Both a summary of the history of the Federation as it unfolds and a blow-by-blow recounting of the consequences of the Council's choices.

Presidential Suite, Mkobe - September, 0 NS (estimated 3187 AD)

"Newly elected President Abdul Nejem stated to Senate today that he was 'entirely confident' in the newly-formed Federation Council, quelling fears that members would put their own politicking first and the Federation second", reels off the news anchor on NSBC without taking a breath, "Appealing to the population to remain calm in the face of his father's shock assassination four days ago, he added that 'those responsibility would be found'. Next, news from your region!"

Population Growth: Stable, ~1-2%
Economic Situation: Uncertain
Morale: Uncertain
Unity: Uncertain

Aptitudes (Peacetime):

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[4, <40%] Research and Development
[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[4, <20%] Stellar Warfare
[9, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:

Satellite coverage from the RCV Mbal Msafiri, together with the vessel herself, as per the Department of Workers
Deployed infantry forces as per the Department of War

Available Budget:

+ 1080 m - Comorian (population 4,000,000,000; economy x 0.9; morale x 0.9)
= 1080 million credits

Polity Budgets:

All polities start with the Baseline Default budget
=   54 million credits - Council budget x 5%

Events:

1. Assassination! President Esmail Nejem is shot at close quarters whilst opening the newly completed Council Chambers. Authorities have claimed the work of a deranged gunman, operating alone, but the confidence in the Unification is shaken and the citizenry are unsettled.  Pick two projects, they will each receive a (random) -10 to +15 bonus
   
2. (UM 100) - Encryption keys contained in the swathes of information uplinked from the RCV Mbal Msafiri unlock a previously inaccessible data-vault currently held by the Mercantile Alliance. In the chaos following the President's assassination rumours surface of the vault's contents, until finally a representative approaches the Council offering to sell these recovered military-specification blueprints to the Federation for 250 million credits - though they are cagey as to the exact nature of the technology. Decision required
   
3. (73) - Inspired writing and a well-meshed cast turn what on paper is a fairly lackadaisical television concept into an overnight hit, with a range of tie-in products, toys and memorabilia. Although it is cancelled by short-sighted distributors after the first season, the buzz around it fuels a cult following.   Economy+, temporary bonus

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:17, Tue 19 July 2016.

Council Chambers, Mkobe - March, 2 NS (estimated 3189 AD)

Progress Report

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
-  100 m - (  43 = 6+27+10) - Spaceport launch facility
Construction of the new facility is well under-way when it is discovered that the site is unsuited to all but an extremely narrow set of launch windows. Decision required from the Council whether to proceed (from a state of 40% complete, but with those limitations) or to recover what materials you can and begin anew (from a state of 0% complete, but with a one-off +15 bonus)

-  150 m - (  88 = 56+27+5) - Build a prototype solar power plant
Deployed in the equatorial desert region under lease from the Buna, the prototype power plant clearly demonstrates the viability of this technology and is immediately in high demand. At present the designs require a highly complex power transfer unit, keeping the maintenance cost prohibitively high, however you expect this to be ironed out without intervention from the Council within the next fifteen years (or sooner if you wish to accelerate the work). You will see an increasing (but capped) economical benefit as the technology is adopted, though there is a risk that incumbent power generation companies may try to slow that adoption

=  250 m, 23%

[4, <40%] Research and Development
-  150 m - (  90 = 78+12) - Unmanned Space Flight, 40%
After a series of false starts in trying to replicate the existing satellites and probes launched from the RCV Mbal Msafiri, the team behind this steps back and reassesses their approach from first principles. Although progress is slower than hoped for, their understanding is more solid

-  100 m - (  38 = 26+12) - Manned Space Flight, 5%
Very little progress is made, with the team constantly exploring edge cases and becoming lost in the complexity of the data they're working from. Unlike the Unammed programme, the research lead fails to pull them back from the detail and eventually quits to squirrel away at his own pet projects

-   75 m - (  39 = 27+12) - Biosciences, 10%
Good initial work on classification, taxonomies and theories of the body as a system quickly degenerates into a series of increasingly acerbic academic papers on the Terran vs. Comorian vs. Unified debate

-   50 m - (  25 = 13+12) - Unification Theory
No progress in made on this, with the populace as a whole confused by the surveys and cold-calling representatives requesting their time for focus groups and community workshops, at odds with the frontier spirit of just getting things done they believe embodies the Federation. Morale--

-   25 m - (  93 = 81+12) - Feasibility Studies - Kelp Harvesting
Working with the Mercantile Alliance your scientists make some real progress on understanding what would required to turn the current cottage industry in kelp harvesting, practised by local communities on the coasts of Comorian's several small seas and oceans, into a indsutrial scale process. At a briefing for the Council they put forward not only an articulate funding proposal and plan, but impact assessments and risk on where adoption of such technology may disrupt existing industries. You would receive a +10 bonus if you tackled this in the next five years, or +5 in the five years following as their analysis becomes increasingly stale

-   25 m - (  51 = 39+12) - Feasibility Study - Solar Sails
Your scientists believe this technology is possible, potentially even the next five to ten years, but cannot commit on how much investment would be required without further progress on the Unmanned Space Flight programme

=  425 m, 39%

[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
-  100 m - (  72 = 60+12) - Tax breaks and start up funding for businesses willing to manufacture and improve solar energy technology
You see a small improvement in the economy, though it is not restricted to solar energy technology as several companies use the grants for only peripherally related technology.

=  100 m, 9%

[3, <25%] Diplomacy
-  200 m - (  95 = 86+9) - Offer to pay the Mercantile Alliance 200 m for the blueprints and government sponsorship of two feasibility studies on subjects selected by the Mercantile Alliance (one now and one in the next 5 years)
Datavault F15A-BB3E, or 'Fisabee' as it becomes known in the press, contains a trove of military information - some stolen from the Rim Confederature and some the personal writings of Colonel Jack Menzies, a mercenary commander who exfiltrated his entire unit out of the Confederature via the exodus fleet. Whilst it is unclear what happened to his troops and materials, the vault contains technical blueprints and training material for several new units - half of which cannot be pulled together with current technology - and plenty of new avenues for your scientists to explore. Please see the threads for the Departments of Progress and War for specifics

=  200 m, 19%

[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
-   30 m - (  79 = 55+24) - Develop processes for screening new military recruits to eliminate any anti-unification radicals or threats.
Your screening process is initially well-received but there is no visible improvement in morale or training. You can continue to fund this next turn at the same cost (in the expectation that these kind of changes need time be visible) or scrap it. Decision required

=   30 m, 3%

[4, <20%] Stellar Warfare
-   45 m - (  66 = 54+12) - Using both ground base telescopes and satellites observe and document as much information about RCV Mbal Msafiri as possible. This study should create a list of feasibility studies that will one day lead us back to the ability to create such a ship
External observations of the vessel reveal little beyond what is already known through access to the ship's databanks

=   45 m, 4%

[9, <15%] Planetary Warfare
-   30 m - (  53 = 26+27) - Polity Infantry Division raised with diverse polity representation to form Presidential Guard
You successfully raise a new unit, however the mandatory representative process used in recruiting and poor public relations in handling the existing Nezem States unit means tensions within the unit and between the separate Guards. When a local comedian parodies the situation with his "Red Guard, Blue Guard" series of skits morale for both units suffers.

=   30 m, 3%

Total Expenditure:
= 1080 million credits, 100%

Policies:

1. Assassination! Rather than the confusion feared, this seems to have steeled the populace into redoubling their efforts to make the Federation work. Morale+, temporary bonus
   
2. Despite minor grumbling into the Fisabee sale, the wealth of information contained and the reinjection of that capital into the local economies of several regions wins support for the Council and the Mercantile Alliance. Economy+

Polity Progress

ATC
-   54 m - (  48 = 33+15) - Research into Networked Computers, 5%
At first it appears that you're making excellent progress: the project manager reports a green light across the board for each of the first nine months, with everything on track and the team of engineers show you some very cool demonstrations. After that it heads steadily south - the team pushing back on the next set of demos, one of the scientists quitting quite publicly, and finally a raging row three days before a big milestone when the project manager finally reveals that the problem is nowhere near cracked and the key to it all is simplicity, not complexity! You have made meagre progress, but some of the code repositories should be salvageable

=   54 million credits


Grande y Felicísima Armada
-   54 m - (  36 = 21+15) - Development and construction of a prototype fast attack missile cruiser
After three years of frantic construction the Invencible is launched from Port Cartegena in a flurry and fanfare. Storms, accidents and technical issues beset her maiden voyage, culminating in the death of her Captain who is crushed whilst performing an inspection tour under the housing of the secondary turbine. She limps back into port and is retired quickly and quietly, eventually seeing use in local trans-island shipping. You have captured a wealth of information that will aid subsequent attempts in constructing similar vessels, but the prototype is a failure

=   54 million credits

Hishu Gardeners
-   30 m - (  90 = 63+27) - Raise new Polity Infantry Division
You successfully raise the required forces, stationing them in your polity capital

-   24 m - (  49 = 25+24) - [Redacted]

=   54 million credits

Progress Made Manifest Coalition
-   25 m - ( 111 = 84+27) - Dhajafada Economic Institute
Although only a small think-tank, the Dhajafada Institute secures offices in the financial heart of Mkobe and manages to attract a number of well-considered economists and policy makers. You receive a +3 bonus to any Economy and Trade projects that it executes, though it is relatively expensive to maintain and without further expansion it is limited to projects under 75m.

-   25 m - (  33 = 6+27) - Particle Physics Research Lab
You quickly burn through the funds allocated to the project trying to secure a suitable site, loosing it in non-refundable fees, deposits and legal wrangling with local businesses and insurers who have concerns and wish to limit the types of experiments the lab would be permitted to perform

-    4 m - (  91 = 64+27) - Start Construction on Polity HQ
With such a small budget you make little progress. You have, however, identified several potential sites in Mkobe that would be suitable

=   54 million credits

Saenoori
-   30 m - ( 100 = 175+27) - [Redacted]

-   24 m - (  93 = 81+12) - [Redacted]

=   54 million credits

Next Turn
Population Growth: Stable, ~1-2%
Economic Situation: Stable to Improving
Morale: Fluctuating
Unity: Improving

Aptitudes (Peacetime):

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[4, <40%] Research and Development
[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[4, <20%] Stellar Warfare
[9, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:

Satellite coverage from the RCV Mbal Msafiri, together with the vessel herself, as per the Department of Workers
Deployed infantry forces as per the Department of War

Available Budget:

+ 1282 m - Comorian (population 4,070,400,000; economy x 1.05; morale x 0.9)
-   75 m - Maintenance of Prototype Solar Plant
= 1207 million credits

Promissory Notes:

-   25 m - Commitment to Mercantile Alliance for Feasibility Study
=   25 million credits

Polity Budgets:

Baseline Default
=   64 million credits - Council budget x 5%

Events:

1. (70) Analysts from the Federation Intelligence Agency (FIA) issue a report to the Council on a series of programmes they believe would increase the veracity of their information collection, at the expense of citizen privacy. Any one budget item focused on this next turn will receive a +5 to +10 bonus.
   
2. (74) Cross-polity wargames and exercises instigated by the Nezem States to present a show of unity provide an opportunity for troop commanders to share tactical approaches and increases the effectiveness of our infantry units. Changes reflected in Polity Infantry stats
   
3. (65) Daniel Awegala returns from retirement to public service, citing the cowardly attack on the President as an inspiration to ensuring his legacy endures. He offers his services as a mediator and statesman to the Council, providing a +5 bonus to any Diplomatic engagement he facilitates.
   
4. (UM 100) Whilst tinkering with the one of the existing satellites to understand more of it's function, a technician stumbles across a series of wrecked spacecraft in one of the remote regions of the planet, casualties from the harsh early years of colonisation perhaps? From what records can be recovered of the fleet, these appear to have been landers attached to one of the ex-military vessels and a sizeable cache of arms and armour of unknown type are eventually recovered. Decision required on whether you wish to use these to equip several infantry division or attempt to re-engineer the technology
   
5. (73) At a school science fair in one of the suburbs of Mkobe the unfortunate placement of two entrants set up a curious harmonic resonance between crystals collected from the nearby badlands. Previously though to be a native curiosity, one of the judging panel decides to perform her own experiments on these, confirming a wide range of potential opportunities based on the number and type of crystals used. Her research is extremely limited but comes to the attention of the Council

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:22, Tue 19 July 2016.

Council Chambers, Mkobe - December, 11 NS (estimated 3198 AD)

Hampton, Buna - A shooting investigation led police to arrest a woman and two men last week and to seize drugs worth an estimated 14 million and more than 2 million in cash in one of the biggest drug busts in New Terent’s history.

A shooting investigation led police to arrest a woman and two men, the seizure of drugs worth an estimated 14 million and more than 2 million in cash in one of the biggest drug busts in New Terent’s history last week.

"To think that we recovered 22 kilos and several suitcases of case tells you the sheer scope of the individuals that we're dealing with," Chief Simon Willard said.

The investigation began last weekend, when police looked into an attempted home invasion that left Eve Demetriou, 24, of Hampton, with a gunshot wound to the hand. Demetriou was shot in the hand while fleeing a possible home invasion suspect around 9:10 p.m. on Saturday, police said.

Police found 4,929 grams of Focht (which has an approximate street value of 13,850,000 credits), 2,198,542 in cash, a money counter, a Argyris roadsters and a Hakara V12 at Demetriou’s home.

"Patrol officers went to that address, and as they cleared that address, they found in plain view a substantial amount of drugs and cash," Willard said. "We then executed a search warrant on that address, and from that address, we were able to recover 5 kilos of Focht and two million in Nezem and Buna currency."

Excerpted from the Hampton Guardian, broadsheet

Progress Report

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
-  150 m - (49 = 7+27+15) - Spaceport launch facility in a areas with a broad launch window, 10%
Construction begins on the more promising of two sites, only to discover issues with the water table and hence stability of the foundations. Beginning to attract a reputation as a cursed project, the site is relocated a second time and work finally begins though much of the original budget and recovered materials is wasted. Morale-

-  100 m - (45 = 18+27) - Build an mountain top observatory
All of the materials and workers put aside for this project are redeployed to re-site the spaceport facility and the budget quickly spent before it is uncovered. Key project managers and the senior engineer are publicly castigated for their inability to understand what was happening at lower levels of the project in a widely viewed documentary two years later. Morale-

=  250 m, 21%

[4, <40%] Research and Development
-  150 m - ( 83 = 71+12) - Unmanned Space Flight, 70%
Further progress comes more swiftly, however many of the concepts are unfamiliar to the scientists and engineers more familiar with planetary mechanics and having only seen spaceworthy equipment in museums or educational archive material previously

-  150 m - ( 95 = 73+12+10) - Kelp Farming, 75%
Good progress is made on establishing robust beds of the right strains of kelp in suitable locations, aided by investment in supporting industries, and excellent progress is made. These should become commercially viable within the next five to ten years

-   75 m - ( 94 = 82+12) - Biosciences, 50%
With much of the new material from the ship's vaults complementing their existing knowledge in this discipline and the groundwork laid in classification and theoretical approaches in previous years work proceeds apace.

