Schwieger

The Pordish Solution Heinz nods. If the Kressnians were fielding two thousand large superkapitals... Then things would perhaps look different. But Heinz knows this isn't the case. He cringes at the thought. Barlat fleet doctine, he considers to himself... Even if it isn't entirely true. He looks over to Keegan who can only shake his head. This is the start of a much wider conflict, Heinz says. But the loss of your colonies here does make things... Dicey, he says. He turns to face the Kressnian but is still in thought. He had been behind the Kiran targeting of the Jewel of the Pacific. That was a gamble that ultimately paid off, but Kressnia is a much different case. Trading Kressnian civilians for Naxid warships isn't likely an exchange he could get away with suggesting. Keegan breaks the silence: The Mri have forces in the area. If you can draw the Naxid forces away from Orbis III and to the Mri fleet, that seems to be the best solution. Heinz nods. Feldmarschall Keegan is likely correct, Heinz agrees. Orbis III will fall with what is currently defending it, and if you remain here you will lose both your fleet and your colonies.

The Divine Tumult VRZ Azure Midwinter's Sunset Nalydian 6th Fleet "Fury Chlümüchgrazhni'an" Admiral! We are receiving an emergency transmission! It appears to - Admiral Heinz! Massive signatures on Natyl & Mylchar Arrays! It appears to - Admiral! We - Quiet! Heinz barks. We already know what's coming. Sensors - give me an estimate on the size of the incoming force. There is silence for a brief moment. Then, the displays are brought up. A massive force takes shape on them. VOID signatures, the sensors operator states. Billions of them. Heinz nods slowly. Take the rest of the fleet out of rift. The communications officer nods. She relays the information to the rest of the Pordish armada. Near Uranus, a massive rend in space-time erupts. The planet-sized bulk of the mobile shipyard-fortress "Voznayali" slides into the system. Sailing in concert with it are thousands of smaller contacts - capital ships - all in excess of one hundred kilometers from bow to stern. These Assault Fleets are two in number and contain within their ranks four thousand capital ships, their escorts, and five moon-sized flagship type Jlokhemit Natynozhskaya dreadnoughts. They begin taking a defensive posture as their funnels belch vast quantities of pure, unrefined rift energies into the void; their captains are eager to store as much of it as possible before the start of the engagement. Time is not on their side. Trailing in behind the main contingent are rift cruisers of the 36th, 14th, and 45th Patrol Fleets. These smaller ships form up with legions of Tylaq Balnook type runners and begin to patrol away from the main force. Almost eleven AU away, practically an hour and a half's time away via sublights - at Neptune - more rift signatures betray the emergence of three Assault Fleets of the High Hunter's Navy: some six thousand capital ships and their escorts. This force also has rift cruisers with it; 16th, 22nd, and 32nd Patrol Fleets are all present and like with at Uranus, they form up with the runners of the fleet and go to work extending the Pordish battle formation. We are stable in the Uranian System, Admiral, the helmsman states. Heinz nods. Comms, patch through the Mri communique again. Tasi, the communications officer says. "This is Queen Phage I of the Mri Empire. My ship's sensors have detected VOID signatures inbound on the Orbis System they will arrive within five minutes, have your defenses prepared and your ships in fighting condition. The Naxids were not content to wait on us to make the first move in this 'verse. Perhaps they have learned from their ancestral mistakes." Heinz replies: Tell them... The VRZ is ready. May Jlokhemit watch over us and Rekazhnar guide our bows.

Heinz and Keegan and Mihailovic Yes, Heinz states. He motions for Mihailovic to follow and begins walking; Keegan follows them as well. A considerable fight will be upon us here soon, Heinz continues. Mri have notified us that Naxid forces will soon be expanding in this universe. This is cause for... Concern. He scratches his bead as he steps through a hatch leading from the hangar to the actual interior of the ship; once through it becomes apparent that, even though the craft is extremely large, the Pords have somehow managed to use up almost all of the space. He comes to a console. Bridge, this is Heinz with Keegan and Mihailovic. Bring us up. There is a brief security check. They are brought directly to the bridge after they are cleared. Please excuse the rush, Admiral. We don't know when the Naxids will be arriving, Heinz says. The Admiral finds his seat towards the center of the bridge and Keegan joins him here. The Feldmarschall is first to begin the briefing: These are scans from our previous conflict with the Naxids, he states. Most of these are not available within the UMS archives - they were taken directly by my men and kept within ZJR stores. Keegan pans to reveal a world with massive orbital stations and extremely dense planetside constructions. This planet alone housed 32 trillion Naxids, the Feldmarschall states. We were tasked with clearing it out. He removes the data chip from the hologram emitter and hands it to the Kressnian Admiral. Your ground forces will appreciate reviewing these - consider it a gift from the Nalydian army. Heinz nods. The Admiral moves his hand across the console and another hologram appears. Heinz speaks: We must keep in mind, Admiral, that these Naxids do not break where other powers do. It is very likely we will need to kill them all. In the hologram the vast form of a planet-dwarfing starship appears; it is Naxid and begins to duel with a similarly size Kesrithi ship. Smaller dots can be seen; in one sector some twenty thousand smaller Pordish ships succumb to attrition and are blown away. Heinz frowns. What a mess, he says. We will be dealing with extreme swarm tactics, he tells the Kressnian. I've already ordered my monitors to prepare canister for their large-bore cannons. With luck we can hold. I am under the impression you have brought a few thousand ships?

