actually be heard.

"The admission of The Island States to an act of open piracy/terrorism against an ICEL civilian economic asset is duly noted and logged. We insist, therefore, that The Island States forces currently deployed remain inside the henceforth designated 'Safety Zone'. Any ships entering into the Commonality Demilitarized Zone surrounding the Safety Zone will be boarded and confiscated. The Commonality again thanks The Island States for its co-operation in this matter, and applauds its open honesty regarding the recent act of piracy/terrorism against an ICEL civilian economic asset deployed in a non-military role in neutral, free Earth space.

"You are further advised that your missile systems launch appear to be malfunctioning. We strongly advise that the problems are worked out quickly, or we might be forced to mistake this malfunction for an actual covertly hostile act."

* * *

{Tightbeam-laser/blanket RF/low-level MW burst digital diplomatic packet #4491014 ---> TIS (Node ? - ? - ?)}
{Route= NPGC-A-001 via IOCS-412 via MISAT-219 via MISAT-101-a ---> spread-flash deploy}

{TO: TIS Government; All TIS News Media; The People of TIS}
{FROM: Her Majesty Empress the Supreme Commander of the Iluvauromeni People, Rialla ux-Rihad II}
{SECURITY: OPEN UNENCODED CHANNELS, NO ENCRYPTION, MEMETIC DATA PROTECTION SYS ACTIVE}
{TIMESTAMP: ERROR, TIMESTAMP MISSING}
{RE: Terrorism}

{attached vid:- speech.dvx

Ladies, Gentlemen, other potential gender definitions, in humbleness of spirit and welcoming of heart I greet thee, eyes and ears open.

We of the Commonality have been forced to intervene in a matter of grave importance following an act of state terrorism enacted against one of our civilian satelites. We apologize to the People of the Island States for any fear or worry that the unsavoury activities of their government may have caused, and I reassure you: the several hundred new stars in your sky are not to be feared, for we come with hands open, not shut into a fist of violence.

The Commonality has seen fit, for the duration of our exercises, to limit military and civilian space traffic above the Island States regarding ships registered by or inside that country. However, in the interest of peaceful co-operation, we now lift that ban with regards to civilian vessels, following an admission by the leading officer of the TIS taskforce inside our newly-designated Safety Zone. Indeed, we strongly advise that civilian vessels vacate the surrounding space, as the aggressive actions of the Island States and her allies are likely to escalate.

That officer openly admitted that one of his vessels not only attempted to reposition our civilian satelite - thus steal, an act of piracy - which is owned by the Imperial Space Networking Co-Operative (IsnCo), but also caused wanton damage and destruction to that satelite, costing the hard-grafting workers of IsnCo several million Relhames. The admission is recorded and sent to you.

A small segment of the transmission has been snipped away for security purposes, in the interests of both sides.

In Stability and Honour we Trust,

digisigned:-

Her Majesty

Rialla ux-Rihad II

Empress the Supreme Commander of the Iluvauromeni People
-fileterminus}

{attached vocal files:- piracy.cf / piracy.au /
"One of your ships already received identification of our ship, and an answer to your claims of piracy. The fact your satellite persists to hover inside the zone indicates that you are attempting to violate the precinct, and we are giving you notice to remove the satellite immediately. Refusal to do so will result in the termination of the satellite... since you peeked, it's only fair we get a good look too."
-fileterminus}

{Transmission Terminates}

[OOC: The data protection system just deletes the file if any concept inside the file is altered. So nobody can change it around again, once sent - if that occurs, the file (wherever stored) is deleted. It also prevents the file from being copied in any manner but wholly - so you can't cut out the code, either, because that triggers the delete. The 'memetic' thing is a reference the sub-sentient AI that is the data packet, in this case. And the transmission can only be received wholly; if fragmented, it makes no sense.]

The Terran Foreign Ministry wishes to remind Auman that criticisms of our USR allies will not look good when we are reviewing your request to purchase land in the Republic of Ancient Terra. For that one remark, the price will be higher.

