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The Federation of Mars

9 (37.5%)

The Outer Systems Republic

15 (62.5%)

Total Members Voted: 23

[Azzuro]

Neither Deimos nor Phobos have been stated to have TNE deposits by the Federation data, do you guys want to ask anyway? Also, the Republic doesn't have any 'extra' DSTS (you have 4 in total split between Titan and Callisto), so putting some on Wolf-Harrington or Machholz will necessary have to take from the existing sensors on Titan/Callisto, so I'm going to need double confirmation on that.

Remember, there's a house rule of no more than 2 DSTS per body. Any extra I will SM away and keep track of outside the game until you ship it elsewhere.

[Hanzoku]

((Understood, I was going from the assumption that we'd build extras to bring Titan and Callisto back to capacity, and/or have some in parts, ready to assemble.

I'd say go ahead and ask, just to see their faces. I'm not above messing with them a little. It also forces them to be the first to say no.))

[Lorknis]

Indeed, it's good to be a little cheeky with the Federation since they're so bold as to suggest building a colony inside our borders. Also since they said that Earth has no resources, I'm sure they wouldn't mind if we claimed Earth right? 

[Silverthrone]

Now this is rather amusing! I am not quite prepared to take part in the voting and the leadership, but I can always contribute with the odd picture and flavour-text.

Such as a picture of an Achilles-class gunboat.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

The Achilles is the work horse of the OSR navy, and is used for escort, patrol and planetary defence. It was designed in 2089, as a part of the naval construction programme launched by the Republic in response to the Polemos Incident. It was based on a robust civilian trade and industry vessel that was common in the outer systems at the time. It is a basic vessel, cheap and simple to produce, with its main advantage being its speed and its effective weapon range. It carries a meson canon as its only weaponry, making it a very dangerous opponent at close range.

Ensign Arved Sharp, Home Defense Squadron Beta:

"It's bare, basic. It's cramped, it's crowded, it gets really hot with all systems engaged... It's more like a flying gun carriage than a ship, really. It's all about the meson; they needed a good gun up there, and they slapped it onto a decent hull, crammed in the rest of it and stamped out thirty of them in ten years. Not bad work, mind. It works. Does what it's supposed to. Anyone come cruising for trouble, they'll get ten of us to play with. And mesons ain't no laughing matter. Armour won't help. We'll fry them from the inside-out."

[Azzuro]

Ceres Summit - 20th May 2100, 05:30 UTC

A quick flurry of messages is exchanged between the personal communicators of Republic leaders as Administrator Kumari Chitale sits back down. She seems completely unaware of the sheer brazenness of the terms she has presented, or at least is extremely skilled at pretending otherwise.

Opinion is nearly unanimous against the deal, with Commodore Sheb noting the repercussions on military security of allowing the Federation to claim a foothold in the Saturnian system. Ganymede Governor Lorknis comes up with an equally audacious counteroffer, to both illustrate the ridiculousness of the Federation's deal in their own terms and 'mess with them a little', in his words in a private message to CEO Hanzoku.

He speaks, "The Republic would be interested in taking up this deal, but in the interests of encouraging peaceful exchange between our powers, we would claim colonization rights for either Phobos or Deimos. After all, what better way to facilitate polite interaction than having a civilian enclave in each other's space, from which tourists might experience the worlds of the other?"

There is a brief, almost imperceptible pause in expression across the room as diplomats process his counteroffer. Then, the reaction is unmissable and even hilarious, as Federation officials sputter in disbelief, raise eyebrows and in the case of one unfortunate navy officer, choke on an ill-timed sip of water. One notable exception is Administrator Chitale, who maintains her perfectly serene expression listening to Governor Lorknis' words.

Seeing the furore his words have caused, Governor Lorknis adds, "If Phobos and Deimos are unacceptable, we're willing to claim Earth instead. Surely, as Earth has no minerals and Dione has, the Federation would benefit greatly from this deal?" If anything, the chaos grows at the Federation table, with several poorly-whispered conversations breaking out between groups and furious typing on keyboards.