With the Old Breed A trio of gravitic tugs steam off to meet the Kressnians. The small fabriccraft, with thrusters much too large for ships of their size, pull up near the Kressnian shuttle. Tall funnels adorn the topsides of the Pordish shunters; as they begin to steam closer, fluctuating levels of waste emerging from their six mutual funnels betray the level of difficulty they are having: the light trickle of energies and particulates provide evidence of the difference in size between the ships such tugs are intended to shunt and guide and this small Kressnian craft here. It becomes obvious rather quickly that the tugs are indeed not helping this craft directly - they serve only to provide her skipper with a guide on where to sail. They duck past the panoply of large ships in orbit around the Pordish flagship and then make their way past massive docking quays which extend from its hull out into space; they are obviously meant for the berthing of much larger quarry. The tugs guide them through these tribulations, and they finally arrive near the flagship... Somewhat past a dozen kilometers from the gargantuan dreadnought, the quartet enters the VRZ Azure Midwinter Sunset's atmosphere. It is crisp and clear, but the vessels still are burdened with the heat of re-entry. Below them (or rather, somewhat in front of them) on the surface of the hull, the dark outer coating - devoid of paint or markings - seems to ebb and flow; the expanse of hull just about appears to splash and lap upon the myriad rows of half-sphere blister turrets which dot the vessel-exterior. Endless quantities of these gun batteries are arranged in brilliant sequence as far the eye can see from bow to stern, and their number alone - on this single ship - is very likely greater than all the weapon systems currently in the System Orbis under the Kressnian Star, Brotherhood Banner, and all of the locals combined. It is a costing thing, mainly. Manster Heinz and the Pords who commanded the warships of the then Hochraumflotte witnessed first-hand the devastation visited upon fleets by powers with grand armadas. The first large warships fielded by Pords served mainly to draw fire away from where the bulk of the firepower was - the cruisers - and in this they did their job well. But Heinz wanted more. Admiral Heinz envisioned a grand fleet of large warships impervious to the piddling armaments of less civilized nations. He sought battlecruisers and battleships capable of scoffing at Serdari nova cannons and the reality-rending Origami bolts of the GRA; monitors capable of weathering a storm of Kiran missiles or the impact of high-yield Connori omni-concentrator arrays. He wanted the best. And the High Hunters delivered. The fifth generation of Nalydian warships began the tradition of well-organized legions of big-gun ships, but it was only through the visionary leadership of Admirals Manster Heinz, Tunods von Begin, and nam-Kyzhaq that their full potential would become realized. After all... Fielding fleets of ships which, individually, cost more to produce and maintain than the entire naval roster of some nations is... Taxing. The tugs guide Admiral Mihailovic's shuttle down deeper through the vessel's atmosphere; small spherical probes dart about through the air column around them as they make their way to the surface. There are, however, no visible openings: the first gravitic tug splashes down onto the flagship and seems to disappear into the murky depths. Mihailovic's shuttle follows and splashes down as well; it is helped into the vessel interiour by the remaining tugs. After a lengthy transit they come to a halt and a series of massive hangar bay doors open. The craft are ushered inside and are directed towards landing areas. Blue-clad men are busy in the hangar going about their business, but one group in particular stands out. It is Admiral Manster Heinz and his entourage. The Admiral waits for the Kressnian shuttle to come to a halt and for Admiral Mihailovic to exit. Upon seeing him step foot on the metallic floor, Admiral Heinz salutes; the intricate designs emblazoned on his blue sleeve-cuffs brush against his face as he snaps in near perfect form. Welcome, Admiral Mihailovic. I am Admiral Manster Heinz of the Imperial Nalydian VRZ. As you can see, this is my flagship. Welcome aboard. Off to his side is another officer. This Pord, however, is clad in completely different attire; he has a small tuft of red hair hidden mostly behind a peaked officer's cap and wears a gray overcoat; his trousers are gray as well, however his boots (which reach about to just below his knees) are charcoal black. Rank insignia display proudly on his collars and indicate he is of considerable status. He speaks after Admiral Heinz: Feldmarschall Keegan Russell, the other Pord says. On behalf of the Nalydian Army. Keegan salutes as well.