Good day,

~The Terran Foreign Ministry~

"Corruption is a terrible thing."

~ Ambassador Neurat

After intense deliberations, the United Socialist Republic and the ICEL have come to an agreement over the Precinct:

1. The Precinct will not be acknowledged as TSI/USR territory unless there is a clear sign of civilian utilization of that space (+1000 civilian residents). However,
2. the Commonality, pending FSP acceptance of these terms, will agree that TIS/USR has a right to defend/patrol the neutral territory known as the 'Precinct' in the interest of its national security, insofar as this patrolling activity does not extend to needless aggressive action.
3. FSP warships will not enter the area previously claimed as TIS Space without the explicit permission of TIS.
4. The USR reserves the rights for all of it's members to establish Precincts above their territories, as long as Articles 1 and 2 and 3 apply to them.
5. Pending conclusion of the current dispute between the USR and FSP, all parties attempt to meet again to determine if more permanent agreements must be made.

(OOC: Here are the basic stats... late, but here:

Valorous Class:
Length: 400 Meters
Propulsion: Ion Jet (Even further OOC: Plus ultra-plotdrive to ensure that they can be where I need them in roleplays.)
Crew: 200 Crew (On four shifts), plus a varying amount of scientists, up to 300. (Most space is taken up by systems).
Armament: 1x Ion Cannon, 4x Lasers, 40x Broadside Railgun Cannons, 4x Forward Railgun Cannons, 2x Magnetic Array (Able to push or pull magnetic objects).
Purpose: Primarily scientific, but with military applications
Also Important to know: A rear area folds up to reveal extra engine boosters. These can provide an important boost of speed, but leave not only the boosters vulnerable, but some parts of the rear ship. One of the magnetic arrays (the weaker one) is also located here.

Valiant Class:
Length: 250 Meters
Propulsion: Ion Jet (Even further OOC: Plus ultra-plotdrive to ensure that they can be where I need them in roleplays.)
Crew: 100 Crew (On four shifts), plus a varying amount of scientists, up to 200.
Armament: 1x Ion Cannon, 4x Lasers, 30x Broadside Railgun Cannons, 2x Forward Railgun Cannons, 1x Magnetic Array.
Purpose: Primarily scientific, but with military applications
Also Important to know: A rear area folds up to reveal extra engine boosters. These can provide an important boost of speed, but leave not only the boosters vulnerable, but some parts of the rear ship.

Alpha Raider:
Length: 75 Meters
Propulsion: Ion Jet (Even further OOC: Plus ultra-plotdrive to ensure that they can be where I need them in roleplays.)
Crew: 12, on four shifts.
Armament: 2x Quadruple (For rate of fire) railgun cannons, 2x Ion Cannons
Purpose: Provide a cheap, very versatile platform for a vareity of space applications.
Also Important to know: Able to enter atmospheres and land.

Beta Raider:
Length: 100 Meters
Propulsion: Ion Jet (Even further OOC: Plus ultra-plotdrive to ensure that they can be where I need them in roleplays.)
Crew: 16, on four shifts.
Armament: 3x Quadruple(For rate of fire) railgun cannons, 2x Ion Cannons
Purpose: Provide a cheap, very versatile platform for a vareity of space applications.
Also Important to know: Able to enter atmospheres and land.

The Terran Foreign Ministry views the comment made by Ambassador Neurat of the ICEL to be somewhat unjustified. The nation of Auman wishes to purchase territory belonging to the Republic of Ancient Terra. Out of concern for our neighbors, we have issued a warning to Auman. If a potentially dangerous, unallied nation were to move into your region, Ambassador, I am certain that you would view any threats by them to your allies with the utmost suspicion.