-   50 m - ( 54 = 42+12) - Re-engineering, 25%
Several fields of further study have been identified fom the recovered materials and weapons, together with the a pattern for unlocking the relevant blueprints. It is complex work, however, with much of it speculative around the properties of unknown materials

-   25 m - ( 58 = 46+12) - Feasibility Study - Decentralised Finance
Despite some initial promising work on crypto-currencies and economic consensus, the study finds that the national Comorian banking systems are not ready for this kind of radical thinking at this stage and a further period of adjustment to the new federal controls and regulation will be required before it is worth considering

-   25 m - ( 37 = 25+12) - Feasibility Study - Basic material properties of Comorian Crystals
Little is uncovered beyond the known effects around resonance and some hints at changing hardness. Further assessment and studies will be needed

-   25 m - ( 2 = -10+12) - Feasibility Study - Improved Pharmacology
In their fervour to establish an academic standing two junior researchers take the studies further than it is set up on paper, performing a series of clinical trials based on scientific materials partially decoded from ancient datavaults. What they manage to recreate is not a tailored serum against one of the common maladies found on Comorian, but a highly potent and addictive psychoactive hallucinogen. In the tragic comedy of errors that ensures as they try to contain it the formulae leaks and soon 'Focht' - named for both the more memorable of the two and the general state of mind in induces - is available in every city, leading to a widespread media panic, heavy-handed police crack-down and ghettoisation of several suburbs struggling under poverty. Economy---, morale---

=  500 m, 41%

[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
-   75 m - ( 87 = 75+9+3) - Tax breaks and start up funding for businesses willing to manufacture and improve primary components for solar energy technology
With stricter controls on the release of funding and a tighter tax regime, there is a strong uptick in the economy in regions where solar energy technology is embraced. It is especially popular in the Buna regions and there are rumours of both Pandayan's being converted to this new power supply. Economy++

=   75 m, 6%

[3, <25%] Diplomacy
-   75 m - ( 88 = 74+9+5) - Build unification war memorial built and presented to the public by Daniel Awegala
At the gentle intervention of Mr Awegala a series of small memorials are erected in each of the major cities, with stories from those involved in the fighting as well as photos and anecdotes of those lost. Though this makes them low-key they are well received. Morale++

=   75 m, 6%

[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
-   75 m - (110 =  76+24+10) - Investigation efforts in to the assassination of the president
Careful investigation by the FIA has revealed evidence of a shadowy group known as Satyata or The Satyata Council, who appear to have orchestrated the assassination. No one has heard of them prior to this, though it is clear they are well-funded and powerful, but the FIA have several leads pointing to the banking system, a handful of corporations and two pieces of evidence constructed from unfamiliar technology. It is with the Council to decide which evidence they pursue, if any. Both the investigation and it's outcome have been classification as Eyes Only for the Council

-   30 m - ( 67 = 43+24) - Continue military screening process to eliminate anti-unification radicals or threats.
Results from the screening are mixed, especially with the training material celebrating the opening of The Crag and the memorial tour being conducted by Mr Awegala to unveil the various city-specific memorials

=  105 m, 9%

[4, <20%] Stellar Warfare
=    0 m, 0%

[9, <15%] Planetary Warfare
-  202 m - ( 58 = 31+27) - Build The Crag a war collage to train future generations of soldiers in tactics and military history
Formidable and imposing this fortress of learning is built on the nearest coastline to Mkobe, several hundred miles along the coast from Port Cartegena. Architecturally it is a wonder of modern construction and materials. It suffers however from a crooked vision on behalf of the planning committee, each of whom wanted to celebrate their own nations successes and victories. Naming the barracks buildings after famous battles and commanders only cements the highly nationalistic feelings it engenders and though a commendable curriculum has been developed it is entrenched in the past and these sentiments. All units trained and raised through The Crag will emerge strongly aligned to a randomly selected national- or militaristic- polity (not one of the other types of polity), though that training will receive a +5. Incurs a maintenance cost of 21 million per turn

=  202 m, 17%

Total Expenditure:
= 1207 million credits, 100%

Policies:

1. Focht Epidemic! Citizens are clamouring for a response from the Council on this matter! How could this happen? Why weren't better controls in place? How will the Council control this epidemic? What about poor Iosif Stephannos, who had a promising career as a doctor until his long hours pushed him to this as a solution?
   
2. Re-engineering recovered military materials. Several new avenues have been opened up and are ripe for research or prototyping
   
3. Budget overspends! President Nejem calls the Council into his offices to personally castigate them for budgetary overspends this turn, stating that their powers have been limited for a reason. He will forgive this 'minor book-keeping error' on this occasion but urges them to be more careful in future

Polity Progress

ATC
 -   64 m - ( 103 = 88+15) - Research into Networked Computers, 65%
Expanding the research team to include members from outside traditional computing backgrounds encourages your engineers to look at things with a fresh focus and excellent progress is made. If the team can continue their momentum they hope to have a robust working network outside the few scientific institutions aligned with the project within the next five to ten years!

=   64 million credits

Grande y Felicísima Armada
No budget submitted

Hishu Gardeners
-   14 m - ( 94 = 67+27) - [Redacted]

-   50 m - ( 85 = 63+12+10) - [Redacted]

=   64 million credits

Progress Made Manifest Coalition
-   64 m - (102 = 75+27) - Improvements to the Dhajafada Economic Institute
With such a significant investment you manage to reduce the maintenance cost of the Institute such that it now pays for itself (with some of this budget handling this turn's maintenance), as well as increase it's capacity to take on federal projects. It may now take projects up to 125m, with the same bonus as before

=   64 million credits

Saenoori
-   64 m - (78 = 58+15+5) - [Redacted]  Economy+

=   64 million credits

Next Turn
Population Growth: Stable, ~1-2%
Economic Situation: Stable overall
Morale: Decreasing
Unity: Improving, but with risk

Aptitudes (Peacetime):

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[4, <40%] Research and Development
[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[4, <20%] Stellar Warfare
[9, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:

Daniel Awegala has returned to public service, providing a +5 bonus to any Diplomatic engagement he facilitates

Satellite coverage from the RCV Mbal Msafiri, together with the vessel herself, as per the Department of Workers
Deployed infantry forces as per the Department of War

Untapped reserves of Comorian Crystals

Available Budget:
Note: Budget has suffered significantly in the face of the Focht epidemic, both directly from key workers taking it and indirectly from morale effects

+ 1240 m - Comorian (population 4,134,712,320; economy x 1.20; morale x 0.75)
-   21 m - Maintenance for The Crag war college
-   50 m - Maintenance of Prototype Solar Plant
= 1169 million credits

Promissory Notes:

=    0 million credits</b>

Polity Budgets:

Baseline Default
=   58 million credits - Council budget x 5%


Events:

1. (18) Datavault corruption of some of the records previously received from the RCV Mbal Msafiri have unfortunately damaged some of the research material you were relying on. You receive a -5 to one research roll next turn, related to those topics
   
2. (76) Routine sweeps of Council chambers have uncovered a listening device purportedly belonging to the Gorski Amalgam
   
3. (34) Previously a rising star in the Buna conglomerate Riku Engineering, Akiki Kaedo, Head of Logistics for the Spaceport Programme has finally quit following this latest debacle and has been an active voice on several documentaries and news programmes - speaking candidly on the internal problems within the Spaceport Programme and the political games being played between departments

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:19, Tue 19 July 2016.

Council Chambers, Mkobe - March, 16 NS (estimated 3203 AD)

The Nessa II Qualification Test Vehicle, Model NYS-19-52-2, was launched from Naval Astrometrics Launch Area 2 {NALA-2) at White Sands Missile Range, Eastern Pans, on 28 August 14 PU. This was the first launch of this class of boosters.

The Nessa II Launch Vehicle was designed as a test vehicle for boosting payloads into flight. For the Ezekiel Program, its mission is to serve as a launch vehicle for flight testing of the Ezekiel spacecraft. Accomplishment of this mission requires that the vehicle be capable of boosting the Ezekiel payload to parameters ranging from high dynamic pressures at low altitude to very high altitude flight. The fixed-fin 19-52-2 version was designed to accomplish the low altitude parameter. The 19-52-2 version incorporates an attitude control system to accomplish the high altitude mission.

Extract from mission report

Progress Report

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
-  200 m - ( 92 = 65+27) - Continue construction of spaceport launch facility in a areas with a broad launch window, 60%
Following the embarrassing media coverage a concerted restructuring of both the umbrella corporation and the handling of contractor and consulting companies occurs, with pleasing results. On a tour of one of the completed hangers President Nezem is heard to comment that 'Sietcee Spaceport is a marvel of modern Federation engineering'. His press team sheepishly correct eager journalists, stating the president had called it 'Site C' but the name sticks. With a final push it is hoped work will be completely shortly. Morale+

-  200 m - ( 58 = 31+27) - Build a research hospital with a wing devoted to the study and treatment of addiction, 20%
Progress is slow, especially with many polities clamouring for it to be sited in their district or be staffed with key researchers from their universities. It is eventually constructed in the settlement of Darbuiks, west of Mkobe

=  400 m, 34%

[4, <40%] Research and Development
-  150 m - ( 62 = 55+12-5) - Unmanned Space Flight, 100%
Despite encountering corruption issues with some of the initial data the resources thrown at this project by the Council means that research is finally completed. Images from NYS-19, the first test rocket to achieve a stable flight profile, are shown on all the major channels for several days and a renewed interest in reconnecting to the ageing exodus craft in orbit is palpable. Receive a +15 to one space mission next turn. Economy+, Morale+++

-   75 m - ( 43 = 31+12) - Biosciences, 60%
Progress once more slows, with the untimely death of the research lead and the subsequent jockeying for power.

-   75 m - ( 50 = 33+12+5) - Kelp Farming, 100%
Final stabilisation of the kelp harvesting machinery proves more complicated than anticipated and though progress is made it takes longer than hoped for. Unexpected funding and support from several polities pushes this over the line. New facilities are available and an economic benefit is expected to be seen in coming years. Economy++

-   75 m - ( 93 = 81+12) - Re-engineering, 95%
Excellent work by Carl Foster, a newly joined scientist from the Amalgam, pushes this work much faster than expected and despite working with complications in every area of this work the entire team remain confident they are on the edge of a breakthrough.

-   25 m - ( 41 = 29+12) - Feasibility Study: Geostationary satellites
You know this is possible, since there are several in orbit from the RCV Mbal Msafiri, and with the completed work on Unmanned Space Flight this should be relatively easy to achieve. Research Available

-   25 m - ( 99 = 87+12) - Further study: Comorian Crystals
Continued investigation into these crystals, without the restriction on their material properties, opens up the research team to broader speculation with some quite unexpected results. Four threads of study have been identified: firstly, the resonance noted earlier has potential applications in both communication and sensor arrays, seeming to suffer no appreciable signal lag regardless of distance on the planetary surface; secondly, inclusion of crystalline dust in some compounds in the lab enabled much harder ceramic compounds than previously encountered; thirdly, applying this same admixture to metallic compounds allowed for room temperature metal liquids with unusual properties; finally, following an unfortunate lab accident where a student inhaled a portion of the crystalline dust, they can be confirmed to have some psychoactive properties. Jenny Sto is being held in a bio-hazard containment facility and is under observation. You may choose to further explore any of these routes, either as Research or (bar the last one) as Engineering. Economy+++++ as companies scrabble to harvest these crystals (representing in part the starting Perk)

-   50 m - ( 59 = 47+12) - Mechanised Infantry, 15%
Struggles with recruiting, especially with the best minds working on the re-engineering project or on attempts to further leverage the material found in the Fisabsee datavault, means progress is slow.

=  475 m, 41% (result of rounding on 40.6, no issue)

[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
-   75 m - ( 67 = 55+12) - Subsidize renewable energy sources and usage of biodegradable materials in both the corporate and private sectors
On top of the previous pushes on solar energy technology and the progress being made reducing the running costs of solar plants generally there is minimal take up of these subsidies.

-   25 m - ( 72 = 60+12) - Improve inter-polity relations with cultural exchange programs and encouraging imports and exports
Despite the expected hiccups when young people meet, from differing backgrounds and in the height of their adolescent experimentation, the initial exchanges are well-received if low-key. Some inter-polity trade is surprisingly well-received, such as the Hishu-produced chilli variants among the Buna or the addictive knot puzzles of the Amalgam among ATC executives, though it remains at low volume. Economy+, temporary

-   30 m - ( 53 = 41+12) - 'Streamline' the bureaucratic process by standardizing forms and simplifying civilian interaction with branches of government
Although the paper benefits of optimising form F1838-U (Application for a Grant of License (Temporary) for a Public Eatery (Terran)) are clear and widely touted, there is a woeful underspend on touting these benefits to the citizenry and hence most of the streamlining is unnoticed.

=  130 m, 11%

[3, <25%] Diplomacy
=    0 m, 0%

[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
-   25 m - ( 58 = 34+24) - [Eyes Only!] Assassination investigation into banking connections.
Despite an initial wealth of information into ties in the banking sector the trail here rapidly goes cold, with wash trades and shell-corporates and anonymous money transfers through hundreds of accounts making it impossible to trace anything further. Whoever is behind this, their methods are clearly well-thought out and complex - and they are well-funded!

-   25 m - ( 118 = 94+24) - [Eyes Only!] Assassination investigation into corporation connections.
Dogged and meticulous in her investigation, Investigator McCommack lays out to the Council careful profiles of the nine corporations that subsequent work has tied to the Satyata . All are strongly focused on data science, historical research, record keeping or similar fields and one in particular is of interest - Tāṭa . Offering specialised services in recovering historic or genealogical information from family datavaults, they have unexpectedly well-trained and equipped security staff and a significant level of funding from the other eight corporations (and other unidentified sources beyond).