Fortifying the Belt VRZ Azure Midwinter's Sunset Nalydian 6th Fleet "Fury Chlümüchgrazhni'an" Heinz scowls. The Naxid threat has once again dredged itself up from the dark depths of where it really ought remain. The solution - extermination - is much more difficult than it should be. Naxid are prolific, and unfortunately seem to have infested far too many verses to count. Thus standard policy is that they are to be sought out and destroyed wherever they may be - in one universe or the next. But this... This is much easier declared than accomplished. Heinz looks to the tactical displays; he knows other UMS powers are sending contingents to PW-1 as well and many of them will need to be briefed on the coming... Engagment. He folds his hands together and rests his elbows on the console; his face sinks behind them. Naxids, the Admiral growls. I'm sorry this was such short notice, Feldmarschall. It's fine, Feldmarschall Keegan replies to Heinz. We both know the Naxid infestation needs to be cleansed. It's rather fortunate that they're attacking here, though, after we've arrived. It'd be a massive pain if they built up considerable momentum in PW-1 before coming to attack us in NS-1. Heinz nods. You aren't wrong, he says. I take it you've brought the divisions? Yes, Keegan confirms. The entire XIV Korps and the Paramarines of it, as well as VII Korps. These are the main striking component. Another two dozen corps are in reserve. Better equipment, Heinz notes. For you as well, Keegan replies. Can't say I didn't notice the vessel count here. Heinz shrugs. In addition to his formation, a number of rift fleets have been attached to his command. He resents the current organization of the VRZ for this reason, but there is little he can do about it. Murdoch is a fan of the arrangement - something about building blocks and ease of command. Nonsense. It would be much more practical for the rift ships to be fully integrated into his formations, but oh well. They can still be commanded without being. Perhaps only nam-Kyzhaq is a fan of the set-up. He always has been a fan of his rift ships and overly complex battle plans... Helmsman - are we near Orbis? Heinz questions. Tasi, Admiral. We are nearing the system, the helmsman replies. Heinz nods: Comms, bring up my division commanders. Replies of Tasinehdao! ring out in concert. Within moments, holograms begin to appear before Admiral Heinz: twenty-five to be exact. They salute as they appear, and once the final one has emerged, Heinz returns them. Welcome, gentlemen. We are arriving near the Orbis System. As you know we will very soon be engaging Naxid forces in this universe. To ease command, I will be giving five of you command of sections of my fleet; these sections will be named Assault Fleets and numbered one through five. They will serve as our main large-scale tactical formation for the duration of this conflict. Heinz looks down at the console and shifts some databits around. Off to the side, Keegan nods in approval. The Admiral continues: Admiral Zhüln. You will take your division, as well as divisions Atanok, Narlük, Chylnat, and Naltoch down to Orbis. Everyone else will remain on standby here. Once more Tasinehdaos! ring out in concert. In the rift, Heinz' fleet stirs. The Admiral has brought with him an impressive host; thousands of warships sail under the turquoise trident and with them the sprawling mobile shipyards of the Schalchnu type fabricworks "Voznayali". The complex was dragged into the rift so that Heinz's ships would have a convenient base from which to operate - at least until the System Orbis no longer is under direct threat. The Admiral's first Assault Fleet begins its exit into the domain of real space; near the orbit of Neptune gargantuan rends in reality tear open as the myriad superkapital ships of the High Hunter's Navy claw their way into coherent space-time; they are both vast and numerous and the openings into the rift drip with putrid energies and sickly particulates. It is truly a disgusting sight, but there is little that can be helped about it. For his part Admiral Heinz emerges from rift near Orbis III with the flagship of his fleet; the VRZ Azure Midwinter's Sunset and her accompanying baggage train slide into position near the rocky moon of the blue-green world. The massive funnels on Heinz' flagship pour vast columns of pure, unrefined, rift energies into the void and they diffuse into the expanse of nothingness; the horrendous torrents begin to calm themselves and the funnels begin to grow quiet one by one as the ship no longer is required to fend off such great quantities of the realm. Real-space is much more amenable to a placid existence. The massive warship soon finds a stable orbit and the Kressnian fleet is hailed: "This is Admiral Manster Heinz of the Imperial Nalydian Voznayte Rekazhgrazhni Zhamra. We are here to discuss matters pertaining to the defense of this system. You will be given clearance to come aboard VRZ Azure Midwinter's Sunset," the message says.

I gotchu

Orbis Atlantic Ocean Azores and Madiera In continuation of the Nalydian consolidation program on Orbis III, unclaimed islands north of the Nalydian Cape Verde and Canary Island Provincial District have been declared to be part of the Greater Nalydian Empire. To ensure these claims cannot be challenged without requisite military force, rift cruisers from the 12th and 37th Patrol Fleets emerge from the sickly realms of rift space above the islands; Paramarine forces soon follow in their wake and soon the islands are brought under Colonial control. Unlike elsewhere, Nalydian patience here is at an all-time low: the local populations are rounded up and sent elsewhere. This clears the way for the eventual Pordish colonization of these lands and will serve to aid in maintaining the cultural, racial, and ethnic homogeneity of the myriad Nalydian territories. In addressing wider Colony Natynozh, High Hunter Nykat has stated that, "with the addition of these new territories, Nalydian interests on Orbis III will have been satiated," and that "Grazhni Pordlandia has no desire to acquire any more territory on the planet."

