CoreWorlds
24-04-2006, 19:32
"Old! Outdated! Useless!" Shouted a high-ranking member of the Military High Command, subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief. "How the hell we lasted so long I'll never know!"
"Persistence, luck, the Force, take your pick. The fleet's still useful." The Army chief, General Bradley said.
"For picket duty, sure, but for anything else? No way in hell!" Admiral Gran, the Commander of Naval Operations snorted. "And what the hell would you know, James? You're just a ground-pounder."
The other members of the MHC winced. Once never calls the Army (or the Marines) ground-pounders.
"Say that again and I'll kick your ass!" Bradley shot back.
"Bring it on, baka!"
"Now hold on, peoples. Let's not act like children here." Brig. General Elric, the chief of Starfighter Command replied calmly. But it was a sudden snap and a rush of red light that finally managed to calm down the would-be brawlers. Bradley and Gran both found their clothes and hair smoldering.
"*Sigh* What am I to do with you two? Must I bring the Council down on your heads?" Major General Roy Mustang, Commander of Special Operations Command, shook his head and lowered his arm. "Unbecoming an officer, a disgrace to the title of 'commander'."
"Get to the point, Mustang." Gran growled.
"Gladly, General." Roy smirked. "As you know, the Jedi Council and the Patriarch have decided that as we are nicely upgrading our ground forces with new mechas, sidearms, and the like, they have also deemed it necessary that the Fleet is in need of an upgrade as well. Frankly, ladies and gentlemen, the standard Imperial Star Destroyer with its hundred turbolasers is outdated. Useful, indeed, against forces similar to ours and many nations, but they are growing up, my friends. And so must we do so as well."
"How does the Council propose to upgrade the fleet?" Admiral Gran asked. "And where are we going to get the money to do it?"
"Why, my dear Admiral, that's where you come in. Admiral Pellaeon has given orders to, I quote, 'Do whatever is necessary to upgrade the Fleet to new standards'. To do that, we will indeed do what is necessary. Poke our own R&D departments to cook something up. Go to our allies and ask for assistance. Espionage the Empire for R&D projects. Even steal if we can. Everything. Money will come out of the naval budget as we decommmission old ships one by one."
Mustang looked around at the collection of military brass. "I cannot emphasize enough the need for upgrades and overhauls. We must match, even exceed if possible, the best our enemies can offer. Only then will we be able to lower ship loss and replacement costs, crew deaths, and above all, provide a force that will truly be able to protect ourselves and our allies. Admiral, your orders from the Council are in here." Mustang slid the folder to him. "As always, my friends, May the Force be with you."
-----------
Soon, a notice out of Naval Command to all known allies and friends of the Imperial Republic went zooming into the Holonet.
Greetings, friends and allies,
The Jedi Council has asked Naval Command to produce what they term the next generation of ships-of-the-line that will intend to be the successor to the Imperial Star Destroyer. To assist, we ask our esteemed allies for assistance in undertaking this project for the good of all of us. Thank you, and may the Force be with you...
"Persistence, luck, the Force, take your pick. The fleet's still useful." The Army chief, General Bradley said.
"For picket duty, sure, but for anything else? No way in hell!" Admiral Gran, the Commander of Naval Operations snorted. "And what the hell would you know, James? You're just a ground-pounder."
The other members of the MHC winced. Once never calls the Army (or the Marines) ground-pounders.
"Say that again and I'll kick your ass!" Bradley shot back.
"Bring it on, baka!"
"Now hold on, peoples. Let's not act like children here." Brig. General Elric, the chief of Starfighter Command replied calmly. But it was a sudden snap and a rush of red light that finally managed to calm down the would-be brawlers. Bradley and Gran both found their clothes and hair smoldering.
"*Sigh* What am I to do with you two? Must I bring the Council down on your heads?" Major General Roy Mustang, Commander of Special Operations Command, shook his head and lowered his arm. "Unbecoming an officer, a disgrace to the title of 'commander'."
"Get to the point, Mustang." Gran growled.
"Gladly, General." Roy smirked. "As you know, the Jedi Council and the Patriarch have decided that as we are nicely upgrading our ground forces with new mechas, sidearms, and the like, they have also deemed it necessary that the Fleet is in need of an upgrade as well. Frankly, ladies and gentlemen, the standard Imperial Star Destroyer with its hundred turbolasers is outdated. Useful, indeed, against forces similar to ours and many nations, but they are growing up, my friends. And so must we do so as well."
"How does the Council propose to upgrade the fleet?" Admiral Gran asked. "And where are we going to get the money to do it?"
"Why, my dear Admiral, that's where you come in. Admiral Pellaeon has given orders to, I quote, 'Do whatever is necessary to upgrade the Fleet to new standards'. To do that, we will indeed do what is necessary. Poke our own R&D departments to cook something up. Go to our allies and ask for assistance. Espionage the Empire for R&D projects. Even steal if we can. Everything. Money will come out of the naval budget as we decommmission old ships one by one."
Mustang looked around at the collection of military brass. "I cannot emphasize enough the need for upgrades and overhauls. We must match, even exceed if possible, the best our enemies can offer. Only then will we be able to lower ship loss and replacement costs, crew deaths, and above all, provide a force that will truly be able to protect ourselves and our allies. Admiral, your orders from the Council are in here." Mustang slid the folder to him. "As always, my friends, May the Force be with you."
-----------
Soon, a notice out of Naval Command to all known allies and friends of the Imperial Republic went zooming into the Holonet.
Greetings, friends and allies,
The Jedi Council has asked Naval Command to produce what they term the next generation of ships-of-the-line that will intend to be the successor to the Imperial Star Destroyer. To assist, we ask our esteemed allies for assistance in undertaking this project for the good of all of us. Thank you, and may the Force be with you...