Good day,

~The Terran Foreign Ministry~

After intense deliberations, the United Socialist Republic and the ICEL have come to an agreement over the Precinct:

1. The Precinct will not be acknowledged as TSI/USR territory unless there is a clear sign of civilian utilization of that space (+1000 civilian residents). However,
2. the Commonality, pending FSP acceptance of these terms, will agree that TIS/USR has a right to defend/patrol the neutral territory known as the 'Precinct' in the interest of its national security, insofar as this patrolling activity does not extend to needless aggressive action.
3. FSP warships will not enter the area previously claimed as TIS Space without the explicit permission of TIS.
4. The USR reserves the rights for all of it's members to establish Precincts above their territories, as long as Articles 1 and 2 and 3 apply to them.
5. Pending conclusion of the current dispute between the USR and FSP, all parties attempt to meet again to determine if more permanent agreements must be made.

OOC:

You cant claim orbital space, that is ridiculous...that should be pulled right out of there.

(ooc: Untrue, some restricted military sites claim the airspace above their facilities from ground level to several hundred miles high.)

OOC: You may have a point, but it has been recognised and agreed upon. Therefore, it exists. Did I mention I'm going to be constructing colonies within the Precinct soon? :)

OOC:

You cant claim orbital space, that is ridiculous...that should be pulled right out of there.

[OOC: You could claim orbital space, yes, but on pre-existing legal concepts. For example, any national territory that has a coastline generally has an economic exclusion zone - that is, no ships may enter that zone without the exclusive permission of the state operating the exclusion zone. This zone, under real-life UN law, is generally about 250 miles from the coast. This allows a state to protect incoming and outbound shipping from piracy, using its military forces, without engaging in active combat in international waters (generally considered illegal, without the express permission of all states who have an 'interest' in those waters, I think). If you apply the laws of the ocean to orbital space, you have what the Commonality considers the 'common sense laws' regarding what they actually consider to be claimed space and what isn't.

Currently, under that above agreement*, TIS does not actually own the space it calls the 'Precinct' excepting the space directly above its own soil (presumably to the 300 mile limit stated earlier by TIS), but is considered to be acting only in the best interest of its population by placing warships in the small area around that space, so long as it has the permission of the states in its region.

* As far as ICEL and FSP are concerned, at the least, and we're stricter than most (except Menelmacar) regarding who can claim what in space and how (we only claim a 150,000km sphere around each civilian asset, and a 50,000km 'exclusion zone' around all military assets applying to those who do not have permission to approach - the latter is not actually a legal claim, but more of a protective assertion) and what we claim as well.]

IC:

Without a whisper, the ICEL warships stream away from Earth orbit, accelerating hard and putting on a rather spectacular show; the two sets of ships in the Battlegroups weave into a mass of over one hundred ships, re-grouping onto one formation - and then the electromagnetic signatures merge, and the warships leap away towards c-fractional velocity, leaving the remaining Stellar Squadron far behind.

Thirty minutes later, the bright white stars of the ICEL Battlegroups vanish from sight as they begin making a series Transitions that will carry them on to their next destination.

[OOC: Mental error, here: missed out a few words. Corrected.

If you read the original carefully, you will note that no mention of the Squadron is made. I wasn't specific enough.]

Flag Bridge, S.P.S. Capella, First Battle Fleet, Low Earth Orbit

Hackman’s steady voice issued forth from the knee panel linking the main bridge and Farragut’s flag bridge. “Lead ships entering the exclusion zone… now. Capital ships entering exclusion zone in four… three… two… one… now. All ships in exclusion zone in three… two… one… now. Admiral, First Fleet is in the USR exclusion zone. Continuing on track.”

“Very good, Captain. Carry on,” Farragut replied with a tense smile, feeling the mounting tension.

“Admiral! We’re receiving a transmission from the Icies. It’s a list of terms they worked out with USR. They want us to sign.”

The plot shifted, and the two hundred blue-green icons of the ICEL fleet groups began to pull away from the exclusion zone. Farragut frowned. “Is that their way of telling us we’re on our own?” he muttered to no one in particular. “Comms, if we make it through without being fired upon, resend the message to the Government, they’ll deal with it. If not, they’ll have something completely different to deal with.”