December claims: http://imgur.com/a/t03s4

A Spanish Philosopher And there it is. One representative speaking after another in rapid succession: a barrage of insults and sewage so far beneath the likes of civilized star-states that it nearly defies reason. This summit, it would seem, is over. Constructive discourse has reached its end and there is nothing more to be gleaned from remaining here. Already observers are leaving and if nam-Kalzhak was not hosting, he too would be heading for the exit. But, alas, he cannot. He shakes his head and takes a long drink from his jug and reaches the bottom; an attendant refills it to its brim with frothy drink and he thanks them for the effort. And yet... He does find himself agreeing with B'alam on some points; the natives really ought not be brought up to the level of the other powers present within the UMS. Nalydya has been very generous with technology and weaponry in the past, but the bulk of technological development should still be done within the borders of a nation. It would be insulting to go against the natural order; a glacier rat has no more business with a rift gate than nations who find it difficult to protect themselves from the elements. The Brotherhood commentary is woefully misguided. It is not the job of the UMS to police the multiverse and help the poor and downtrodden. Danica's direct questioning, though, perturbs his line of thought and he takes a moment to process all of what she has asked. He takes another drink from his jug. Supreme Leader Danica, the Admiral begins, all of our nations here are allies because we recognize the dangers of this vast multiverse. I fought against the Barlat Concordiat. I know what it is like to stare down millions of warships with only a fraction of that under your command. He stops for a moment to collect his thoughts. Nalydya once warred with the Union of Leftist Nations. We won. Nalydya once threatened the faction of OMNA. They backed down. Half of Nalydya's core planets are trophies from various conflicts... Some of their original owners no longer exist. Iqoon now has only one moon because of a mere warning. Again he stops. These are not the sort of nations and organizations we have banded together to combat. No, we are here because of states like Ish'Cong, Kira's Kingdom, the Housemates, NFPA, Rhamos, Serdaristan. We are here because SIM has existed since time immemorial and because American blazar batteries rival supernovae. Because even the GRA can rend space and time, and Laptev shunts entire star systems through the void. Once more he stops. There will always be powerful threats. We are here to provide a base from which to combat them. But I digress - we have moved off topic. nam-Kalzhak nods to the scribe who moves the scroll just enough to reveal the voting previously completed. He realizes he hasn't really addressed most of Danica's concerns, but oh well. Internal tensions aren't going to be resolved here. For a brief moment, he chuckles. Perhaps on the battlefield, he considers. It appears that Kressnia, Nalydya, the Brotherhood, and Triskel have voted in favour of the current set up. Tonina has voted against it, he declares. I believe this means that the current resolution has more than passed, he says.

Manifest Destiny nam-Kalzhak blinks. Perhaps it is out of genuine surprise (UMS members? Negotiating on the behalf of locals?), but he suddenly feels the great urge to stifle irritation, almost as if he himself has been insulted (what a crude breed of creatures... Humans...). Off to the side he can hear the scribe jotting down each and every word being uttered for posterity. This will be interesting to discuss with Murdoch and the others. He blinks again. Perhaps it may have been better to let High Hunter Nykat host the summit. At least then he could wax philosophical about sentient rights or some such drivel to placate the concerns of Kressnia and the Brotherhood - at least on some level. But nam-Kalzhak, an Admiral of the VRZ (emphasis on the V - Voznayte, or warlike, as it is oft roughly translated), has no grand desire to engage in such... Trite conversation. He turns fully to B'alam and speaks firmly: In the interest of not insulting the Triskeli at their own summit, I believe for the time being we can live with the commentary from the observing powers, he says, his gaze slowly drifting over to the Empress from the Triskelion Federation. Of course, this is an... Internal UMS matter, he says curtly and without tact. The Admiral stops to let his words sink in for almost five minutes but does not yield the floor. The time passes; he drinks once more and uses the opportunity to continue..: If such a multinational taskforce is created, we will not support it, nam-Kalzhak says. Memories of the Great Kiran Sol War begin flooding his mind as he speaks and he can just about see the GRA vessels descending into the air column (he was not there personally but was following the battle in real-time), through the Laptev-SC-DC cordon, to bombard the Jewel of the Atlantic. Admiral Heinz, who commanded the rift fleets there, spoke very poorly of the coalition's ability to stop them. It was only after their direct destruction was threatened, and the ability to carry out such threats demonstrated, that the GRA withdrew from the system. Of course, the Kirans ignored the cordon entirely and were engaged, but even after the deaths of millions, the destruction of entire cities, the flattening of Japan, the sinking of tens of thousands of warships, and the vapourization of most of the Pacific Ocean, the Kiran fleets, like the GRA, escaped practically untouched. He slides a map of the star system onto the table and the various planets and bodies appear. UMS and UMS-aligned flags cover all of the worlds: tridents near the ice giants, symbols of Nika by the inner rocky worlds, crimson banners betwixt Orbis V and Orbis VI, and fluctuating Triskeli and Kressnian standards over Orbis IV. Kressnia's star is firmly plastered beneath Orbis III. Are there any UMS objections to this proposed set up? nam-Kalzhak asks.

The Dominion Coalition nam-Kalzhak nods to the Grand Seeker: We appreciate your arrival here, he says with a glance out across the room. The various Force users present, should they lock eyes with him, would notice a deep seated hatred boiling in the depths of his eyes. Like most of the officers in Admiral Klovnazh Kazhanye's Nalydian 1st Fleet "Arbiters of Winter," nam-Kalzhak's disgust has its roots in the Caedis Wars. Klovnazh, then Wolfgang, was the first Pord to bring the conflict to the Sith, and he oversaw the final destruction of the Dark Lord's fleet before the Franks finally captured him. Caedis' head - on display in Tnem-Fragg - still draws officers who retain their hatred. But none of this would be easy to sense, even if the Mri were not present; Pords are devoid of the Force and exist outside of its... Reach. He pans back; Elizabeth has spoken and needs to be addressed: Thank you for addressing this matter without hesitation, Empress, Admiral nam-Kalzhak says. Naturally it is in our best interest to see this blockade, as it is currently implemented, reduced in scale considerably. You must understand that we do not take kindly to attempts at warping causality, and if the blockade in its current iteration is unwilling to deal with, or perhaps is genuinely unable to cope with temporal manipulation, then it must be amended. Of course as our allies we do understand your concerns. He stops for a brief moment to collect his thoughts before continuing: Currently, it looks as if the Mri are in the best position to establish a system-wide FTLi field. Tlaloc 22, above Orbis Prime, is centrally located and more than capable of giving even coverage. With this said, multinational FTLi is much more impartial and so we can and will assist in maintaining such fields. We have no real desire nor impetus to establish an FTL corridor through to Uranus, or Neptune, however. Nalydya survives with blanket FTLi up on a non-stop daily basis. This much smaller system can survive with the same. Again he stops to gather his thoughts; he takes a drink from a large jug and swallows audibly before moving on: I would like to suggest increasing the jurisdiction of the KSDF to include that of Orbis IV, he says. He turns to Danica. It only makes sense that as a member-state of the UMS Kressnia be given the privilege of overseeing the same number of worlds in this system as Nalydya and the Mri, he states. He then turns to the Brotherhood representative: Likewise, Orbis V and Orbis VI should fall under Brotherhood jurisdiction as well. I imagine this should not pose too much of a problem - the Brotherhood are already overseeing Orbis VI. Silence emanates from his form once more as he reaches for his drink; the thick liquid slides down his throat and contributes well to his fortification. Orbis I and Orbis II are under Mri jurisdiction. Orbis III and Orbis IV will fall under Kressnia. Orbis V and Orbis VI will fall under the Brotherhood, and Orbis VII and Orbis VIII are Pordish. He looks at the other UMS representatives one by one: We have no further issue with the Triskeli proposition, he says.