Eventually, Administrator Brennan replies with a stony expression on her face. "It is clear that the free trade deal is unpalatable to both of us as of now. Let us move on to other matters. The Federation is also unwilling to establish the main asteroid belt as a demilitarised zone between our powers. Surely, you cannot fail to see that such a zone would literally cut off the Federation's expansion and encircle us, while the Republic remains free to colonise and exploit resources of the Kuiper Belt and outermost planets, and even expand to other star systems in time, as the Federation stagnates in the inner system indefinitely. In any case, as Hartley's Convention already forbids the passage of military and civilian ships within 10 million km of a claim, we see little need to set up demilitarised zones as long as the convention is adhered to."

Spoiler: Ceres Accords (click to show/hide)

Ceres Accords

Hartley Convention on Claim and Transit Rights
Here 'asteroid' is shorthand for asteroids, trojan asteroids, comets, moons (except those of the inner six planets) and dwarf planets
1. Each power will have an equal number of asteroid claims at the time of this accord, verified in the least intrusive manner possible by the other power.
2. Each power may make one more claim at any time if they have equal or lesser number of total claims than the other power. The power with more claims may not make a claim except under point 3.
3. Each power will be entitled to claim at a minimum rate of one asteroid per six months, if the other power has not matched their number of claims in that period.
4. The claiming of an asteroid will be verified in the least intrusive manner possible by the other power, and a legitimate claim is defined as having at least one installation on the body in question, with the exception of purely colonial infrastructure.
5. A claim to a body will include a 10 million km exclusion cordon of space around the body, in which any ships (military or civilian) of the other power may not pass, excepting the circumstances in point 6.
6. In the case of comets and other 'moving' bodies, such an exclusion cordon will not apply at all within 230 million km of the sun, or 230 million km of the current position of Jupiter, and the powers controlling those spaces will be allowed to pass any ships at any distance from the comet colony. The claiming power may not station any military ships at the comet, but is allowed to transit civilian ships within the other power's sphere of influence to their colony, subject to inspection.
7. Civilian mining operations shall be considered a claim for their parent power, without being counted for or subjected to the restrictions on claims in points 1, 2 and 3.

Hanzoku Agreement on Survey Rights
Both powers shall have the right to freely conduct geological surveys of unclaimed bodies, outside of the area within 230 million km of the sun or 230 million km of current position of Jupiter or Saturn. If a body has already been claimed by the other power under the Hartley Convention prior to survey, both powers have the right to request for a one-time mineral count of that body.

The Klotho Deal
The Federation shall pay the Republic 10,000 tons of Duranium and 24 tons of Uridium, delivered to a location of the Republic's choosing, and in return the Republic shall remove its mines from the main-belt asteroid Klotho and acknowledge the Federation claim to it, both by the handover date of June 11th, 2100.

((Are there any other matters to address? If everyone is agreeable to the terms of the accords as presented above, then the Republic will sign it next update. Otherwise you can add on or debate specific points with the Federation.

Also welcome Silverthrone! Thanks for the pic, I think this is the first fanart that I've ever gotten for an LP. Descriptions of other Republic ship classes can also be found on the first page. And don't be afraid to vote for or suggest things, I generally go by majority rule so any particularly silly moves will be outvoted.))

[Sheb]

I'm okay with thedeal.

[Lorknis]

I think we can finally accept this deal. We'll own Earth though, one day. 

[somemildmanneredidiot]

If their concern is being encircled by us, why not request literally any other moon not within the Saturn sphere of influence? Like, our main governing body is within that area right? Am I missing something?

[Azzuro]

They requested to claim Dione only after seeing its mineral reports during the data trade. Make of that what you will. Also, four of the Republic's five starting worlds are the Galilean Moons of Jupiter - including the capital Ny Enhet on Ganymede. Titan is the Republic's possession in the Saturn system, and is something of a backwater, albeit growing as it is getting terraformed.

[Karlito]

Nice fanart. Nice agreement. I think we're at a good place to close negotiations.