Seven more minutes until the last ship cleared the zone. Seven minutes that would decide the fate of the Federation, and of the USR.

(ISASF Asherton)

"Sir, Federation ships are crossing into the Precinct!" The Asherton's Sensors Officer blurted out quickly. Admiral Scott tapped his headset, turning on Intership Communications.

"This is the ISASF Asherton to Federation vessels! Clear the boundaries of the Precinct immediately!" He tapped the headset again to close communications. "Helm, turn us around and take us to where they breached the boundary. Maintain weapons charge and closed missile ports and raise shields." He tapped the headset again. "Hattian Fleet. Hattian Fleet, this is ISASF Asherton. We have detected an FSP incursion into the Precinct, follow us to the breach point."

A blanket RF transmission from a MISAT in Earth space - just about peeking over the horizon - with line-of-sight to the 'Precinct' broadcasts on an open frequency to the Island States vessels:

"Island States warships: we have detected your movement towards the FSP warships. This is a friendly reminder that hostile action taken against the FSP warships at this time would constitute an act of aggression contrary to the terms of the recently signed TIS/ICEL Agreement. The Commonality again thanks the Island States for its understanding and willingness to acquiesce to Commonality wishes in this matter."

* * *

Not all of the ICEL warships have departed; still in the area, watchful but silent, apparently all but forgotten, the remaining ICEL Squadron carefully maintains an undetectable passive targeting lock on the Island States warships via visual observation.

(ISASF Asherton)

"Understood ICEL satelite, we are only engaging in a defensive posture, since we cannot ascertain the intentions of the FSP ships," Admiral Scott said before turning to another senior officer. "Try and raise the FSP vessels on all channels, see what they're up to."

(ISASF Asherton)

"Attention Asherton, this is ISASF Command! You are to adhere to the Precinct only! No angles, just the area 300 miles up from the boundary of territorial waters! Put up defensive posture, but power down weapons and shields. Just watch them for now, Command out."

Flag Bridge, S.P.S. Capella, First Battle Fleet, Low Earth Orbit

Farragut smiled. "Send no reply," he ordered quietly, not being in violation of anything, except the originally defined area. Certainly not the new agreed area.

Then he laughed as he watched the EM broadcast race up from the planet and the Island States ships slammed to a halt, and his eyes widened as they dropped their shields. "What are they doing?"

"Well, Admiral, I'd say they've bent over with their pants down if we were looking to kick some ass today."

Farragut nodded slowly. "I'd say. We probably wouldn't even have time to take names. Remain at General Quarters until we clear the zone, then drop back to Condition Red Two, and then to standard once all ships clear the engagement horizon. I think no one's going to die today. Time to clear zone?"

"Two minutes for lead ships. Three for trailers."

"Good. Let's keep waiting, then."

(ISASF Asherton)

"Admiral, we have new orders from ISASF Command. We are to return to spacedock to receive further construction and an armor upgrade. Man, these guys at TIS Space Command come up with the craziest stuff... what the hell are Carbon Nanotubes?"

"I don't know, but they sure better be worth it," The Admiral replied before hailing the fleet. "Mosquito frigates, begin your patrols. Freeport, you're with us back to spaceport."

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

Over a period of [20 RL days], The Island States will be erecting permanent habitation modules in proximity to its shipyards so their civilian workers (all 10,000 of them) can live and work in the same area of space. New ship designs are on the drawing boards, as are improvements in armor, shields, and weapons. 2nd Generation, or ASW (Armor/Shields/Weapons) upgraded vessels, will be deployed in [40 RL days].

The Federation forces managed to pass from the former exclusion zone without incident, and the next day, a small black shuttle craft lifted off from within the Federation Proper, headed for the Island States.

On board was a diplomat to sign the agreement which the Island States and ICEL had already agreed to.

(TIS Aerospace Precinct)

"Attention Sentient Peoples diplomatic vessel, this is ISASF Asherton. We will escort you to Newman Geosyncronous Station to sign the agreement. Do you copy?"