Once More nam-Kalzhak shakes his head. The vast assemblage now gathering to discuss or observe what is, ostensibly, an internal UMS matter has ballooned well beyond what should be necessary for such a discussion. That Triskel felt it prudent to even call forth such a meeting over something which could very likely have been decided over a five minute holoconference has struck nam-Kalzhak as relatively odd, even if he is the one who originally demanded the removal of the blockade. The thought is almost enough to amuse him... If it were actually more funny than it is irritating. More individuals pour in through the door: Cenna from Caledonia; a Frankian delegation; a diplomat from the Second Brotherhood of Planets (thankfully food is already being served); and what appears to be another practitioner of that dull faith. What was it, the Force? He turns to see B'alam's glancing nod (it drips with dismay); he can only nod back as he notices the Caledonian Emperor smirking crudely while presenting a gift to the Triskeli. Two robed members of the Adgu emerge out of the floor carrying what appear to be very large winter overcoats; they move to where Cenna and his bodyguard are now seated and address them: It appears you have brought heathen arts into this divine chamber, one says, his face obscured entirely by convenient shadows and a hood. You must leave or take down your barriers, the other says, these coats will be your protection against the cold. The first hands Cenna the coat and waits for him to accept it. nam-Kalzhak turns away from this... Disturbance to continue speaking with B'alam, but he is interrupted by the Frankish Prince and his offer of expensive cigars: I must apologize, for I do not have much to give you in return, nam-Kalzhak tells the Franks. I will see about securing a parcel of Moscorosian Rose cigars for when we meet again - Admiral Murdoch is quite fond of them and they are the best in Nalydya, the Admiral finishes. The flood continues, but this time it is an actual UMS member arriving. Welcome Go'lonthv, representative of the Second Brotherhood of Planets, nam-Kalzhak says. Already he is growing tired of these greetings; just how Reid survives so many summits escapes him (at some point Alexei and his son slipped into the room without even so much as a greeting from nam-Kalzhak). Without much thought he accepts the gift of wine and hands the slug one of the Triskeli jugs of nog in return. With that taken care of, he then moves to address the gathered: In the interest of time, I would like to begin this summit, he declares loudly. Today's topic of discussion is the Triskeli blockade currently in effect near Orbis IV.