[Azzuro]

Ceres Summit - 20th May 2100, 06:00 UTC

After an additional half-hour of discussions and poring through minutiae, both parties eventually agree on the terms of the Ceres Accords, setting out rules and regulations regarding survey, mineral and transit rights intended to hopefully prevent a repeat of the Klotho Crisis. The Republic Congress Representatives present sign on behalf of the Outer Systems Republic, while a group of Federation Senators sign on behalf of the Federation of Mars.

Spoiler: Ceres Accords (click to show/hide)

Ceres Accords - ratified 20th May, 2100

Hartley Convention on Claim and Transit Rights
Here 'asteroid' is shorthand for asteroids, trojan asteroids, comets, moons (except those of the inner six planets) and dwarf planets
1. Each power will have an equal number of asteroid claims at the time of this accord, verified in the least intrusive manner possible by the other power.
2. Each power may make one more claim at any time if they have equal or lesser number of total claims than the other power. The power with more claims may not make a claim except under point 3.
3. Each power will be entitled to claim at a minimum rate of one asteroid per six months, if the other power has not matched their number of claims in that period.
4. The claiming of an asteroid will be verified in the least intrusive manner possible by the other power, and a legitimate claim is defined as having at least one installation on the body in question, with the exception of purely colonial infrastructure.
5. A claim to a body will include a 10 million km exclusion cordon of space around the body, in which any ships (military or civilian) of the other power may not pass, excepting the circumstances in point 6.
6. In the case of comets and other 'moving' bodies, such an exclusion cordon will not apply at all within 230 million km of the sun, or 230 million km of the current position of Jupiter, and the powers controlling those spaces will be allowed to pass any ships at any distance from the comet colony. The claiming power may not station any military ships at the comet, but is allowed to transit civilian ships within the other power's sphere of influence to their colony, subject to inspection.
7. Civilian mining operations shall be considered a claim for their parent power, without being counted for or subjected to the restrictions on claims in points 1, 2 and 3.

Hanzoku Agreement on Survey Rights
Both powers shall have the right to freely conduct geological surveys of unclaimed bodies, outside of the area within 230 million km of the sun or 230 million km of current position of Jupiter or Saturn. If a body has already been claimed by the other power under the Hartley Convention prior to survey, both powers have the right to request for a one-time mineral count of that body.

The Klotho Deal
The Federation shall pay the Republic 10,000 tons of Duranium and 24 tons of Uridium, delivered to a location of the Republic's choosing, and in return the Republic shall remove its mines from the main-belt asteroid Klotho and acknowledge the Federation claim to it, both by the handover date of June 11th, 2100.

As the RNS William Herschel departs Ceres another hour later, preparations are underway for the transfer of the asteroid Klotho to Federation control. The Amirani 001, still 64 million km out from Ceres, is diverted to Klotho to pick up the asteroid mine there and transfer it to Psyche Station. Meanwhile, the Federation embassy in Ny Enhet begins to discuss the transfer of minerals from the Federation, with Republic planners suggesting the mineral payment be sent to 52 Europa and the mass driver there for further transferral to Ganymede.

Epigeus City, Ganymede - 21st May 2100



The next day, as op-eds on the Republic's news media continue to discuss the terms of the Ceres Accords, Xingjin Extraction, a mining conglomerate based out of Shangdu and owning nearly a quarter of the mines on Titan, drops a bombshell on the news networks. They announce the establishment of a civilian mining colony on the comet Tempel-Tuttle, currently crossing the orbit of Saturn outbound from Sol. The comet will reach apogee slightly outside of the orbit of Uranus before returning sunward.





Fuelled by an upsurge in investment from many other corporations across the Republic, the mining complex is expansive, with analysts expecting it to produce nearly twice the output per mineral of 52 Europa, the largest asteroid colony. Tempel-Tuttle has a significant deposit of high-accessibility Duranium, but little in the way of Sorium and Mercassium, the other two TNE minerals present. Xingjin Extraction has also made arrangements for the security of the colony, hiring private security firms for its garrison and even setting up a Deep Space Tracking System to monitor the local neighbourhood. However, perhaps the greatest guarantee of security will be the Federation inspectors en route from the embassy who will verify Xingjin Extraction's claim in accordance with the Hartley Convention.