-   25 m - ( 89 = 65+24) - [Eyes Only!] Assassination investigation into evidence constructed from unfamiliar technology connections.
Schematics similar to those in the unfamiliar devices recovered from the assassin's apartment can be matched, in part, to a cache of materials found early during the military clashes between the Nezem States and the Buna. Neither polity was familiar with it and the battle, occurring in a valley deep with the Gama de Acero, the earlier devices were believed to be fitness recorders and sleep analysers.

-   25 m - ( 64 = 40+24) - [Eyes Only!] Investigation into listening device found in council chambers.
Assigned to an FIA operative with a grudge against the Amalgam, the investigation grinds against the inter-polity legal system in an embarrassing fashion for many months before it is finally halted and the operative reassigned.

-   30 m - ( 105 = 81+24) - Continue military screening process to eliminate anti-unification radicals or threats
Graft and fortune ensure that this continued programme finally begins to bear fruit, with several key officers and one tutor at The Crag encouraged to take early retirement.

-    9 m - ( 51 = 27+24) - Formation of specialized anti-drugs units within the police force that specialize in finding and arresting drug traffickers and producers
With such a small budget very minimal progress is made. Two or three major busts occur, but the officers are quickly recycled back into regular policing.

=  139 m, 12%

[4, <20%] Stellar Warfare
=    0 m, 0%

[9, <15%] Planetary Warfare
-   25 m - ( 33 = 6+27) - Feasibility Study on whether graduates and trainees from The Crag show marked improvements over more traditionally trained infantry (both physical and psychiatric evaluation)
After three years of research, hampered by the lack of newly raised units having actually passed through the facility, the military scientists produce a massive three thousand page report. Printed and bound and delivered to the Council in hard-copy. It take a further six months to analyse the analysis and it is understood that the hypothesis of the team, partly theory and partly based the performance of existing Federation and polity units making use of the training facilities for re-skilling and replacing natural attrition, is that there is no bias in dedication or capability once differences in scoring between the separate colleges - each based on the polities for whom they are named - is accounted for. Several of the interns assigned to reviewing the report later develop alcoholism.

=   25 m, 2%

Total Expenditure:
= 1169 million credits, 100%

Policies:

1. Comorian Crystals. Following the publication of the research findings into properties of Comorian Crystals, thought to be primarily 'pretty', several polities and major corporations are scrabbling to re-prioritise existing budgets and programmes to take advantage of this opportunity
   
2. Decaying Orbits. Local news stations in equatorial Buna today reported minor decay in the orbit of the RCV Mbal Msafiri. No one from the Federation or the Council was available to comment.
   
3. (96) Focht Epidemic. Slow progress on the research hospital and an underfunded police response result in grumbling across the Federation, access to Focht becoming commonplace and addiction socially acceptable - with all the side effects it brings. Receive an Economy- and Morale-- each turn whilst this remains the status quo
   
4. (143) Reinvestments made by the Mercantile Alliance following the sale of the Fisabee Datavault to the Federation have begun to bear fruit, with the focus on computer hardware and textiles made from a strain of kelp unsuited for the table especially well-positioned choices. Today they were able to announce record profits for several member corporations and the recent signings of contracts with the Federation for uniforms in several government bureaus! Economy+++ and a one-turn bonus of +10 to every Economy & Trade project

Polity Progress

ATC
-   58 m - ( 21 = 9+12) - Research into Networked Computers, 65%
Good progress is made until an attempt is made to connect the fledgling network to an ancient datavault to test out the regression protocols. It quickly becomes clear that the exodus crews had an excellent grasp of some aspect of network security, however rebuilding the purged network takes up valuable time and resources. Your researchers believe they have a mutating firewall in place to prevent the same happening again.

=   58 million credits

Hishu Gardeners
-   50 m - ( 49 = 32+12+5) - [Redacted]

-    8 m - ( 99 = 87+12) - For medical Focht treatment and prevention in Hishu Gardeners territory
Community outreach and counselling lines provide a small but real bulwark against increasing addiction rates within the seed banks and the vat farms.

=   58 million credits

Progress Made Manifest Coalition
-   66 m - ( 95 = 80+12+3) - Mercenaries, aka Operation Throw Money At The Top Third of The Crag Graduates
Despite one flop and one wayward investment that provides shares in a manufacturer for rugged and comfortable combat boots, one of the starter companies proves viable and Janus Security establishes a name for itself, expanding from a base in office security to include sidelines in courier and armoured car work. Although small they have a reasonable reputation and the alignment with the Progress Made Manifest Coalition means that the especially fervent individuals can (and are) assigned out to those regions they hail from. Recruiting from this pool blunts the output of the Crag, causing some resentment among FUAF commanders, but it also re-directs some of the more radical elements

=   66 million credits

Saenoori
-   38 m - ( 30 = 8+12+10) - [Redacted]

-   50 m - (182 = 155+27) - [Redacted]
=   88 million credits</tt>

Next Turn
Population Growth: Stable, ~1-2%
Economic Situation: Booming!
Morale: Stabilising
Unity: Stable, with continued risks

Aptitudes (Peacetime):

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[4, <40%] Research and Development
[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[4, <20%] Stellar Warfare
[9, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:

Daniel Awegala has returned to public service, providing a +5 bonus to any Diplomatic engagement he facilitates

Satellite coverage from the RCV Mbal Msafiri, together with the vessel herself, as per the Department of Workers
Deployed infantry forces as per the Department of War

Untapped reserves of Comorian Crystals

Available Budget:

+ 2088 m - Comorian (population 4,210,377,555; economy x 1.75; morale x 0.85)
-   25 m - Maintenance of Prototype Solar Plant
-   21 m - Maintenance of The Crag
= 2042 million credits

Promissory Notes:

=    0 million credits</b>

Polity Budgets:

Baseline Default
=  102 million credits - Council budget x 5%


Events:

1. (-13) [Eyes Only!] Summoned once more to the President's office, the Council is briefed on an attempt on his life, presumably by the same Satyata as successfully killed his father. Although this attempt did not succeed, the President was wounded and there appear to have been complications that will severely hamper his ability to rule in the medium term, which may destabilise the Nezem States
   
2. (113) [Eyes Only!] Councillor Romanov requests a closed session with the Council, presenting material the Amalgam have been working on in secret to produce a super-soldier through the use of experimental, addictive and highly potent drugs introduced into the bloodstream. She seeks funding from the Federation to complete the research at the Feigenbaum Centre, offering in return to share the results. Decision required
   
3. (85) Professor Meredith Havant, late of the Vandermaar School of Economics, presents herself to the Dhajafada Economic Institute seeking to engage in a sabbatical of practical economics. She will provide a one-turn bonus of +6 to one Federation project undertaken at the institute - if none are presented she will conduct her own research
   
4. (88) Students in Haven and Port Cartegena on exchange programmes begin to leave mirrors at the war memorials in those cities, a reminder of who the 'enemy' is. Unity++
   
5. (70) Councillor Malthus of the Buna finally retires, his bombastic and caustic manner and ill-advised soundbites welcome by their absence Unity+
   
6. [Eyes Only!] Reports from the FIA reveal work underway within the Mercantile Alliance to tighten Federation policy on cross-polity imports, specifically to favour their logistics companies
   
7. [Eyes Only!] All of the main Buna forges and foundries have now been converted to solar power. However they have not reduced their draw on the power grid

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:19, Tue 19 July 2016.

Council Chambers, Mkobe - November, 21 NS (estimated 3208 AD)

"Violence has erupted on the streets of Mboke for the fourth night in a row", reads the newscaster, perma-smile affixed and pearly-whites in full bloom, "With shootings reported in the suburbs of Arusha, Nairobi and Ganika - including the fatal shooting of a police officer responding to the scene of a multi-car pileup"

He looks sternly into the camera, "Across the nations honest decent folk are asking themselves, 'When will the Federation act?'. Insipid funding into our police forces have been blamed for permitting these criminal elements to establish themselves and our NSBC Special Report at nine will look at the possible misappropriation of funds in the western seaports by elements of these cartels"

Progress Report

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
-  100 m - (114 = 87+27) - Continue construction of spaceport launch facility in a areas with a broad launch window, 100%
Riding on the back of the successful launch of the Nessa II Launch Vehicle, the Sietcee Spaceport is finally completed and opened with great fanfare by President Nezem! You may now launch unmanned missions and the site can handle a reasonably busy schedule - enough to incorporate manned missions in the future. One beneficial side effect of the extended build is that is is entirely self-sustaining. Economy+++, Morale++, Unity++

-  200 m - ( 50 =  8+27+15) - Moon lander construction and engineering project (near Space Port construction site), 40%
Although a suitable site is found nearby for the engineering facilities required for the specialist machines required to build and construct more complex orbital and survey vehicles the pressure on completing the spaceport means it plays second fiddle to logistics schedules and equipment procurement.

-  350 m - ( 85 = 58+27) - Build a research hospital with a wing devoted to the study and treatment of addiction, 100%
With a massive investment into the facility and stern words from the Council on putting Federation interests over those of individual polities, the Awegala Memorial Hospital in Darbuiks is completed within four years and begins attracting a high calibre of researchers. Each turn any one project relating to Addiction or Substance Abuse receives a +10, for an ongoing maintenance cost of 35 million per turn

=  650 m, 32%

[4, <40%] Research and Development
-   75 m - ( 72 = 60+12) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Communication and sensor array applications, 5%
Whilst there is a clear physical effect of the resonance the theory behind it is complex and at odds with some of the extents of current Federation understanding. You have a choice of several routes to pursue: theorectical, practical examination of the so-called ansible effect of resonant communications, linked wide-area sensor arrays, or further expanding the practical applications.

-   75 m - ( 67 = 55+12) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Ceramic compound hardening, 5%
Establishing the engineering process by which the hardening can be replicated is tricky, with the presence of impurities hampering study but producing their own interesting side-effects. At least it provides a framework for further study.

-   75 m - ( 18 =  6+12) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Liquid metals, 0%
Unlike the team investigating the ceramic hardening, the team tasked with breaking down the behaviour of metallic compounds suffers several set-backs in safely conducting their experiments

-   75 m - ( 80 = 68+12) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Psychoactive properties, 10%
Thankfully Jenny Sto remains in a stable condition, even if her periods of lucidity are few and far between. She proves to be a helpful test subject, her own scientific background helpful immensely

-   25 m - ( 55 = 28+12+15) - Re-engineer the technology from the recovered weapons cache, 100%
Doctor Foster and his team complete the re-engineering work on the cache and are pleased to unveil improved handguns and ballistic armour, together with enticing leads in some of the material recovered from the Fisabee datavault. Improvements to Polity Infantry Divisions, including the one raised this turn, and bonuses to related research

-   75 m - ( 56 = 44+12) - Biosciences, 80%
Research continues in fits and starts, with no fewer than three 'Heads of Research'. Progress is, at least, being made.

-   50 m - (184 = 172+12) - Mechanized Infantry, 100%
In a surprising turn of events the Buna supply two last minute additions to the team - Colonel Azeem Idir, of the 1st Djerboa, and Doctor Ahmed bin Hussain, who has been studying the Fisabee material. Research proceeds at a furious pace. New Units Available. Unity+

-   75 m - ( 90 = 78+12) - Geostationary Satellites, 80%
Further observation of the temporary network in place from the RCV Mbal Msafiri provides the team a few crucial changes in the mathematics theory they're developing, delaying completion of the study but allowing compensation from particle surges from the solar wind. They are confident that the work will be completed with minimal fuss within another year.

-   25 m - ( 52 = 40+12) - Feasibility Study: Orbital repairs
Presenting their findings to the Council, the research team conclude that it is mechanical issues on-board the exodus ship that are the cause of the changes in her orbit and recommend an immediate physical survey - preferably manned

=  550 m, 27%

[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
Note: Economic boost from the Mercantile Alliance's reinvestment, +10 to every Economy & Trade project this turn only

-   50 m - ( 50 = 28+12+10) - Subsidize renewable energy sources and usage of biodegradable materials to make them affordable to the public
Although some minor benefits are seen it is clear that further subsidies into renewable energy will need to be accompanied to some form of major initiative to see any further benefit. Economy-

-   25 m - ( 45 = 23+12+10) - Improve inter-polity relations with cultural exchange programs and encouraging imports and exports
Sadly a poorly planned student excursion that degenerates into a brawl that makes the local news threatens to derail much of the progress otherwise being made!

-  100 m - (106 = 75+12+10+6+3) - Invested into the Strategic Investment Fund outside the Federation
Under the careful eye of Professor Havant the Institute establishes a set of investment models suitable for a fund of this nature, including a novel approach to managing the risk that she presents at an economic forum with good reception. You now have a Sovereign Fund available to the Federation, into which further funds may be held-over in future turns. Economy++

=  175 m, 9%

[3, <25%] Diplomacy
-   50 m - (103 = 89+9+5) - Improve relations with political entities outside the Federation with Daniel Awegala
Spending many months in the Badlands and the deep desert beyond the core settled region of Comorian, Mr Awegala is shot at three times, stabbed once (in the leg), involved in two brawls, nearly married on two occasions, sick more times than he cares to remember and the recipient of three pledges to hold further talks with the major remaining polities outside the Federation. Details of the Outsider polities included in the Federation thread

=   50 m, 2%

[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
-   50 m - ( 86 = 62+24) - [Eyes Only!] Assassination investigation into previous technological find
Research into the history of the cache battle between the Buna and the Nezem States unearths a few tantalising clues regarding the nature of the technology recovered, the cache itself having been heavily damaged in the fighting as was typical of those dark times. In one account, a private report written some time after the encounter, there is a description of 'two hazy figures, half glimpsed among the curved crates of the cache' and a short time later a note that 'Private Ezra began firing wildly into the darkness, as if terrified'

-   50 m - ( 33 =  9+24) - [Eyes Only!] Assassination investigation into Tāṭa corporation
Very little is uncovered and, worse, one of the investigators reports a series of files apparently stolen from his apartment.

-   50 m - ( 48 = 24+24) - [Eyes Only!] Investigate latest assassination attempt and connection with ongoing investigations
Nothing can be found that links the two attempts, in terms of physical or electronic evidence.

-   57 m - ( 62 = 38+24) - [Eyes Only!] Investigation into listening device found in council chambers
Despite more careful screening of the operative responsible for investigating this, it appears the trail has gone cold.