Admiral nam-Kalzhak nam-Kalzhak is looking over reports from his subordinate units when the Grand Heir of Tonina arrives in the chamber. Punctual and respectful, the Admiral appreciates his attendance and is eager to finally meet the busiest man in all of the Confederation. The High Hunter Council spoke highly of him and his reputation has, naturally, preceded him. Thus nam-Kalzhak looks up from his reports to greet B'alam; his attire is not overly extravagant but rather that of a general officer: tunic and trousers (both very dark blue) with sleeves, collars, and edges hemmed with fancy gray embroidery. A silver sash is tied smartly around his waist, and while he wears no hat or helm, two braids are draped from the front of his face and come to rest on his shoulders; he has neither sideburn nor mustache, but a small beard covers his chin, and he forgoes the presence of gloves, though he has not opted out of a pair of charcoal boots. Welcome to Grazhni Yamsi, Prince of Tonina K'inich B'alam. von Yamsai and the Pords of the Council speak very highly of you, the Admiral tells him, his voice echoing slightly from the near emptiness of the chamber. These natives, I'm afraid, are the reason we are here, he continues in reply to B'alam's commentary. His voice trails; his head shakes. Off to the side one of his entourage members steps forward. Upon noting nam-Kalzhak accept the Toninan gift, he hands nam-Kalzhak a small object; the Admiral takes it and presents it to B'alam: This is specifically from High Hunter Cholkük, he says, prepared specifically for this meeting. It is an urn depicting his triumph over the JSOC. He is silent for a moment. Then: he tells me that it is imbued with the skills and fighting spirit of his sailors there. He says that - The doors open. Revealed is Secretary of State Jean-Jacques of France. nam-Kalzhak raises a slight eyebrow as she introduces herself and offers cheese, wines, and champagne. Please excuse me, he tells B'alam; he turns his attention to the Frencher: I see you have arrived at our capital intact, he says. With a single motion he ushers in food and the table is set: vast platters of fresh meats are brought out and smaller portions of varying types of steamed vegetables accompany them, with gargantuan jugs of drink to wash everything down. You will have to excuse our chefs as they are unfamiliar with the preferred types of meat you are accustomed to, the Admiral tells the newest of arrivals; a small plate of blubbery walrus finds its way in front of the Frencher diplomat still warm from the hunt. But these are among the finest of cuts from a very recent hunt, he explains - but before much else can be said about the matter, the Triskeli arrive. Once again, Admiral nam-Kalzhak excuses himself - this time to greet Elizabeth: There is no need to apologize, he says, we understand the fabric weather in the local area around Uranus and Neptune is not very conducive to rapid travel. He stifles a grin as she offers gifts of nog and meat. For a brief fleeting instant he glaces over at the meats and nog on the table, but only just; the realization kills his small grin. Regardless, he nods in acceptance. nam-Knachen, he says. Once more his attention is taken away by more arrivals; this time Danica in representation of Kressnia, or rather Colonial Kressnia. She speaks to him and he nods; to nam-Kalzhak, at least, it seems that B'alam's Pordish is easier to understand, but that is not that great of an issue. Welcome Supreme Leader Danica Ambrozije, he says, his Pordish making it sound much closer to Ambrözhye. It is always our pleasure to host these summits, he says, even those in realms as... Unpolished as this one, he strains. He finds that he has cast a curt glance towards the Frencher, but he is quick to catch himself. We do have much to discuss at this summit, he notes, we appreciate Kressnia attending. He bows and is given the gift of the rifle; he smiles warmly and nods to an aide off to the side who brings forth a small box. He opens the box to reveal a very small trident sitting on a plush bed. Cursory observance reveals little about its properties or anything about it, really, other than it is a symbol of the Winter-Bringer. nam-Kalzhak is respectfully silent, but after a moment he does finally speak: High Hunter von Yamsai sends his regards, the Admiral says. He presents the gift to the Kressnian and then turns to the door almost as if expecting more individuals to come pouring through.

Greater Nalydian Uranian and Neptunian Territory Grazhni Yamsi, Oberon - Capital of Colony Natynozh By this point, the calls for another summit are neither surprise nor news to the Pords. This tawdry realm has proven itself to be unstable and volatile, and since Nalydian arrival here the number of summits between UMS members (and UMS members with non-UMS states) have gone up tremendously. Casual observer might even say that the denizens of NS-1 are much less amicable to such egregious quantities of diplomatic meetings, but then again perhaps that comes with the territory of being a mature star-state. Regardless, it would be rather rude to not address the clamoring for summitage, and so High Hunter Nykat tasked the trusted commander of the colonial military, Admiral nam-Kalzhak, with clearing matters up with the Triskeli and the indigenous population. The distant orbitals of Uranus are graced by the presence of the vast warship VRZ Spear of Amaruq, flagship of nam-Kalzhak's Brigade. All of its attendant support ships and logistics train are present as well, and it seems more reminiscent of an island in the void than an actual ship. Naturally it carries Admiral nam-Kalzhak, and through deft command on the part of its bridge-crew (and skilled support via the tugs and other ships with her), she is soon berthed at one of the many gravitic grays that now dot the Uranian orbitals. This one in particular is quite distant - well beyond the orbit of the moon Ferdinand and sat firmly 150 light-seconds from the chilly orb of Uranus. Once satisfied with the Spear of Amaruq's berth, nam-Kalzhak takes a shuttle to the colonial capital on the small moon of Oberon. The journey is short and he arrives on the surface without issue and soon makes his way to the recently built Oberon Palatial Villa; as a new city, Grazhni Yamsi still retains that certain sheen that fresh art often exudes. This is truer in no place more than the new Palatial Villa: the tall ice walls soak up the distant rays of Orbis Prime and glisten nearly as magnificently as Jlokhemit's own frosty abode. The structure itself is of traditional Nalydian style, crafted in remembrance of the late Hunter-General Yamsi Natynozh. Engraved pillars keep the building from meeting an untimely demise and hand-carved chandeliers adorn the ceiling. Pelts of varying types are draped from many of the walls and the thick wooden doors are made complete with trident standards woven from only the finest of materials. Well-kept rows of native Nalydian plants add character to the exterior, while inside of the Villa cascading sheets of water seem to hide entire walls and a light blue glow floats about the chambers. The Admiral enters with most of his personal entourage and quickly makes his way to the meeting room (ducking past various guards, infantrymen, Hunters, and officials in the process). Without much hesitation, he pushes his way through the doors - and acknowledges the guards - before hurriedly finding his place at the table. He then sits: awkward, perhaps, considering the lack of High Hunters attending this meeting, but a reality that is easily dealt with. He makes a mental note to thank High Hunter Nykat for postponing his own meeting so that this summit could take place. That can be done after this summit has concluded. For the time being, his entourage find appropriate places to sit and stand and they make themselves unnoticeable save for a scribe who remains by nam-Kalzhak's side. He checks the time: he is early, but the others should be arriving soon enough.

Nalydian Relations The Triskeli reply is noted. Panük's battalion commander relays the information back up the chain of command and it soon reaches the Colonial High Hunter Council to be deliberated. For Panük and his men, however, the turn of events near Orbis IV demands new action. No reply is given to them by the VRZ assets in-system and the forces near the Triskeli, no longer needed to be in the area, rip open portals to the rift and disappear from the area.