While Xingjin Extraction has plans to sell the minerals mined to the civilian sector on Titan and Ganymede, executives indicate that they are willing to sell the mineral output of Tempel-Tuttle to the government - for a suitable price of 500 million credits a year. Analysts with the Republic's industrial and mining planning departments show that Duranium and Sorium stockpiles are slightly decreasing (consumption outpacing production), while Mercassium stockpiles are increasing. While Sorium use can be cut by stopping fuel production as the HiSor reserves are currently sufficient, Duranium is essential in the construction of nearly every type of installation from mines to laboratories, as well as being used in the production of all ships. However, they caution that the price of 500 million per annum may be too expensive, and that the Republic could simply continue with its mining expansion elsewhere instead, perhaps on asteroids with more varied TNE deposits.

At current, the Republic Congress debates on whether to purchase the mineral output of Tempel-Tuttle, with more expansionist representatives talking about the need to support Xingjin Extraction's claim economically, while other more fiscally-minded representatives point out the current budget, which is balanced on a knife's edge.

((Sorry for the short update, but this was a pretty big development immediately after the summit. Should we purchase the minerals or not?

Also, for Hanzoku's plan to plant a DSTS on the comet Wolf-Harrington, where should we take the DSTS from? The Republic has 4, 2 on Callisto and 2 on Titan. Or we could devote production to a new DSTS and use that instead, which would take two weeks at 90% of factory usage.))

[Karlito]

• Purchase the minerals
• Build new DSTS

[Azzuro]

Ny Enhet, Ganymede - 22nd May 2100



The Republic government decides to buy the mineral output from Xingjin Extraction. Payment avenues are set up by the relevant offices, and the inbuilt mass driver on Temple-Tuttle begins to send mineral packets toward Ganymede. The Federation inspectors also arrive on Tempel-Tuttle, and after a short broadcast triangulation to confirm their location, the Federation embassy acknowledges the Republic's claim to the comet. The balance of claims now stands at 4 to 4, as the civilian mining colony is not counted as a government-initiated claim under points 2 and 3 of the Hartley Convention.

In the capital of Aubernia, Federation citizens are incredulous that the Republic has for once upstaged the Federation in the colonisation field, and in a way that bypasses the limits of the Hartley Convention. There are calls to expand colonisation efforts once again, though government spokespersons assure the public that Federation companies will expand offworld in their own time, and the government will not interfere in these matters.

Meanwhile, construction factories on Ganymede are redirected to the production of the gargantuan sensor arrays needed for a new Deep Space Tracking Station, expected to be complete on 6th June.

Klotho Station - 23rd May 2100, 01:08 UTC



The freighter Amirani 001 departs Klotho, with the automated mine in its cargo hold. In the time since it was set up, only two tons each of Duranium and Uridium were produced. Only the barest minimum of infrastructure remains on Klotho for the handover ceremony.

Ny Enhet, Ganymede - 25th May 2100

DE William Herschel returns to Ganymede with all the staff from the Ceres Summit. The automated mine from Klotho has been dropped off on Psyche Station.

Out around the orbit of Jupiter, RVS Andes discovers TNE deposits on the comets Wild and Chernykh, albeit unimpressive ones.

Code: (Wild) [Select]

Boronide 4 904 (0.9)

Code: (Chernykh) [Select]

Duranium 38 590 (0.7)
Abroad RVS Andes, Inside Saturn Orbit - 29th May 2100, 17:22 UTC

Significant TNE deposits are discovered on the comet Neujmin, most importantly a large deposit of good-accessibility Corundium, which is used in the production of all energy weapons and mining installations.