-   30 m - ( 48 = 24+24) - Continue military screening process to eliminate anti-unification radicals or threats
Further screening begins to prompt questions on whether the funds are better invested in a one-off change in recruiting or whether the Federation sees concerns in the military beyond what is on public record. Morale-

-   75 m - ( 59 = 35+24) - Formation and funding of specialized anti-drugs units within the police force that specialize in finding and arresting drug traffickers and producers
Pleased with what is seen as a more appropriate level of funding the anti-drug unit suffers from the hangovers of the previous pitiful funding and though the new units are now in place, and better funded, you have yet to see decent results.

-  200 m - ( 89 = 65+24) - Create the Council Investigation Agency which answers only to the Council to undertake investigations at it so dictates
Well-funded and with connections in the right parts of the federal and polity governments the newly formed CIA manages to attract a number of key investigators, including McCommack, and a minor rivalry with the FIA. Provides a +8 bonus to two investigations per turn, though there is a small chance of inter-agency politics skewing a result, for an ongoing cost of 25 million per turn

=  512 m, 25%

[4, <20%] Stellar Warfare
=    0 m, 0%

[9, <15%] Planetary Warfare
-   30 m - ( 61 = 34+27) - Raise a Polity Infantry Division from students that attended at The Crag
You successfully raise a further division. Without specific instructions they are assigned to The Crag for further war-games and as a cadre.

-   25 m - ( 46 = 19+27) - Improve training and equipment of Presidential Guard to prevent further assassination attempt
Attempting to re-train and re-arm these troops in the midst of the latest FIA security tightening proves a bit of a debacle, with new equipment being impounded because of a bureaucratic error, and training notices issued to the other Presidential Guard unit. Although everything is finally smoothed over, little noticeable improvement is seen.

-   50 m - ( 69 = 42+27) - Organize war games between and among Infantry divisions for training purposes
Following on from the polity war-games organised by the Nezem States and the increased desire for unification seen from the Buna in particular the games go off without a hitch, though it proves difficult to deploy troops usefully to counter the Satyata.

=  105 m, 5%

Total Expenditure:
= 2042 million credits, 100%

Policies:

1. (-27) Focht Epidemic. Reports from local police forces and the newly formed anti-drug task forces confirm the issue of addiction is becoming more widespread and criminal cartels have become well-established and are expanding their operations into other fields of endeavour. Economy---, Morale----- with further heavy decrease in Economy to follow next turn unless a response is seen
   
2. Comorian Crystals. Attempts by several polities to corner or control this market continues to put a welcome boost into the economy. Economy+
   
3. Decaying Orbits. No further degradation is noted at this time.
   
4. (26) Combat Stimulants. News of the Amalgam's research into this field leaks into the public domain though it has only been picked up by specialised academic press at this time. It is clear that it continues, though without Federation endorsement.
   
5. (99) Green Energy. With continuous investment by the Federation, and in particular with an especial focus from the Buna within their own region, it is clear that Green Energy is important to the citizenry and is seen to be a theme in terms of private research and investment, with adoption of the issues observed in cereal packet characters, kids cartoons and so on.

Polity Progress

ATC
-  102 m - ( 70 = 55+15) - Research into Networked Computers, 85%
Despite the boost provided by lavish funding from the ATC the final algorithms and protocols elude the team working on this. With one final push they are confident that the benefits of networking will be seen. Receive a +10 to this if you further fund it next turn

=  102 million credits

Hishu Gardeners
-  100 m - ( 79 = 55+24) - Build a kelp harvesting marine platform
You successful build a marine harvesting platform

-   32 m - (100 = 88+12) - Begin research into detoxifying and cleaning herbs and foods, 10%
With the work on Biosciences incomplete and the rampant uptake of Focht, this is seen as a bold long-term move by the Gardeners - though progress is slower than hoped for, the scale of the research is clear. Estimated cost to complete the research is 150m

=  132 million credits

Progress Made Manifest Coalition
-   25 m - (118 = 94+15+6+3) - Top-up into Sovereign Wealth Fund
Providing a keen oversight into the work of Professor Havant, the efforts of the Coalition ensure the fund is set up with minimal overhead in the management and fee structure. Unity+

-   75 m - ( 40 = 25+15) - Creation of Exotic Materials Exchange
Attempts by several polities in similar ventures backfires and the Federation bureaucracy is slow to grant the necessary regulatory licenses to permit the EME to open it's doors to trading

-    2 m - ( 25 = 17+9) - Festival of Unity, supported by sale of investment in Janus
Although the sale of Janus Security completes without a hitch, the festival is a bit of a whitewash, full of self-congratulatory back-patting and smoozing of the most fawning kind by the very political officers of the company. It is clear the Coalition's effort in creaming off this layer from Crag graduates was extremely beneficial to the Federation army and several satirical cartoonists run panels to that effect

=  102 million credits

Next Turn
Population Growth: Growing, ~2% with consistently high birth rates seen
Economic Situation: Growing
Morale: Freefall
Unity: Improving

Aptitudes (Peacetime):

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[4, <40%] Research and Development
[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[4, <20%] Stellar Warfare
[9, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:
Satellite coverage from the RCV Mbal Msafiri, together with the vessel herself, as per the Department of Workers
Deployed infantry forces as per the Department of War

Untapped reserves of Comorian Crystals

Sovereign Wealth Fund, 100m

Available Budget:
Note: Budget has suffered significantly in the face of consequences of the Focht epidemic

+ 1319 m - Comorian (population 4,289,953,690; economy x 2.05; morale x 0.45)
-    0 m - Maintenance of Prototype Solar Plant
-   21 m - Maintenance of The Crag
-   35 m - Maintenance of the Awegala Memorial Hospital
-   25 m - Investigative Overhead of the CIA
= 1238 million credits</b>

Promissory Notes:

=    0 million credits</b>

Polity Budgets:

Baseline Default
=   61 million credits - Council budget x 5%

+    0 m - ( 52 = 37+12+3) - Investment in Janus Security (reinvested into Festival, 8 million, prior to sale)

Events:

1. Returning from his mission into the Badlands the groundcar Daniel Awegala is in suffers a headlong collision with another vehicle under the control of a group of teenagers who are, to use the parlance, 'Focht Up'. He is killed instantly. Morale--
   
2. (33) Caught in a compromising position with her under-secretary and two interns, Councillor Romanov of the Gorski Amalgam is forced to retire from public service.
   
3. (85) Private research into some of the building techniques used in early settlements accidently uncovers a shearing strength previously unknown in the materials now commonly in use. Receive a +5 to one Construction & Engineering project next turn
   
4. (44) Recordings of early meetings between the late President Nezem and his counterparts in the Koree, a small faction within his polity, show a rougher more arrogant side than the noble statesman who is remembered for founding the Federation. Opinion is divided on whether this humanity shows a dark underside or an opportunity for us to make more of ourselves.
   
5. Delivering their final blueprints on the revised solar collector and storage facility to the Council, the Buna are pleased to note they have retrofitted those same improvements to our prototype as well as circulated the corrections to those companies in the energy business.

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:20, Tue 19 July 2016.

Council Chambers, Mkobe - April, 26 NS (estimated 3214 AD)

"It is with great sadness", begins the news anchor at HNB, "that we report the observations of the Goldberg Observatory, confirming that the orbit of the remaining Exodus vessel, the RCV Mbal Msafiri, has begun to decay."

She looks straight in the camera, flawless skin pale under the studio lights, "We are witnessing the beginning of the end of an age"

Progress Report

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
-  400 m - ( 82 = 40+27+10+5) - Wide Spread Medical Clinics that can act as treatment centers and coordinate with the hospital, 100%
After years of comparably meagre investment in the face of the Focht epidemic this sudden infusion of focus and funding is eagerly received and applied to the many programmes and initiatives that had been sharpened on the whetstone of extremely competitive budget cycles. For the next five turns any one project undertaken at the Awegala Memorial Hospital may receive a +6 based on field trials and a broad control population

-   50 m - (109 = 82+27) - Construction of a Training facility wing for future astronauts at the existing space port, 100%
Expansion of the Sietcee Spaceport facility to include a wing dedicated to astronaut training proceeds smoothly, with the construction and outfitting benefiting from the logistical models used in the final stages of the spaceport's own construction - as well as schematics within the material obtained from the RCV Mbal Msafiri. It will provide a +9 bonus to Manned Spaceflight research until that completes, permitting a more practical assessment of training needs then simulation

=  450 m, 36%

[4, <40%] Research and Development
-   50 m - ( 93 = 81+12) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Communication and sensor array applications, 15%
Keeping the research broad yields positive results, with the researchers involved in the project bouncing ideas off one another and making excellent collective progress. Strong results are seen especially in distance tests and the research team petitions the the Council for access to the Sietcee facilities to launch a number of experimental satellites. Decision required

-   50 m - (104 = 92+12) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Ceramic compound hardening, 25%
Trials continue in a clean room environment where the affect of impurities can be better studied and some clear patterns begin to emerge in the data

-   50 m - ( 25 = 13+12) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Liquid metals, 0%
Accidents within the lab continue to afflict the team working on liquid metals, with one intern badly scarred when a pressure chamber ruptures

-   50 m - ( 37 = 25+12) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Psychoactive properties, 10%
Being trapped in an isolation chamber for so long, Jenny begins to ramble about volcanoes eating peoples souls and the pyramids on Rafiki. Progress slows whilst the research team tries to adjust her gaol

-   50 m - ( 34 = 22+12) - Biosciences, 85%
Although the team begins to settle into a more productive cycle they seem to suffer from an affliction of poor luck - with one of the key experimental datavaults badly damaged in a flood of their tech room, one researcher injured in a groundcar accident and another bitten by one of the more belligerent species of native fauna

-   25 m - ( 92 = 80+12) - Geostationary Satellites, 100%
Work completes, with the team confident that the combination of facilities at Sietcee and their own output meaning the temporary satellite network can now feasibly be replaced. Several payloads for the converted Nessa II launch vehicle are presented

-   80 m - ( 18 = 6+12) - Manned Spaceflight, 5%
Attempted to pull the prior research team back together after twenty years proves to be a costly mistake, with each of the scientists and researcher involved having languished on pet projects and personal theories whilst the limelight  has been taken up by the crystalline programmes. No progress is made and a quiet recommendation is made to the Council to begin with a fresh team

-  100 m - ( 82 = 70+12) - Treatment for Focht Addiction, 80%
Leveraging the wide network of refurbished clinics and the unfortunately broad swathe of the population involved with the narcotic means excellent progress is countering the specific psychological and chemical aspects of Focht addiction

=  455 m, 37%

[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
-   33 m - (105 = 87+12+6) - Green Energy subsidies, funding and awareness programs to capitalize on the topic being 'hot'
Professor Havant is persuaded to shift her focus from the broader macro-economic projects she prefers to the matter of subsidies and funding grants. Her interest in this topic is whetted and her enthusiasm infectious. Economy+, Morale++. Following this assignment she continues to focus on Green Energy in the private sector and is no longer available to the Council

=   33 m, 3%

[3, <25%] Diplomacy
-   25 m - ( 41 = 32+9) - Improve ties with the Balcones polity
Poor rapport with the diplomats sent to engage the Balcones means that whilst there is plenty of discussion and debate it is without a noticeable shift in their attitude. After action debriefing quotes Belinda Montgomery of the Napier 'Train bluntly stating that "Words 'owt blood and oil behind 'em' ain't worth nowt"

=   25 m, 2%

[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
-   50 m - ( 51 = 27+24) - [Eyes Only!] Assassination investigation into previous technological find
No further references to the technology can be found within any of the historic records available to the Council

-   50 m - (202 = 170+24+8) - [Eyes Only!] Assassination investigation into Tāṭa corporation
Expanding the scope of her investigation to trace the roots of the Tāṭa Corporation, Senior Investigator McCommack stumbles over a series of purchases made early in their history into pre-Exodus artefacts - primarily art in particular modes and styles. It is a discovery that proves to be a key. Examination of records relating to the purchase unearths several intriguing themes:

• Firstly, the art tends to depict chalices, sacramental cups or similar iconography. Etymological analysis of the name, Tāṭa, and those of other corporations suspected to be related to the assassination confirm that they commonly refer to this same theme - often literally translating to the word 'Grail' in languages common to settled worlds deeper into the Rim Confederature
• Secondly, this thematic link potentially ties the Seihai to Tāṭa - both among the most literal of the translations
• Thirdly, around half of the art is digital in nature and acquisitions shortly following their purchase can be tied to what the datavaults from the RCV Mbal Msafiri refers to as steganography, cryptofloriconology and other alternatives to cryptography. Unfortunately beyond this association little further can be gleaned with the Federation's current understanding of either technique.
• Finally, there is a further pattern in their historic and genealogical competencies that suggests a search. What for is unclear

-  125 m - (189 = 157+24+8) - [Eyes Only!] FIA and CIA Coordinated Effort to fight the cartels.  The CIA is to investigate, the FIA is to act on that intelligence
Careful financial investigation and a well-timed sting operation allow the CIA to insert a deep cover operative into one of the keystone distribution chains in Mkobe. After twenty-one months of harrowing work, Operative 'Tänzer' manages to extract themself with copies of several key files and an encyclopaedic understanding of the movers, shakers and methods used to prepare, stabilise and distribute this evil. Deploying a cross-agency task force consisting of operatives from the CIA, FIA and four divisions of previously undisclosed commandos from the Saenoori, the production and distribution network is smashed over a handful of days. Economy+++, Morale+++++, Unity+

=  225 m, 18%

[4, <20%] Stellar Warfare
=    0 m, 0%

[9, <15%] Planetary Warfare
-   50 m - ( 80 = 53+27) - [Eyes Only!] Fund army efforts to coordinate with the FIA to fight the cartels, using the troops' scores in the recent war games as an indicator for selecting suitable strike teams. The FIA may recruit new potential operatives from this pool
Assessment of the war games results demonstrates the benefit in keeping the military, security and police services separate and though selection assessments from all three services are strengthened through the exercise it is clear that few individuals will successfully transition once a service career has been embarked upon

=   50 m, 4%

Total Expenditure:
= 1238 million credits, 100%

Policies:

1. (13) Focht Epidemic. Despite the success of Operation Last Tango, the effects of Focht linger on in patches of sub-standard manufacture, swathes of casual users suffering horrendous withdrawal and other economic side-effects. It is fortunate the aftershocks are not more prevalent and the serendipitous timing of both enhanced clinics and experimental programmes of treatment is the source of much praise. It is clear that whilst the tide has been turned the war is not fully won.
   