Panük's Brigade VRZ Virulent Altostratus Admiral, we are detected a high level temporal disturbance! It appears to be emanating from close to Mars. The sensors operator speaks quickly and urgently; worriment is plastered on her face and she goes over the scans again and again to verify the information. Vice-Admiral Panük merely nods in return. Sensors, can you verify? Tasi, nam-Panük, tasinehdao! She verifies the information, and it appears she was not incorrect. Temporal disturbances are attempting to breach our anchors. Natyl and Mylchar Arrays are beginning to go into overdrive! Counter the disturbance, the Vice-Admiral orders. Across the bridge tasinehdaos! echo. In the void the small Nalydian fleet appears to be burdened with a vast amount of energy as the asteroid-dwarfing warships warships go to work, their own temporal anchors serving to both counter and then halt the attempts at expanding the distance of the disturbance. Vice-Admiral Panük relays a message back to Admiral nam-Kalzhak notifying him of the situation. He expects the current state of affairs might just garner a response from his superiour, but he cannot be one hundred percent certain. Of one thing he is certain - and that is that the Triskeli blockade is very quickly becoming tiresome. The Vice-Admiral opens a line of communication with one of his battalion commanders; he orders her formation forward, through the FTLi, and gives her a very specific set of orders over a more secure comms line. Orbis IV System: Thirteen massive rends in space-time begin to open near the Caledonian transport (between the surrounding Triskeli who are to their back, and Emperor Cenna's dragon which is pulling away); they are nearer the vessel than they are the Triskeli contingent and are very rapidly followed by tens of dozens of lesser signatures: escort ships, logistics vessels, and other non-capital types: the standard fair which accompany the large warships of the High Hunter's Navy. These in turn are accompanied by a slew of missiles - their engines are off but they float eerily in the void and it is obvious they are targeting both the transport and the diminutive dragon. Near the warships, the dozen or so nam-Cholkük type battlecruisers, each practically one hundred kilometers from stem to stern, face their bows towards the offending transport. Suddenly, a message is played out on an open comms channel for both the Triskeli and the Caledonians to hear: You have attempted to usurp the natural order. We will not stand for wanton temporal high-jinks. Vice-Admiral Chutak Panük of the Imperial Nalydian Voznayte Rekazhgrazhni Zhamra, acting with authority vested in him through the Colonial High Hunter Council, demands that you cease your current actions and withdraw from this area. You will not disturb this timeline. Leave at once. A small hole in the FTL-interdiction field opens near the Caledonians to allow them to escape; by the Pords, the array of missiles now engage their engines and begin to stream towards the lone vessel and the Emperor's entourage. Then, the Triskeli are addressed: This blockade serves no purpose. Remove it at once, the battalion commander demands.

OOC: Continued here.

Orbis III Niger On the savannas of Niger, the lead elements of the Pordish construction crews finally make contact with the Triskeli contingent. They meet in grand spectacle, with the Pords offering meat, nog, pelts, and other gifts to their Triskeli comrades. Overall, it has not taken very long for the channel to be built. Now would come the time to see it in full operation. With signal from the Triskeli, the vast seawalls previously erected are taken down and the chilly Atlantic rushes in, finally linking Lake Chad with the vast stormy sea of Orbis. Eager torrents of seawater crash east in a rush of blue and white; sea foam bubbles and froths as the ocean churns and rolls. Its speed is impressive, but the distance is vast, and it takes quite some time for the sea to fully cover the floor of the channel and then completely fill its greater extent. But it does. And soon the Jewel of Orbis will be due in the channel's wide waterways - the first of such visits the Jewel will be making, but not the last: Nalydian Iceland has seen the completion of the other Jewels as well, and they are named for each of the oceans of this world: the Jewel Borealis, to be sent north, the Jewel Arabia, (just now leaving for the Indian Ocean), the Jewel of the Orient which will greet those in the placid waters of the Pacific, and the last Jewel to be built, the Jewel Atlantica, already slated to be moored somewhere near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Official Statement from the Colonial Government: "Since the very dawn of existence the gods have guided us and allowed us to prosper. From the seeds of nothingness we sprouted and brought forth mighty civilizations - we, not the Pordish people alone, but all the denizens of this vast and fertile multiverse. And with our success we have remained humble: eager to learn anew and further our understanding of the world. And in some cases, into the obscene. Imperial Nalydya has seen nations rise and empires fall. We have cast wayward glances towards lesser powers yet stood firm under the gaze and guidance of friends and allies. And we have grown through the tutelage of greater powers. Yet there is but one eternal constant: nothing in the multiverse goes unnoticed or without consequence forever. And this is the unfortunate reality that has now been thrust upon us - here in this young and fledgling 'verse. The nations here, a motley collection of uncivilized star-polities whose affairs are drenched with all the vestigial remains of protozoaic civilization, have come to habour a great aberration. Among their ranks thrives a nation whose very existence threatens the cosmic order. Not by their power, but by their irreverence towards all that is good and divine. Yamsi Natynozh the Great oversaw the creation of a powerful Nalydya - a Nalydya whose disciples would spread across the void in fealty to the great Winter-Bringer Jlokhemit and his kin: Rekazhnar of the oceans and seas, Polynya and Amaruq - twins of the north and south - Klovnar, Voznayte, Reknu and others. In this time we have seen the grand rot that permeates the myriad multiverses - the callow-spurious preeminence of the Housemates, the impious continuum of the Ishii and the all too derisible conceit of the Terran Alliance. Once again we have come across such demeritorion. And we must address it. By the grace of his eternal winter, Colony Natynozh condemns the nation of Rokkenjima for their indifferent usage of that which belongs to the gods. These transgressions have not gone unnoticed. It is with much prejudice and distaste that we declare the state of Rokkenjima to be both barbaric and unclean, and the PW-1 universe falls ever-closer towards the Darkness through their misguided practicing of the godly arts now sullied by their hands. We regret that the size of the multiverse has permitted them to exist for so long unchecked." May Jlokhemit watch over us, and Rekazhnar guide our bows.

