NationStates Jolt Archive

(OOC: To clarify, I am a semi-future tech nation, and have been funding space travel, warships, etc. for some time.)

High above the Earth, pieces of the newly-launched Atlas space dock were being connected. The carrier Expedition, Nowhere Place's flagship out of a handful of five carriers total, stood by. Men and machines scurried among the various pieces that had been unloaded, fitting them together like a jigsaw puzzle. The comms were filled with a hub-bub of chatter.

"Is C85 secure?"

"As secure as it's going to get!"

"Open X2!"

"This is Azul Group. We're coming back for more oxygen."

"Watch it! That's delicate equipment you have there don't fly around recklessly!"

Aboard the Expedition, Captain Harold Martins watched the construction from the bridge with his XO Carlos Romarez.

"It's something, isn't it?"

"Yes sir, it is. But I don't think it will last for long."

"Hm? You have doubts as to its longevity, Lieutenant?"

Romarez focused off on the construction. "I think that some other nation will try to destroy it. It's a suspicious project."

"Nonsense. The dock has almost no weapons. And it's for international use. There's no doubt that the president of NPA will say as much when he addresses the world on the creation of this thing."

"... If another nation were to attack, it wouldn't be able to defend itself."

"That's why we're here, for the time being. And why the NPA will announce this thing publicly. You'll see. Don't be so pessimistic."
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Address to the international community by the president of Nowhere Place Armaments, Inc.:

"My friends from across this world, and others, I wish to unveil the construction of Nowhere Place's newest and most ambitious project to date: The Atlas space dock."

A monitor behind the president shows an artist's rendering of the space dock.


"The dock is massive; capable of hosting up to five capital ships at one time on each of its five arms. It also has quarters for up to five hundred personnel at a time. Its sole purpose is the construction and maintenance of ships. It is not a weapon's platform. Any nation which doubts this claim can send an official inspection."

The monitor flicks off.

"This dock was conceived and created in cooperation of Nowhere Place Armaments, Inc. and the Nowhere Placean Military Corps of Engineers. It was launched into orbit by the country of Morgenroete. However, despite the fact that these organizations mainly produce weapons, the Atlas is made for international use. It is our intention as its sponsor nation that this dock be used by any nation that wishes to do so upon its creation, and it will be operated and maintained by the Nowhere Placean Military Corps of Engineers... until such time as the international community wishes to make this a truly international space dock. Any country that wishes can become a sponsor nation of the Atlas, and can provide its own personnel to oversee its working. This will insure that no single nation can monopolize the dock. Also, any nations wishing to add to the dock may do so at their own expense. The dock will be open to all civilian and military craft of all nations. As soon as it is declared international (meaning that at least five sponsor nations join the program), then the surrounding space will officially be declared a 'safe zone', in which combat cannot take place."

The president looks around at the journalists spread before him.

"At the moment, all revenue from the dock will go to Nowhere Place Armaments and the Nowhere Placean government. However, as sponsor nations are added, the revenue will be split proportionally: 60:40, 50:25:25, 40:20:20:20, etc. These revenue proportions will be subject to change among consent of parties."

The president spreads his arms wide.

"We hope to see the world join hands over our creation and make space a better place for humanity."

End of address.

(OOC: This RP will go... where it goes. If it turns into a small space conflict, okay. I hope, though, that some nations will sponsor this creation, and others will form against it. And some behind-the-scenes politics as well. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out...)

Out in what is normally Lunar Orbit, the space began to bubble and boil. Then, as it snapped back into place, four ships appeared. The largest was easily over 500 meters, estimated closer to 600, while the others were only over 200 meters. To anyone familiar with recent DLE tech designs, the larger ship was a DLEMB20 while the smaller three were DLEX70s. But, in a piece of strangeness, the DLEX70s were firing on the DLEMB20, and from the way the shields rippled anyone could tell the weapons were intended to be lethal.

The DLEMB20, in a surprise move, had two panels open on the bottom three-pronged missile launchers extend, the antimatter missiles gleaming coldly in the reflections from light around them. Suddenly, the DLEX70 that was in front of the ship was twenty meters above where it was, having performed a lightspeed dodge. This was too late, as the missiles were in the process of locking on to the ship and instead locked on to the space station, launching at the same moment a target lock was established.

Then, the DLEMB20 began jerking, almost as though two people where fighting over the controls, before it finally stopped. Then, the DLE ships turned and targetted the missiles, firing their cannons towards them in an effort to stop them. One lucky shot hit a missile in the center of the group, the resulting antimatter explosion taking out all six missiles and stopping the station from being destroyed. The ships promptly powered down their weapons before hailing.

~Electronic Communication to Space Station~
Sorry about that. Someone who disagrees with our politics decided to stage a little protest in the form of bombing our Earth territory. He's been taken care of.
So, I see someone else managed to clutter up this planet's orbit. At least this one is useful. But, maybe we can make a few tweaks here and there to it that might help you.
-Captain Zaria
~End Communication~

The President of Nowhere Place and the president of NPA were informed of the action immediately. Each contacted the other, each came to the same conclusion: Whatever had happened was simply odd, and that was that. Dulane gave Arland Grover, the NPA president, the go-ahead. Grover immediately informed the dock, which relayed the message...
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Message from NPA:

We understand. Interstellar civilizations have much to worry about and look out for. Your help is very much appreciated. Very much. We're indebted.

On the subject of helping us with the Atlas, we'd be delighted. It's obvious that Nowhere Place does not have the technology that you have. Therefore, we invite you to become a sponsor nation of the Atlas.

-NPA President Arland Grover, on behalf of NPA and the Military Corps of Engineers, operating under the Nowhere Place government.

(Bump)

(Bump-2)

OOC: Sorry about how short this is.

IC:

~Electronic Reply~
We will present it to our leader. But first, we need to deal with a few repairs.
-Captain Zaria
~End Communication~

(OOC: No problem. I just made two "bumps"; it doesn't get much shorter than that.)

Message to Captain Zaria from Atlas:

We understand. Thank you for your consideration.