2. Comorian Crystals. Continued speculation into the properties of these crystals fuels much financial speculation, with the establishment of the Exotic Materials Market, the Comorian Crystal Exchange and the Resonancy Futures Exchange. Economy+
   
3. (11) Decaying Orbits. Reports released from the Haven News Bureau issue a statement that consistent and irrevocable decay has been confirmed in the RCV Mbal Msafiri, with no more than fourteen years before it becomes sufficient to become a catastrophic cascade event. At worst it could be as soon as within the next six years. Morale---, Unity-
   
4. (-50) Green Energy. Shortly after completing her work for the Council on Green Energy subsidies, Professor Havant returns to the private sector and begins to appear on the conference sector once more. At a widely attended economic forum in Buna City she delivers a thoughtful and well-structured analysis on Federation funding into Green Energy. Unfortunately it is highly critical of the Council's lacklustre thought leadership, peppered with quotes from mid-grade civil servants who see it as in turns as a slush fund, a mechanism to funnel money to the Buna, or an ill-advised focus when problems such as Focht could have benefited from earlier intervention. Her anecdotes are widely reported and the forum is cancelled after turning into a journalist free-for-all. Progress on a Green agenda is set back years. Morale--

Polity Progress

ATC
-   25 m - ( 49 = 24+12+3+10) - Computer Networking, 100%
Your research into true networking completes without a fanfare, being contained for review before public and commercial adoption. Demonstrations of the technology initially draws parallels with the remote access used to retrieve data from Exodus mainframes, but is quickly seen to be much more broadly applicable. Decision required: Will this be released to the Federation, and how?

-   25 m - ( 78 = 63+12+3) - Network Security
Assessment into some of the foundational principles of the new networking technology isolates and corrects some of the more obvious concerns. Further investment into hardening, fault-tolerance, isolation and other techniques could further improve this

-   11 m - ( 68 = 56+12) - Emergency Funding
Reinvested into completion of the Computer Networking research

=   61 million credits

Hishu Gardeners
-   23 m - (-79 =-90+12) - Natural Detoxicants, 0%
Perhaps inevitably your research into detoxicants goes badly awry, with contamination of a localised water source and several deaths. All of the research material is impounded and family members of those affected begin a civil negligence claim. You suffer a reduction in budget of 12m for the next two turns in legal fees and compensation

-   50 m - ( 81 = 54+27) - Raise a Djerboa Mechanised Division
You successfully raise a new mechanised division and station them at your capital

=   73 million credits

The New Stoics
-   26 m - (204 = 177+27) - Construction of Solar Energy systems at Better Horizons
Conversion of Site A to the Better Horizons facility receives interest and sponsorship from Green Energy corporations and even some subsidy money from the Federation. With this, combined with the scale and modern engineering of the facility before it was abandoned, it ends up contributing energy back into the power grid and receives much press attention as a result

-   25 m - ( 63 = 39+24) - Proselytizing
 After their initial surge of interest recruitment of new celebrities into the New Stoics slows, with one or two high profile defections and poorly worded passages in the main material.

-   10 m - ( 21 = 9+9+3) - High-Budget historical action film starring Todd Kruz, prominent actor and New Stoic, co-starring characters from minority polities
Driven from a script full of unsubtle messages and stock set-pieces, it is clear only in the final editing that Kruz has been wildly miscast as his ability to transition from comedic bromance roles into this gritty action hero is ... well, inadequate. He career plummets and he languishes at Better Horizons for a period, throwing himself into inappropriate relationships with starlets and groupies

=   61 million credits

Progress Made Manifest Coalition
-   71 m - ( 92 = 77+12+3) - Exotic Materials Market
Regulatory license is finally granted and the EMM opens to wholesale and speculative trade in Comorian Crystals. Despite the collective experience of the Coalition in logistics, warehousing and distribution the nuances in becoming custodians and managing counter-party risk cause a few teething hiccups

=   71 million credits

Next Turn
Population Growth: Stable, ~1-2%
Economic Situation: Growing
Morale: Poor, but stable
Unity: Stable

Aptitudes (Peacetime):

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[4, <40%] Research and Development
[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[4, <20%] Stellar Warfare
[9, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:
Satellite coverage from the RCV Mbal Msafiri, together with the vessel herself, though this has been confirmed to be in decay
Deployed infantry forces as per the Department of War

Untapped reserves of Comorian Crystals

Sovereign Wealth Fund, 92m following speculative loses in retail and light manufacturing

Available Budget:

+ 1629 m - Comorian (population 4,344,865,097; economy x 2.50; morale x 0.45)
-   21 m - Maintenance of The Crag
-   35 m - Maintenance of the Awegala Memorial Hospital
-   25 m - Investigative Overhead of the CIA
= 1548 million credits

Promissory Notes:

=    0 million credits

Polity Budgets:

Baseline Default
=   81 million credits - Council budget x 5%

Polity Amendments:
-   12 m - Legal Fees and Compensation from Contamination

Events:

1. (107) Continued investment from the Grande Armada into militarisation of their fleet have resulted in a proven class of patrol cutters that has potential usefulness in law enforcement and especially smuggling intercepts. At present they maintain the patents
   
2. (65) Amateur research into Comorian flora and fauna has come to the attention of the Department for Progress. It presents an interesting rebuttal to some of the core tenets around the Unified theory being pursued within our Biosciences programme, which help un-knot the current blockers
   
3. (18) After our unsuccessful negotiations with the Balcones, petitions from concerned corporations with ties to the Mercantile Alliance are received by the Council. They set out worries relating to anti-competitiveness, Outsider pricing, and so on of continuing to deepen such ties

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:21, Tue 19 July 2016.

Council Chambers, Mkobe - December, 32 NS (estimated 3219 AD)

"We are saddened to report the death of Jenny Sto whilst under observation in an undisclosed Federation facility", reads the newscaster, unexpectedly sombre and with what appeared to be a real tear brimming, "Regular viewers will remember Miss Sto from our weekly broadcast covering her care and the continuing efforts to understand how her inhalation of crystal dust led to the visions she has recounted over the past decade. We will ... we will.."

He bows his head and after a moment the camera panned to the perky co-presenter, looking a bit flustered

Progress Report

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
-  400 m - ( 49 = 22+27) - Use the knowledge of unmanned spacecraft and geostationary satellites to launch unmanned satellites to pull/push the RCV Mbal Msafiri back to a geostationary orbit.
Although you learn a great deal about deploying remotes, it becomes clear the the vessel is simply too massive too recover in this manner.

• For the next turn we will break any actions to save the ship into five rolls - Primary Intent (probably Stabilisation), Positioning (for Next Turn), Knowledge Gained, Ship Damage and Collateral Effects
• You currently possess technologies and equipment relating to unmanned spacecraft and satellites
• Although you don't have the requisite technologies for a safe manned mission you could attempt a one-way mission (anyone you send may still die before they reach the ship)
• You may see benefits in use of the Comorian Crystals if you can complete the comms research in time
• Your prior effort may simply have been a wrongly applied lever
• You could try to strip parts of the ship instead or ensure she breaks up and then burns up in atmosphere

=  400 m, 26%

[8, <40%] Research and Development
-   75 m - (204 =180+24) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Communication and sensor array applications with access to Sietsee facilities, 75%
Excellent results are seen, with fourteen Nessa II based satellites launched into a extremely high orbits. It is clear that, tuned correctly, these crystals could provide the basis for a near real-time communications and sensor network! Already scientists at the Goldberg Observatory are using two of the satellites to study the far side of Rafiki. Economy+++, Morale+

-   75 m - (100 = 76+24) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Ceramic compound hardening, 55%
With an engineering framework behind them, solid progress is made on understanding the possibilities behind the hardening process. It is becomming clear that use of the Comorian crystal dust could yield a number of interesting compounds, including some with earthing or impact-hardening properties. Economy+

-   75 m - (101 = 77+24) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Liquid metals, 25%
Following their safety overhaul and with a number of scientists transferred from the more experienced teams, work into understanding the liquid metal properties begins to make a solid pace.

-   75 m - ( 38 = 14+24) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Psychoactive properties, 15%
During one of the tests being conducted Miss Sto regains full consciousness. It is claimed she says something about a shadow behind the red moon - or perhaps the moon's shadow - and then she collapses, her vitals stopping before any of the researchers can decide whether or not to expose themselves to help her. Unity-

-   50 m - ( 55 = 31+24) - Biosciences, with the aid of previous amateur researchers that helped un-knot the blockers, 100%
Although it becomes clear that the observations made by amatuer researchers are, well, amatuerish, the significant funding sunk into completely this work allows it's presentation at the University of Cartegena at a conference on unified bioscientific classification schemes. Several new avenues of research have opened up.

-  150 m - (  2 =-31+24+9) - Manned Spaceflight, 0%
Progress retards following the loss of several key researchers to Focht, suicide and a shooting in one of the university campuses

-   50 m - (230 =190+24+10+6) - Treatment for Focht Addiction, 100%
With information supplied by Operative 'Tänzer' regarding the Cartel's industrialised processes, especially concerning their quality control, the researchers at the Awegala Memorial Hospital succeed in creating a broad spectrum of treatments - covering not only Focht but theoretically a swathe of related or derivative compounds! Morale+++

-   50 m - ( 32 =  6+24) - Cryptography to better protect sensitive information ([Eyes Only!] and to better understand the information about the Seihai 'Grail'), 100%
Despite initial poor reports this work completes surprisingly quickly and the Federation deploys their new substitution based ciphering technology across many departments. No further information on the 'Grail' is forthcoming from this avenue of exploration

=  600 m, 39%

[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
-  100 m - Payment to ATC (1 of 5)
Payment received and immediately invested into Network Security

-   43 m - (-34 =-46+12) - Green Energy subsidies, funding and awareness programs
Local councils funnel much of these subsidies into other neglected projects and the little that is spent on marketing and awareness campaigns is of a very sub-standard quality. Economy-, Morale-

=  143 m,  9%

[3, <25%] Diplomacy
-   25 m - (182 =173+9) - Improve trade with the Balcones, but only concerning goods not yet supplied by the Mercantile Alliance
Clearly impressed by the efforts being made by the Federation the Anderson 'Train makes a landmark trade run from the Ksar el-Kebir to Buna City, including several passengers from the Rafiki Brotherhood and Silver Republics. Speculative talks begin on the possibility of this becomming a regular route. Morale++, Economy+++

=   25 m,  2%

[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
-   50 m - ( 69 = 37+24+8) - [Eyes Only!] Investigate the 'Grail' important to the Seihai
Your investigation turns up several leads, however most rely on key individuals who have vanished in the Focht epidemic. You still have plenty of material to pursue at this stage, though there are few theories that make sense.

-   50 m - ( 53 = 21+24+8) - [Eyes Only!] Analyze backgrounds and careers of key Tāṭa leadership for previous assignments and work locations to gain insight into the Seihai's infiltration networks
From the geo-temporal analysis the FIA present back to you (in a snazzy presentation, with lots of supporting data) they are able to confirm the key leadership team have a strong background in economics, corporate management and domain expertise

-  100 m - (-67 =-91+24) - [Eyes Only!] FIA and CIA Coordinated Effort to fight the cartels - mop up the remnants and lesser distribution networks
Despite successes everywhere else in the fight against Focht, the inter-agency wrangling between FIA and CIA allow a number of key Cartel leaders to escape justice - hiding behind the judicial system or disappearing over the border into the wildlands outside Federation control. Thankfully the nature of this black book work means it is kept from the public

=  200 m, 13%

[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
=    0 m,   0%

[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare
-   50 m - (116 = 95+21) - [Eyes Only!] Fund army efforts to coordinate with the FIA to continue fighting the cartels. The FIA may recruit new potential operatives from this pool
With the increased troops and funds for coordination and intelligence the remnants of the Cartels are pushed back from many key conurbations within the Federation. Morale++

-   50 m - (105 = 79+21+5) - Raise Djerboa Mechanised Division from the Crag
You successfully raise a further division. Without specific instructions they are assigned to badlands patrols to continue to combat the Cartels.

-   80 m - (103 = 82+21) - Purchase patrol cutters from Grande Armada to be used in anti-smuggling efforts
You purchase a small squadron of cutters, who begin to patrol the Nezem Coast for smugglers and Cartel boats

=  180 m, 12%

Total Expenditure:
= 1548 million credits, 100%

Policies:

1. (75) Focht Epidemic - Concerted and coordinated efforts in combating the drug, dealing with the Cartel and ensuring the addicted population are supported permits the President to finally declare the 'War on Focht' to be won in an emotional rally in central Mkobe. Morale++++, Unity++
   
2. (72) Comorian Crystals - Buying and selling on the exotics exchanges in strong and there are secondary businesses springing up handling warehousing, transhipment, pricing and safe handling. Economy++
   
3. (62) Green Energy - As the movement continues to garner support, Professor Havant retires a little from the limelight and focuses on nuturing the next generation of talent. She remains a powerhouse but is clearly concerned that it requires both popularity and a clear understanding of the science.