Welcome Triskel; Rokkenjima!

The High Hunter, Tylaq Balnook Tylaq's attention is taken by Rytek who takes her ear to relay new tidbits of information. He speaks quickly and quietly and Tylaq can be seen nodding after every few words. There isn't much that he relays, though, and so soon she turns her attention back to the gathered just in time to catch part of Lancer's commentary. For a brief moment thoughts of shock overtake her form as crew counts in the tens of thousands are mentioned; visibly she makes no indication of his opinion (she did, after all, decide to forgo wearing a Torc at this meeting) however, and takes the opportunity to speak once the Triskeli finishes: It appears that Admiral Panük will be maintaining his FTLi fields, she says. Rytek takes her ear again to mention something to which she shakes her head before continuing: Captain Lancer, the High Hunter's Army will be more than happy to assist your infantry in training, she says. I will bring my personal detachment of Yamsi'an Guard here... They're the best in the army, she says, beaming. Rytek stifles a chuckle but makes a note of Tylaq's declaration. He notes it first on a scroll and then hides it away before taking out a datapad and noting here as well. He doesn't bother with anything fancy, just simple notification to Tylaq's brigade commanders that they may be needed in PW-1 soon and to be prepared should official orders come through.

Welcome. I will update the map when I have the chance.

You are allowed up to 25 hexes. Do you want just the underlined hex?

Nalydian Relations For the time being there are no changes in the intent or disposition of the Nalydian fleet; FTLi still permeates through the myriad fabrics of reality in and around the star system and Panük's Brigade remains in position in-between the Saturnian and Jovian planet-systems.

Colonial VRZ Headquarters, Neptune System; City of Grazhni Kornat, Triton: The room is sparse save for the table in the center and the numerous chairs which surround it. In these chairs sits Admiral nam-Kalzhak and his brigade commanders. Five in number, the brigade commanders are silent and stare towards the center of the map as nam-Kalzhak motions on it: fleet movements; reactions; hypothetical actions. After observing this for perhaps five minutes or so, one of the brigade commanders, Vice-Admiral Panük speaks to break the silence: This war was much too short for any useful information to be truly gleaned from it, he says. The other brigade commanders, mostly veterans of the Barlat-Laptev War, nod in agreement. Chernigov surrendered far too quickly, he declares. This is true, Admiral nam-Kalzhak agrees. However, we have been able to observe their reactions to this short conflict. They are inept, another brigade commander interjects. Chernigov's reaction to the assault was nearly non-existent, he continues. When we invaded Amaterasu we came under heavy fire almost immediately. This isn't the Amaterasu System, Vice-Admiral Panük says. This does not negate my point, the other brigade commander insists. Or do you not recall the rapid reactions of powers on Earth in FB-1? Point taken, Panük agrees. The precedent will not bode well for the future. He notes something on a pad and passes it to Admiral nam-Kalzhak. We may need to re-evaluate our current threat assessment of Chernigov, nam-Kalzhak admits. This information is... Revealing. What of the Triskeli? Another brigade commander questions. The commanders move their attention to the Triskeli blockade. With five thousand score ships the detachment is not insignificant. nam-Kalzhak focuses the display more fully on Mars and the greater extent of the armada comes into view; miniature runes denote Triskeli warships. Off in the distance, diminutive tridents are indicative of VRZ formations, and small symbols of Nika reveal the Mri host. Non-UMS forces are all represented with simple squares all coloured red. Hopefully their interests will not have them at odds with the Tonina, nam-Kalzhak says. He moves the displays again to review the known elements of the Nakbe fleet. That would provide for a much more interesting battle, Panük admits. nam-Kalzhak changes the subject slightly: Vice-Admiral Panük, with hostilities refusing to die down you will need to keep your brigade in position should the need to go on the offensive present itself. You don't mean against the Triskeli..? Or the Tonina..? nam-Kalzhak shrugs. Stranger things have happened. He recalls reports of von Begin (it was von Begin, wasn't it?) opening fire upon the Terrans during the Frankish-Patagonian War that occurred not long before the final collapse of FB-1. At the time both the Terran Empire and Nalydya were part of the CAS, but Nalydian interests had come into conflict with those of the CAS. Those odds were more extreme than the ones here (the Pords were fielding less than one thousand post-CHS-JSOC War "dreadnoughts," against just over one million Terran warships), but the atmosphere was similar. Fortunately, neither side here has expressed any interest in taking things to that level, but far be it from the Pords to not consider every possibility as much as they are capable. But keep an eye on the natives. We aren't entirely sure of the full extent of their fleets yet. I may need to speak with Admiral Kazhanye about this later, nam-Kalzhak finishes. Dismissed. With nothing more to discuss over the rather short conflict, the brigade commanders salute and begin filing out of the room.