Code: (Neujmin) [Select]

Neutronium 36 474 (0.8) Corbomite 22 767 (0.5) Corundium 157 288 (0.8)
52 Europa - 7th June 2100



The Federation freighter FT Hellas 001 requests permission to dock and unload the mineral payment of 10,000 tons of Duranium, 24 tons of Uridium onto 52 Europa. After a small away team is dispatched by Governor Josh Hart and verifies the freighter is unarmed, the unloading of minerals commences. As the unloading completes, Governor Hart warns that it will take more than two years to further transfer the payment to Ganymede, as the mass driver on 52 Europa can only send 5000 tons per annum. Another freighter, the Amirani 002, is dispatched to pick up the payment.

On Aubernia, the embassy notes that there may be some dislocation of the Federation economy to accommodate the payment, as a horde of orbital dockworkers take to the bars and pubs of the city. Apparently work in the shipyards has been temporarily paused, awaiting further mineral shipments from the Luna reserves.

Klotho Station - 11th June 2100

In a short ceremony on the asteroid station Klotho, the Republic officially cedes control to the Federation. Administrator Elizabeth Brennan makes the short hop over from Aurelia to accept the station for the Federation, while the foreman of the maintenance staff turns over the station's life-support controls. The last Republic citizens, eight of them, depart for Psyche Station on a small shuttlecraft.

Meanwhile, from Ganymede, the freighter Amirani 003 is tasked to load the passive sensor arrays for a new Deep Space Tracking Station. She will make a short stop at Callisto to pick up a small staff of sensor analysts from the Callisto Deep Space Monitor Array before heading to the comet mining colony of Wolf-Harrington.

Epigeus City, Ganymede - 15th June 2100



As the Amirani 002 arrives at Epigeus City and begins to unload its ten thousand tons of Duranium, Governor Lorknis is on hand to emphasise how the mineral payment will give the Republic security in terms of mineral reserves, and is thus a fair trade for Klotho. Public approval of the Ceres Accords rises to a new high, as economic analysts announce the stockpile of Duranium has doubled.

Aubernia, Mars - 16th June 2100

Federation news media once again trumpet the colonisation of an asteroid. This time, Administrator Brennan welcomes a hundred thousand new colonists into the newly-excavated caverns of Federal Aurelia, while promising that the government will be dropping off mining installations soon to provide employment for the colonists. There are also reports on the state of Federal Astraea, where the population has risen to two hundred thousand, with full employment for all in the mines.

Reactions from the Republic are more muted, with large sectors of the population still believing the Republic has the lead with the new civilian mining colony on Tempel-Tuttle.

Wolf-Harrington - 19th June 2100


The blue circle around Wolf-Harrington is the passive sensor range for thermal signature strength 195, the observed strength of a Federation destroyer.

The Amirani 003 finishes unloading its cargo and heads back toward Ganymede, while the staff at Wolf-Harrington Observatory begin their start-up tests of the covert deep space tracking station's systems. Almost immediately, two new drive plumes are detected heading toward the AKA region of the Main Belt. The signature strength is fairly powerful, at 1000, which combined with their heading leads analysts to conclude these are likely to be the Federation colony ships heading out toward Aurelia or Astraea. These two vessels are designated Tarantula 001 and 002.

Senior Republic Void Navy officers are surprised by the new detection, but it is quickly determined that at strength 1000, the colony ships could not be detected until around eight months later from Callisto, as Mars' orbit took it closer to Jupiter. Already, the Wolf-Harrington Observatory has proven its usefulness in monitoring Federation activity. The sensor officers on staff there begin filing requests for an expansion of the observatory before Wolf-Harrington passes within Mars orbit, during which the Federation will have the right to inspect freighters bound for it.

((Expand the observatory by adding another DSTS to make it level 2? Also, the Republic is currently free to make an additional claim at any time, since both powers are still equal. Refer to this post for TNE deposits known to the Republic if you want to suggest claiming an asteroid/comet.

Additional suggestions on things to do are always welcome.))

[Karlito]

Palmas has a total accessibility of 4.8 with decent sized deposits, so we should go for that one.

I also say we should build another DSTS.

[TalonisWolf]

Palmas has a total accessibility of 4.8 with decent sized deposits, so we should go for that one.

I also say we should build another DSTS.

I'm all for this.

Anyone else getting a Vibe that the Federation is more desperate for resources than they'd like us to know?