Polity Progress

ATC
-  100 m - (112 = 88+24) - Network Security, 50%
Good progress is made on understanding the necessary protocols for network security

-   50 m - (-29 =-55+27) - Construction of major datacenter for Arachne Network Security System
In one of the final visible conflicts of the 'War on Focht', Cartel sympathisers detonated a device in the partially completed Arache Centre, including destroying the plans and killing two system administrators working on a technical issue at the time

-   21 m - ( 72 = 63+9) - Invite Professor Havant and prominent Green Energy experts to a meeting where the ATC wishes to make use of their expertise, attempting to make use of their collective knowledge to make the ATC as 'Green' and environmentally self-sufficient as possible
Progress is made on improvement the Green credentials of the ATC and a series of initiatives begun on improvement their environmental footprint

=  171 million credits

The New Stoics
-   45 m - (105 = 78+27) - Twin Shards Research Institute, 100%
Construction is completed on the research institute. It provides a +5 bonus to a single Crystal related project per turn, capable of handling projects up to 100m

-   44 m - (UM 66 = 66+21) - Raise Fisabee Heavy Division, 50%
You're on track to raising a Fisabee Heavy Division though they have been reports of unexpected echoes in the comms systems, related to feedback from the small slivers of Crystals most of the troopers wear with their dogtags

=   89 million credits

Progress Made Manifest Coalition
-   45 m - (100 = 78+12+10) - Takala Prize
Private investment is slow, but enable the the Coalition (or the Department for Progress) to cherry-pick from funding requests and target recruitment. Gain a +10 to one related project next turn

-   44 m - (162 =150+12) - Exchange Efficiencies
Solid hires at a senior level boosts the credibility and operating efficiences of the EMM, boosting revenues and reducing costs

=   89 million credits

Next Turn
Population Growth: Stable, ~1-2%
Economic Situation: Growing
Morale: Strongly recovering
Unity: Stable

Aptitudes (Peacetime):
[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[8, <40%] Research and Development
[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:
Satellite coverage from the RCV Mbal Msafiri, together with the vessel herself, as per the Department of Workers
Deployed infantry forces as per the Department of War

Untapped reserves of Comorian Crystals

Sovereign Wealth Fund, 94m , slightly buoyant on the receding threat of Focht

Available Budget:

+ 3846 m - Comorian (population 4,354,302,995; economy x 2.65; morale x 1.00)
-   21 m - Maintenance of The Crag
-   35 m - Maintenance of the Awegala Memorial Hospital
-   25 m - Investigative Overhead of the CIA
= 3765 million credits</b>


Promissory Notes:

-  400 m - Networking technology to the ATC, 4 payments of 100m
=  400 million credits

Polity Budgets:

Baseline Default
=  188 million credits - Council budget x 5%

Polity Amendments:
[REDACTED]

Events:

1. (72) Deploying several kelp harvesting platforms close to an uninhabited archipelago south of Port Cartegena, the Grande y Felicísima Armada report record harvesting rates and a variant especially suitable for modern textiles
   
2. (83) Solar storms push an excess of energy into the Buna's Pandayan facilities and they run a peak capacity for several weeks over the long summer, rushing out equipment for several units of Mechanised Infantry
   
3. (108) Off the back of the multiple missions against the Cartels in conjunction with the Federation Army Corps, the FIA recruit Captain Noah Mendez to head their covert ops training

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:29, Tue 08 Dec 2015.

Council Chambers, Mkobe - January, 34 NS (estimated 3221 AD)

Standing in the Nezem parliament, Representative Nye Bevan began to address the assembled members concerning the widespread effort the Council had mandated into healthcare and those areas he hoped they might yet tackle, "The field in which the claims of individual commercialism come into most immediate conflict with reputable notions of social values is that of health. That is true both for curative and preventive medicine. The preventive health services of modern society fight the battle over a wider front and therefore less dramatically than is, the case with personal medicine.

Yet the victories won by preventive medicine are much the most important for mankind. This is so not only because it is obviously preferable to prevent suffering than to alleviate it. Preventive medicine, which is merely another way of saying health by collective action, builds up a system of social habits that constitute an indispensable part of what we mean by civilization. In this sphere values which are in essence Federal challenge and win victory after victory against the assertions and practice of the competitive society."

He paused, wanting to tackle the naysayers in particular, "Our communities have been made tolerable by the behaviour patterns imposed upon them by the activities of the rehabilitator, the sanitary inspector and the medical officer of health. It is true, these rarely work out what they do in terms of Federal philosophy; but that does not alter the fact that the whole significance of their contribution is its insistence that the claims of the individual shall subordinate themselves to social codes that have the collective well-being for their aim, irrespective of the extent to which this frustrates individual greed."

Progress Report

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
-  150 m - ( 86 = 59+27) - Moon Lander Construction and Engineering Project, 100%
With the widespread focus on extra-planetary efforts, your engineers make excellent progress in completing work on the facilities and precision machinery required for surveying and lunar landing equipment. Local campaigning convinces the minor official with oversight to name it the Lunar Exploratory Enablement Wing, or LEEW for short. Each turn any one project relating to extra-planetary construction or engineering receives a +10, for an ongoing maintenance cost of 40 million

-  100 m - ( 33 =  6+27) - Network of Orbital Satellites, 25%
Despite initial positive success with the experimental satellite network used to prove crystal resonance, the team tasked with expanding it to a permanent network continue to stumble upon short-cuts taken to meet that initial launch window, resulting in cost overruns and significant re-engineering. Economy--

-  315 m - ( 98 = 61+27+10) - Wide Spread Medical Clinics, 100%
Building on the solid foundation of the Awegala Memorial Hospital and existing municipal clinics, the Federal Clinical Network is established relatively quickly and early indicators of it's transformative effect on the Federation are very optimistic. Each turn any one project relating to bio-medical studies, research or treatment receives a +6, for no ongoing maintenance cost. If combined with the bonus from the Awegala Memorial Hospital, it becomes +10. Unity++

-  100 m - (198 =171+27) - [Eyes Only!] Dark Side of the (Red) Moon (incorporating Stellar Cartography)
Cooperation from the Goldberg Observatory and the project team working on Stellar Cartography isolates two candidates within the Comoria system - the first roughly half the size of Rafiki orbiting the innermost gas giant, where initial observations show a regular pattern of thermal blooms; the second three times the size of Rafiki and orbiting the outermost gas giant, which exists in an orbit fully synchronous with the planet below. Any further moon surveys within the system will receive a +8 bonus

-  100 m - (107 = 80+27) - Stabilising Satellites for the RCV Mbal Msafiri
Repeated attempted confirm that permanently stabilising the vessel in this manner is impossible, however you believe that the minor changes to her orbit affected over several months have provided a reprieve to work on other solutions. Morale+

-  200 m - ( 65 = 32+27+6) - [Eyes Only!] Eleventh Hour Strike System (incorporating Fisabee Micro-Explosives), 40%
Attempting to re-purpose the 'shredder' munitions covered in the Fisabee datacore is more complex than expected, but progress is made. Your weapons engineering team at Fort Mkobe believe that the techniques they're exploring could be diverted back into military applications such as point defence and saturation explosives and are keen to explore those avenues

-  350 m - (115 = 88+27) - Fission Power, 100%
Luring several key scientists from the University of Cartegena to work on this with power generation experts from the Pandayans - and, crucially, providing an isolated environment deep in the Buna's desert region for them to collect experimental results - means that the road from theory to a small working reactor is mere months. You can now build fission reactors and several research topics have become feasible

= 1315 m, 35%

[8, <40%] Research and Development
-  150 m - ( 45 = 21+24) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Communication and Sensor Applications (at Sietsee), 85%
Progress slows as the team begin to establish which crystal formations have the correct properties for both transmission and longevity in a harse vacuum environment. Several of the experimental satellites are lost when the crystals installed shatter explosively, though these events provide a wealth of experimental data

-  150 m - ( 45 = 21+24) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Ceramic Compound Hardening, 80%
Progress continues to be made, though the research has now entered the exhaustive proof stage of understanding how the engineering conditions vary the result

-  150 m - ( 64 = 40+24) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Liquid Metals, 40%
Avoiding any further safety incidents, the team focuses on applying the framework from the ceramic research onto their own investigation with mixed results

-  100 m - ( 28 = -1+24+5) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Psychoactive Properties (with new subjects at Twin Shards), 15%
Progress is limited, with volunteers limited and psychoactive responses in animals difficult to measure. Morale-

-  400 m - ( 63 = 20+24+9+10) - Manned Spaceflight, 40% - 86 Positioning; 43 Knowledge; 76 Ship Impact; 114 Collateral Impact
Early work at the Sietcee Training Centre begins to unravel the complexity required to place a man (or woman) on top of a massive explosive, chuck it into orbit at fantastical speeds and then bring it back safely. Although progress is slow it is steady and the team feels they will continue to make significant inroads if budget is sustained. You receive a further +6 to this next turn and +3 to three related projects

-  150 m - (UM 100 =151+24) - Manufactories, 100%
Drawing on the example of the massive Pandayan facilities, the team working on this produce what will later be refered to as a seminal work in process re-engineering - a self-sustaining approach to contained manufactories that not only provides a blueprint for new facilities, but can be retrofitted to many existing factories and production lines. Blueprint and new Research Available. Economy++++

-  150 m - ( 89 = 65+24) - Stellar Cartography, 100%
With unexpected insights coming from the secondary team (of mainly ex-military personnel) working on the project, a reference framework for efficient solar surveying and cartography is established. During the presentation back to the Council it is clear that further work on the visualisation technology is probably required together with a standardised probe or sensor suite to conduct the surveys themselves. At the very end the Dr Kepler requests the Council formally name the other bodies within the Comoria solar system. New Research Available

-   25 m - (125 = 91+24+10) - Feasibility: Universal Addiction Treatments
Applying the wide spectrum of responses to Focht addiction more widely is seen as a natural progression and a universal approach well within acceptable scientific truth. Research Available, with a +6 bonus to the first turn

-   25 m - ( 86 = 62+24) - Feasibility: Recycling
Clearly the basis for further areas required for sustainable long-term deep space or extra-solar exploration, the case for this is clear. Research Available

-   25 m - ( 50 = 26+24) - Feasibility: Gravionics
Alluded too within a section of the Fisabee core, gravionics is put forward as a theoretical science that treats gravity as both a wave and a particle, in much the same manner as light and with potentially interested intersections with electromagnetism. Further study required to cover costs, but research available

-   25 m - ( 63 = 39+24) - Feasibility: Steganography
Dismissed by some within the intelligence community this adjunct area is nonetheless taken sufficiently seriously to demonstrate some potential benefits. Research Available

-   25 m - ( 61 = 37+24) - Feasibility: Cryptofloriconology
Championed by a team of historians and proponents of the now widely accepted Unified Biosciences theory, there is a surprising interest in this theory from the general population. Research Available

-   25 m - ( 81 = 51+24+6) - Feasibility: Improved Pharmacology
Boldly the research team revisits the material of the original due, Dr Focht and Dr Kleinschmidt. With the benefits of widespread case material and the work recently completed on countering Focht and its variants, the team produces some promising theories on how the mechanisms it used to spread could prove extremely effective in creating tailored targetable drugs and virii - potentially useful in combating a wide spectrum of diagnoses. Research Available

= 1400 m, 37%

[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
-  100 m - ( 85 = 70+12+3) - Continued efforts with the Balcones (at Dhajafada Economic Institute)
Establishing a regular route betwen Ksar el-Kebir and Buna City is more complex than hoped for, with the scholars at the DEI helping understand several unintended consequences. Two potential solutions surface - sponsoring a new roadtrain that would fall under the control of the Anderson clan or providing some form of subsidies to the effected markets - or you could accept the consequences. You receive a +6 to whichever outcome you select

-  100 m - ( 67 = 55+12) - Green Energy Subsidies
Although significant more of these funds reach the right projects, the overall impact is .. well, meh

-  100 m - Payment to ATC (2 of 5)
Payment received and immediately invested into Network Security

=  300 m,  8%

[3, <25%] Diplomacy
-  100 m - ( 89 = 80+9) - Outreach to the Rafiki Brotherhood
Receiving your Ambassador warmly into the bastion of Ksar es-Seghir, it is clear that the Brotherhood's cultural isolationism will be tough to overcome

-  100 m - ( 70 = 61+9) - Outreach to the Silver Republics
Despite being impressed with the Federation's economic strength the Silver Republic politely declines tying themselves further to you at this time - citing cultural differences in the approach to leadership. Perhaps a more specific approach?

-   50 m - (101 = 92+9) - Request Assistance with the Msafiri Problem
You receive three offers of particular note: firstly, the Saenoori provide a close-knit team of their problem solvers to work your engineers on the manned space-flight angle - they can be assigned across the efforts or to a specific focus such as Knowledge Gained; secondly a scientist from the Amalgam approaches the Council with some partially complete schematics on navigating the interior of the vessel - perhaps by remote, such as the robots his own research is focused on; finally a consortium of fledgling companies in the computing sector request a series of tax breaks in return for applying their proven record of rapid development to one of the related research or engineering projects. If you choose to take any of these up, please treat each as a separate budget item of at least 200m - the outcome of which will be applied to the rescue attempt

-  100 m - (-52 =-61+9) - Establish Planetary Congress, located in Nezem States
Suggesting that further power is centralised in Mkobe is poorly received by everyone, even your own polities. In several broadsheets there are calls for a vote of no confidence in certain Councillors and the political fallout is quite intense for several weeks. You may try for an alternate approach to unification, but the word 'Congress' becomes a political death knell. Any attempt to reintroduce this in the next ten turns will automatically fail. Unity----, Morale--

=  350 m,  9%

[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
-  100 m - ( 48 = 16+24+8) - [Eyes Only!] Track Tāṭa leadership (led by McCommack)
Despite McCommack kicking some sense into the team on this (geo-temporal analysis, seriously?) she struggles to make much progress with the tools she has

-  100 m - (110 = 78+24+8) - [Eyes Only!] Investigate the ‘Grail’ (led by Tänzer)
A chance remark in Tänzer's presence by one of the analysts leads to a significant breakthrough, tying first the Seihai to a cartel cell in Cartegena and from there uncovering a datacore access trail to a set of communications between two Captains in the Exodus fleet shortly before planet-fall, between the RCV Mbal Maono and the RCV Mrefu Kiweo. Both were significantly smaller vessels, the first a scout of some kind and the second a transport for war criminals. In the transcripts it is clear that the RCV Mrefu Kiweo had suffered some kind of onboard emergency, that several prisoners were loose and that those who remained in cryostasis should not be permitted to make planetfall if the vessel fell. It is clear that several further records accompanied these but that they have been purged. One final elusive comms record suggests that the RCV Mbal Maono - the scout - began firing on several other vessels of the Exodus fleet and that may have precipitated the initial conflict on the surface

-  100 m - (107 = 83+24) - [Eyes Only!] Investigate Seihai
Analysis of signals coming from what is believed to be Seihai territory can confirm they have a significant bunker facility built into Mount Yamashiro together with a number of isolated underground settlements. Almost all traffic between them appears to be by air, though that would suggest the settlements are self-contained and in themselves isolationist - or that they have other concealed routes for transport and transmission. All of their signal traffic is encrypted, using a technique unfamiliar to our analysts, so this assessment is based on the pattern of communication rather than the content. Several agents were lost trying to penetrate their territories, all of them intercepted before submitting any intelligence

=  300 m,  8%

[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
=    0 m, 0%

[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare
-  100 m - ( 53 = 32+21) - [Buried Deep] Black Ops runs on remaining Focht cartel leaders (led by Cpt Noah Mendez)
Few targets can be found, though some reports suggest they are being deliberately concealed

=  100 m,  3%

Total Expenditure:
= 3765 million credits, 100%

Policies:

1. (12) Comorian Crystals - Deflation is seen in the marketplace for crystals off the back of Miss Sto's demise and subsequent Federation experimentation. Economy--
   
2. (61) Green Energy - Under Professor Havant's tutelege a nascent leadership for the Green Enery polity begins to form. Expect them to emerge as a Polity next turn
   
3. [Eyes Only!] Combat Stimulants and Natural Detoxicants - Research from both the Gorski Amalgam and the Hishu Gardeners is presented to the Council, tackling the oppossing themes of artificial and holistic approaches to physical performance. From the Amalgam briefing it is clear they are now fielding several experimental special forces teams - with ambigious capabilities. From the Hishu briefing, there is a clear request for assistance in pushing for widespread adoption within the Federation of their programme of well-being - though this could be considered simply a less manufactured and less specialised version of the same story
   
4. (40) Final Frontier - You are beginning to see pressure in finding qualified researchers for space-based research

Polity Progress

ATC
-  100 m - (101 = 74+24+3) - Network Security, 100%
You complete work on the Arachne network protocol, weaving it seemlessly into the existing Atlas OS and pushing those changes to the small number of existing Atlas-enabled machines.

-  250 m - (114 = 87+27) - Data Centre, 100%
Completion of the Arachne Centre facility is completed ahead of schedule, though it is three more weeks before it comes online because of strenuous performance testing.

-   38 m - ( 32 = 20+12) - Green Energy Incentives
Continued investment in Green Energy sees one of your minor executives 'retire' to take up a political position with Professor Havant

= 388 million credits

The New Stoics
-   50 m - ( 72 = 45+27) - Enhancements to the Twin Shards Facility
Enhancements to the facility provide barracks for the newly formed Xur Heavy Division and increase it's capacity to handle proects up to 125m

-   46 m - ( 92 = 69+18+5) - Raise Fisabee Heavy Division
Graduating to full service the Xur Heavy Division, with their trademark crystal fetishes, now represent the most capable unit on Comoria. They are commanded by Colonel Jace Diego

-  100 m - ( 57 = 51+6) - Operation Unexpected Cobra
Five men and two women share the unexpected honour of being the first humans to re-orbit the planet in five hundred years - for two hours and thirty-six minutes, before an issue with the air recirculation system suffocates them. Morale--

=  196 million credits

Progress Made Manifest Coalition
-  100 m - ( 56 = 31+10+15) - Nebula Industries
Despite the big press release and seed funding the public horror following Operation Unexpected Cobra sees Nebula taking a conservative approach to their initial forays into space - sub-contracting back to the Federation initially to build confidence in their team

-   88 m - ( 71 = 56+15) - Exchange Efficiencies
You begin to see much healthier profits from the EMM

=  188 million credits

Next Turn
Population Growth: Stable, ~1-2%
Economic Situation: Stabilising
Morale: Dip
Unity: Dip

Aptitudes (Peacetime):

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[8, <40%] Research and Development
[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:
Satellite coverage from the RCV Mbal Msafiri, together with the vessel herself, as per the Department of Workers
Deployed infantry forces as per the Department of War

Untapped reserves of Comorian Crystals

Sovereign Wealth Fund, 98m with a slight increase only related to a lack of investment

Available Budget:

+ 3653 m - Comorian (population 4,427,455,285; economy x 2.75; morale x 0.90)
-   21 m - Maintenance of The Crag
-   35 m - Maintenance of the Awegala Memorial Hospital
-   25 m - Investigative Overhead of the CIA
-   40 m - Maintenance of the LEEW
+  150 m - Manufactories
= 3682 million credits

Promissory Notes:

-  300 m - Networking technology to the ATC, 3 payments of 100m
=  300 million credits

Polity Budgets:

Baseline Default
=  184 million credits - Council budget x 5%

Polity Amendments:
[REDACTED]

Events:

1. (49) Following on from their foray into kelp harvesting, the Grande Armada announces a research partnership with the Mercantile Alliance to fully exploit the textile variant they have stumbled upon
   
2. (57) Discovery of a rich seem of iron ore close to one of the Rafiki Brotherhood holdings sparks a minor rush of corporates to the area
   
3. (46) Reports begin to surface of the Crimeran Confederation field-testing a new mark of combat airframe in the Nezem Badlands
   
4. (UM66) Local elections in Haven take an unexpected turn when the two candidates are trapped in an avalanche on their way to a publisized debate. Instead of the mud-slinging and rhetoric, voters are treated to their blow by blow rescue against the backdrop of a very human radio conversation between the two of them on a channel they thought no-one could hear. Morale++

This message was last edited by the GM at 06:50, Wed 23 Dec 2015.

Council Chambers, Mkobe - December, 34 NS (estimated 3221 AD)

++ This is Sietcee Control. Count at this time is T-lO minutes and counting. We have just completed a status check here in the Control Centre, the Mission Director polling the flight surgeon, the guidance, navigation and control officer, the capsule communicator, tank pressure monitor, the booster systems engineer, retro-fire officer, flight dynamics officer, the guidance officer, network and the electrical environmental and communications systems officer. All are in a Go status. The board is Green around the Range and we are looking very, very good at this time. The count T-9 minutes. This is Sietcee Control++

++ Status is Go. This is Sietcee Control ++

++ This is Sietcee Control. Count is T-2 minutes and counting. This is Sietcee Control with a cross conversation going between Eshe Okomo and Piers Jardine on the various flight position. Everything in a Go condition. Count is T- 1 minute and 20 seconds . This is Sietcee Control ++

++ This is Sietcee Control. We're at T-1 minute , T-60 seconds and counting. T-45 seconds and counting. The range holding a final status check. T-30 seconds. Recorders have gone to fast speed. Twenty seconds. Fifteen seconds. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, zero. Ignition. And we have a lift-off. We have a lift-off at 24 minutes after the hour. Rising very nicely.Cabin pressure climbing. Count is 60 seconds, T+60 seconds. That booster is flying at a speed of 978 kilometres per hour. The crew is pulling approximately 2Gs.They are now going through the area of maximum dynamic pressure exerted on the X-19. Ground Controller Major Tom Bowie reports here that all systems looking fine. We are two minutes into the flight. The velocity of the vehicle right now is approaching 4,000 kilometres an hour, the G forces building to 3.3 G. The crew reports they are in fine shape and everything looks Green in the Control Centre. They're over the Gama de Acero now ++

Progress Report

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
-  200 m - ( 71 = 44+27) - Network of Orbital Spy Satellites, 100%
Six months into the year the Sietcee facility sees the first batch of the final marque of satellite launched and thereafter a dozen a week. Just before the end of the year the full network is in place, providing full sensor and communications coverage of the planet. You may expand the satellite network with additional capabilities for a minimal cost as you research the relevant technologies. Economy+++

-  442 m - ( 72 = 42+27+3) - [Eyes Only!] Eleventh Hour Strike System (incorporating Fisabee Micro-Explosives), 80%
Progress is made, though the team continues to be distracted by the military applications

-  150 m - (106 = 73+27+6) - Manufactory to Subsidise Balcones Trade, 100%
Working from the blueprints for a manufactory of this size the Buna successfully petition for the construction to occur on the outskirts and Buna City - claiming proximity to the roadtrain route to be the key success factor. It begins churning out vehicle parts and, working with the nearby Pandayan facility, the local press report the Balcones to have placed an order for ongoing parts and a new roadtrain with the Buna state government. Economy+

-  200 m - ( 65 = 28+27+10) - Dr Sheldon's Robotics for the RCV Mbal Msafiri
Dr Sheldon makes reasonable progress, though his theories are largely untested and there are plenty of dead-ends. However there is sufficient merit in his work for the Manned Spaceflight team to incorporate his ideas on the use of remotes to increase the safety factor of their final design. Research for Unmanned Probes and Remote Augmented Missions unlocked

=  992 m, 27%

[8, <40%] Research and Development
-   75 m - ( 71 = 44+24+3) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Communication and Sensor Applications (at Sietsee), 100%
Your scientists finally codify the exact properties of the types of Comorian Crystals suited for communications and sensor relays. Demonstrating these specific benefits the show a real-time view of the dark side of Rafiki in closed session to the President and Council. Footage inexorably leaks out and the public interest in exploring beyond Comorian is reignited. You may now build satellites, probes and survey craft equipped with this Ansible technology (and fit it to other vehicles or spacecraft as they become available to you - though not to infantry in its current bulky form), though this requires Comorian Ansibles which can be harvested at a rate of D4 per Turn for 75 million of testing and winnowing. You begin with 6 Comorian Ansibles that the science team held back from their testing. Economy+++

-   50 m - ( 79 = 55+24) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Ceramic Compound Hardening, 100%
It is a tired and exhausted team of engineerings and materials scientists who finally present the specifics of the production process for Comorite, a new type of ceramic compound that is suited for military and heavy construction uses. Again the Council is summoned to a demonstration of the technology in practise, this time in the bowels of Fort Mokbe where several slabs of the material are subjected to the massed fire-power of the Xur Heavy Division and then increasingly ridiculous volumes of explosives. You may now use this when building facilities or vehicles (and spacecraft as they become available to you) to increase their toughness against kinetic and electromagnetic based damage, though this requires Comorite which can be processed at a maximum rate of 5 units per turn for 75 million each. You begin with 5 units and the engineers claim this processing cost can be reduced by a third if a suitable manufactory facility is constructed - though it would need to be at the larger end of the facilities available to us. Economy+++

-  240 m - ( 74 = 50+24) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Liquid Metals, 80%
Good progress is made; in a similar vein to the work that yielded Comorite, the science team is now in the exhaustive phase of the work. You receive a +5 to next turn if you redeploy the Comorite team to this work

-  125 m - ( 53 = 18+24+5+6) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Psychoactive Properties (with new subjects at Twin Shards), 20%
Progress continues to be limited, with the measured responses continuing to be elusive and insubstantial

-  400 m - ( 82 = 43+24+9+6) - Manned Spaceflight, 100% : 117 Positioning; 81 Knowledge; 74 Ship Impact; 103 Collateral Impact
With the exemplary insights provided by a united effort on the now veteran team at Sietcee and LEEW, on 7th October 34 NS the test crew of Captain Eshe Okomo, Lieutenant Alex Zabbat and Lieutenant Piers Jardine launch aboard an Ezekiel Shuttle attached to a X-19 rocket and successfully orbit Comorian three times. Keen to ensure the mission - watched by millions across Mkobe, Port Cartegena, Haven, Buna City and beyond - remains a shining success, Ground Controller Major Tom Bowie permits a close pass of the colony vessel. The crew make a safe splash landing off the Nezem Coast. You may now launch up to three missions to the RCV Mbal Msafiri before the X-19 series of test rockets run out of parts (with a +9, +7 and +5 bonus) and may construct rocket-assisted Gomorrah Shuttles and Ezekiel Lifters. Both types of spacecraft have a heavy maintenance cost due to their use of expendable X-19 rocket motors, costing 25 million per launch (though you will not incur this for the three remaining X-19 launches). You have one Gomorrah Shuttle. Economy+++++, Unity+++, Morale+++++

-  200 m - (UM100 =135+24) - Fledgling Computing Consortium
Embracing the new powers for collaboration that the Arachne network provides and suitably inspired by the Council's tax breaks, the fledgling companies from the Acero Valley work continuously on the problem of putting a crew into orbit for eight months straight - running simulations, exploring the parameters for optimal burn-profiles and attempting to understand how to position the craft in an orbit suitable to intercept the RCV Mbal Msafiri. Almost by accident they come up with a protocol for receiving and transmitting data and commands to the newly deployed satellite network and, by extension, other kinds of sensors and probes. Research on Sensor Spoke Networks completed

-  200 m - (UM100 =100+24+3) - Saenoori Union Assistance
Contractors provided by the Saenoori excel and mesh with the Federation team sufficiently well that the Saenoori recommend keeping them together and specifically contracted to the Council. You have a team of problem solvers, Team Scryer, who may be assigned to a single stalling Construction and Engineering project each turn and whose involvement will raise the result one band in terms of success; their success is based on the team members however, so care must be taken to replenish retiring members

-  100 m - (105 = 65+24+10+6) - Universal Addiction Treatments, 14%
Solid initial progress is made, exceeding expectations

-   50 m - ( 89 = 65+24) - Feasibility: Gravionics
Further study of the FISABEE core completes your understanding of what this science purports to provide and the research is now fully unlocked and costed. It is seen as essential for heavier troop battalions than you currently possess (to offset equipment weight) and for armoured units capable of anti-grav lifters that operate under varied conditions. Receive a +6 to the first turn

= 1440 m, 39%

[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
-  100 m - ( 84 = 72+12) - Green Energy Subsidies
Well-timed marketing coninciding with the political launch of the Green Party reminds the citizenry of the long-term and continued efforts the Council and the Federation have made into Green policies. Any two Green projects next turn receive a +5. Morale++, Unity++

-  100 m - Payment to ATC (3 of 5)

=  200 m,  5%

[3, <25%] Diplomacy
-  100 m - ( 77 = 68+ 9) - Propose Joint Research Effort with Rafiki Brotherhood
Your negotiations with the Rafiki proceed slowly, hampered by cultural faux-pas and misunderstandings. Finally however your team return with a proposal: provide the research material and blueprints on Solar Power and the Rafiki will contribute towards further Solar Efficiency or Desalination research, up to 25%. They would offer facilities within their territory for the research, including a swathe of unexploited coastline

-   50 m - ( 66 = 57+ 9) - Negotiations with ATC for Network Services
Evidence supports the Honourable Councillors claims to the efficacy of the technology and an ongoing fee of 2.5% of the Council's budget is set forward for consideration

-   50 m - ( 69 = 60+ 9) - Assessment and Negotiations with Hishu Gardeners for Natural Detoxicants
Data provided by Hishu nutritionalists and vitaminologists present a compelling case for the benefits to preventative healthcare and athletic potential; pushing this more widely into the Federation could be achieved reasonably affordably through the Universal Clinic network. Further they suggest several topics that their research could benefit, including Self-Sustaining Closed Ecosystems and Whole Body Science. They have concerns however concerning the Federation's track record in managing the implementation of such a programme and propose licensing the technology to perform this further research, together with overseeing any broad adoption. Licensing would begin at 150m per Council session, together with priority access to the Universal Clinic network and the Agewala Memorial Hospitals researchers

-   50 m - ( 56 = 45+ 9) - Assessment and Negotiations with Gorski Amalgam for Combat Stimulants
Unfortunately the similiar presentations provided by the Amalgam are marred by philosophical debates between their own delegation and continued descent into ethics from the science committee sent to assess them. Very little concrete data is provided, other than a statement that the test subjects seemed brutally efficient and the research price was 800m

=  250 m,  7%

[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
-  200 m - ( 60 = 36+24) - Recovery and Reservse Engineering of Menzies Site
It seems time and the hurried excavation of the previous material has left little in the way of further clues or equipment

-  100 m - (110 = 86+24) - Geo-Temporal Satellite Data Analysis of Exodus Sites
Four further potential crash sites are identified - the two most significant underwater. Site E1 is in the remote and unpopulated badlands close to the northern polar region; Site E2 is a widespread set of debris scattered over the Seihai territory, mostly in the jungle-choked ravines commonly found there; Site E3 is at the edge of a continental shelf close to the furthest extent of the Nezem Coast; and Site E4, the most extensive, is in a marine trench in the deep ocean seven or eight hundred miles from the western limit of the Rafiki Brotherhood territory. You presently possess insufficient submarine technology to explore either oceanic site

-  100 m - ( 95 = 71+24) - [Eyes Only!] Track Tāṭa leadership (led by McCommack)
With McCommack on the case the team finally produce results: the Tāṭa board, and those of the more significant parallel holdings, come exclusively from the stock of five main family lines from a common ethnic group known as the Cathay-Indus, believed to form the mainstay of the inner arcology worlds. Every other generation there is an infusion of new blood from small time families, potentially a cover for Seihai immigrants. Population records have traditionally been fragmented, but there is enough to perform further analysis on sympathesizer neighbourhoods or to begin profiling, should you choose. Receive a +10 bonus to further investigation on internal Seihai-Federation links

-  100 m - ( 43 = 19+24) - [Eyes Only!] Investigate the ‘Grail’ (led by Tänzer)
Scouring what few records remain of that period, Tänzer can find only passing references to the RCV Mbal Maono or the RCV Mrefu Kiweo

-  100 m - ( 76 = 52+24) - [Eyes Only!] Investigate Seihai
Four further agents are lost trying to penetrate Seihai territory, though the CIA were able to confirm they maintain significant air assets - ranging from fighters performing some patrols to much larger transport craft. Scans from the newly acquired satellite network reveals underground tunnels between the larger settlements, with far greater traffic than those personel or materials being transferred by air

=  600 m, 16%

[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
=    0 m, 0%

[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare
-  200 m - ( 65 = 44+21) - [Buried Deep] Black Ops runs on cartel cell in Cartegena (led by Cpt Noah Mendez)
Despite deploying rapidly the cell is gone when they reach the safe house, confirming earlier suspicions that someone - or some faction - is assisting them

=  200 m,  5%

Total Expenditure:
= 3682 million credits, 100%

Policies:

1. (56) Comorian Crystals - Although the crystal marketplace makes a reasonable recovery it is slow and hampered by speculative buying of Comorian Ansible candidates by the Federation prior to release of the research. Economy-, Morale-
   
2. (86) Green Energy - Formally registered in August, the Green Energy Party begins campaigning for local seats in Buna and Nezem - raised public awareness of existing policies and efforts in a surprisingly even-handed fashion. Morale+
   
3. (81) Final Frontier - Although there remains a significant pressure of qualified researchers and technicians, more young people are enrolling in STEM classes in college. Bonus of +6 to one Research project in Turn 12. Morale+

Polity Progress

ATC
-  200 m - ( 45 = 18+24+3) - Wireless Connections, 15%
Little progress is made on wireless technology as several 'ground truths' in your networking principles seem based on the fabric of the underlying network

-   50 m - ( 82 = 70+12) - Gaming Susidies
Corporate selection panels receive mixed success in picking out those games that really grab public interest, with several mediocre titles and two or three really solid hits. Receive a +5 to further subsidies on this next turn

-   34 m - ( 99 = 72+27) - Green Energy Incentives
Efforts made by the ATC on Green policies garner them a political halo in the months after the registration of the Green Energy Party and the presence of an ex-ATC COO on their Shadow Cabinet only impresses people more

=  284 m, 100%

The New Stoics
-   95 m - ( 83 = 56+27) - [REDACTED]

-   50 m - (101 = 74+27) - [REDACTED]

-   50 m - ( 72 = 45+27) - [REDACTED]

=  195 m, 100%

Progress Made Manifest Coalition
-   80 m - ( 98 = 74+24) - Establish Rocketry Community
Providing a means for college kids and fresh graduates access to space is seen as an exceptionally bold move by the Coalition and is lauded in many circles. Designs for several smaller vehicles based on the Nessa II rocket (rather than the X-19) are submitted and testing is hoped for within nine months. You will see random income and scientific progress from these three communities each turn

-   80 m - ( 49 = 25+24) - Establish Satellite Community
With so many paying jobs in this new sector, few experts have time to contribute to this community and it fails to achieve critical mass

-   80 m - ( 77 = 53+24) - Establish Software Community
Progress is mixed, with several Acero Valley firms keen to explore the potential of a software community - though the crushing schedule they adopt to try and save the RCV Mbal Msafiri hampers their contribution

=  240 m, 100%

Next Turn
Population Growth: Stable, ~1-2%
Economic Situation: Booming
Morale: Buoyant
Unity: Buoyant

Aptitudes (Peacetime):

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[8, <40%] Research and Development
[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:
Geostationary satellite network equipped for communications and surveillance
Dark side lunar satellite equipped for surveillance by Ansible

Reserves of untapped Comorian Crystals, processed into:

Comorian Ansibles   6
Comorite            5

Sovereign Wealth Fund, 124m up with economic buoyancy

Deployed military forces, on Comorian:

Gomorrah Shuttle    1
Infantry Divisions  9
Patrol Cutters      3

Available Budget:

+ 6743 m - Comorian (population 4,510,248,699; economy x 3.45; morale x 1.30)
-   21 m - Maintenance of The Crag
-   35 m - Maintenance of the Awegala Memorial Hospital
-   25 m - Investigative Overhead of the CIA
-   40 m - Maintenance of the LEEW
= 6622 million credits</b>

Promissory Notes:

-  200 m - Networking technology to the ATC, 2 payments of 100m
=  200 million credits

Polity Budgets:

Baseline Default
=  331 million credits - Council budget x 5%

Polity Amendments:
[REDACTED]
-    5 m - Maintenance for Xur Heavy Division
+  100 m - Payment for Computer Networking technology

Events:

1. (54) Several negotiators involved in recent out-of-Federation efforts begin to receive threats from an internal pressure group calling themselves the True Nezemites who are insistant of not expanding the borders further. Next turn a randomly selected Diplomacy project receives a a -2 to +2, depending on how competant they prove to be
   
2. (74) At the launch of the Green Energy Party a previously unknown engineer, Kate Johnson, presents a series of well-considered and articulated theories on sustainable living. She is available for consulting work within that sector, providing a +5 bonus to projects
   
3. (69) Previously unknown journals attributed to Daniel Awegala are published, with key insights into how the Federation was formed and functions today. Next turn a randomly selected Diplomacy project receives a +3
   
4. (52) Blueprints to the Djinn Fighter fielded by the Crimeran Confederation are provided to the Council by a citizen concerned with the threat fielded by the Seihai and uncomfortable by the CCs neutral strance to date

This message was last edited by the GM at 15:37, Thu 30 June 2016.

Council Chambers, Mkobe - January, 36 NS (estimated 3223 AD)

"Believe me, Councillors, we are not alone in this system"
Extract from Dr Yutani's report to the Council

Progress Report

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
-  100 m - ( 79 = 52+27 << ) - [Eyes Only!] Eleventh Hour Strike System (incorporating Fisabee Micro-Explosives, with input from Team Scryer), 100%
You complete the experimental weapons platform together with the underlying research. From the final report produced by Team Scryer, the most potent applications of the technology would be in small calibre weapons, such as borne by infantry units, though it could be applied to most projectile weaponry or missile technology. You now have a one-shot weapons platform and have unlocked several units, tagged Ifrit, and research topics

-  450 m - (183 =156+27) - Manufactory - Comorite, 100%
Clear interest in this project - from business, from researchers, from the Comorian Crystalline Consortium - ensure that the best teams from industry and academia are working on the manufactory and it opens for processing several months early and with far more significant processing capacity than hoped for. You may now harvest Comorite for a cost of 45m each, up to 6 units per turn. Economy+++

-  150 m - ( 76 = 49+27) - Manufactory - Public Library ATLAS Kiosks, 100%
You complete the manufactory, however the relative newness of the technology means the output is not as productive as you would hope and there are delays installing the kiosks beyond Port Cartegena

-  200 m - ( 77 = 50+27) - Fisabee Science Incubator, 80%
Few research facilities have attempted such a data-heavy focus before and progress is slower than hoped for

-  250 m - (112 = 85+27) - Expansion of Twin Shards Facility
With a slew of projects focused on the application of crystalline technologies, there are many companies keen to work on related facilities or research. Progress on expanding the Twin Shards Facility for better safety and networked databanks proceeds well. Your capacity for research is doubled

- 1000 m - ( 28 =-18+27+9+10) - Mission to RCV Mbal Msafiri (on X-19, using LEEW facilities) : 36 Positioning; 82 Knowledge; 100 Ship Impact; 120 Collateral Impact
With the Council's full weight (and coffers) thrown behind the Captain Okomo's mission it is inevitable that the RCV Mbal Msafiri will be reclaimed. Indeed, it is a textbook mission for the first fourteen hours: green lights across the board, a perfectly timed separation from the rocket engine and a five by five approach to the starship herself. Attempts to dock however are where things begin to go wrong, with the shuttle damaged in the first attempt and Lieutenant Zabbat seriously injured. Planet-side the Council watches live via Ansible as Captain Okomo attempts a daring entry through one of the damaged sections of the vessel instead, steering her shuttle into one of the cathedral-like cargo bays in utter darkness and then making her way on foot to one of the secondary engineering databanks whilst Lieutenant Jardine takes the Ansible to where the science team believe the emergency bridge to be located. Damage in the engineering section is worse than expected, with critical systems only able to be manually restarted. It is with horror that the Council hears Okomo commanding Jardine to install the Ansible and ensure the telemetry to Seitcee is online before she fires up the engines. Horror that Okomo will knowingly suffer a critical dose of radiation as the engines come online. Horror that Jardine works past the safe limit of his oxygen. Forty minutes later the team at Sietcee Command confirm that the RCV Mbal Msafiri is yours and is moving into a safer orbit. And that all lifesigns from the team responsible have ceased. You now have a Colony Sleeper starship at your command and may begin to explore and exploit this. She is unfit for travel outside a Comorian orbit presently, but potentially a wealth of research and historical information. Her databanks have been connected to Sietcee facilities via the Ansible. Please see the Department for Progress and Offworld Affairs threads for further information

-  200 m - ( 89 = 62+27) - Critical Governmental and Infrastructure Hardening
Solid progress is made on hardening key facilities with Comorite: Data Centre, each of the Exchanges and their warehouses, Twin Shards and Fort Mkobe. You consume 4 Comorite

-   25 m - (-63 =-91+27) - Build a Gomorrah Shuttle
Saboteurs inflitrating the facility plant a series of explosive devices that gut the half-built shuttle and cause significant damage to the facility. Damage to the LEEW facility means it cannot provide it's bonus. It will cost 100m to repair and take at least one turn

-   25 m - (114 = 87+27) - Build an Ezekiel Lifter
Thankfully the construction of the Ezekiel Lifter had progressed to a separate hanger for installation of avionics and electronics and it is completed without a problem. You have one Ezekiel Lifter and crew at your disposal

-  150 m - ( 80 = 53+27) - Expansion of The Crag, including Hardening, 50%
Facilities at The Crag are refreshed and expanded, though the focus is on hardening. You make solid progress on untangling the 'house' system that has caused such problems. You consume 1 Comorite

= 2550 m, 39%

[8, <40%] Research and Development
-  150 m - ( 67 = 38+24+5) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Liquid Metals (reassigning the Comorite research team), 90%
Leveraging the skills of the Comorite team this work edges closer to completion. From the initial results they believe that an appropriately charged pool of such metal has the potential to 'remember' an extruded shape, allowing a crude form of self-healing system

-  300 m - ( 44 = 44+24+6) - Gravionics, 0%
Anti-gravity physics is hard, really hard. Even with the basic equations unveiled from the FISABEE datavault your science team struggles to understand the principles let alone the application

-  100 m - ( 33 =  9+24) - Reverse Engineering: Djinn Fighters, 0%
Your research in reverse engineering these fighters progresses slowly, but is unneeded following the summit with the Crimeans

-   25 m - (196 =172+24) - Feasibility: Comorite Space Elevator
Bidding for the work on this study, one of the Acero Valley computing consortium firms takes the brief and runs with it. As well as an extremely thorough break-down of the engineering challenge they provide a series of studies on how to ensure such an elevator could be operated effectively and several concept sketches of their proposal that show a real flair for this kind of work. Receive a +15 to the first turn, see the Department for Offworld Affairs for further information

-   25 m - ( 60 = 36+24) - Feasibility: Comorite Deep Sea Submarines
Your naval engineering team can confirm that such vessels are feasible. And expensive.

-  125 m - ( 87 = 58+24+5) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Psychoactive Properties (at Twin Shards), 25%
Progress continues to be limited, but safe

-  200 m - ( 96 = 62+24+10) - Universal Addiction Treatments (at Awegala Memorial), 35%
Your team at Awegala Memorial makes excellent progress, spurred on in part by the incisive analysis of Hishu observers

-  200 m - (112 = 78+24+10) - Improved Pharmacology (at Clinics), 55%
With the widespread network of clinics and their broad experience in many kinds of diseases, virii and drugs progress is solid

-  150 m - ( 48 = 24+24) - Feasibility (and Study): Satellite-Coordinated Anti-Aircraft Platform, 10%
Lacking access to the Eleventh Hour data progress is slow, although the team believes such co-ordinated platforms are theoretically possible

-  150 m - (102 = 73+24+5) - Feasibility (and Study): Solar Efficiency (in conjunction with Green Party and Rafiki Brotherhood), 40%
With such a cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary team working on this area of study progress is swift and the results from early prototypes promising

-  150 m - ( 62 = 28+24+5+5) - Feasibility (and Study): Self-Sustaining Closed Ecosystems (in conjunction with Green Party and Hishu Gardeners, helmed by Kate Johnson), 5%
Your team is convinced such platforms are workable, however ensuring they are sufficiently robust is complicated

-  100 m - (109 = 85+24) - Reverse Engineering: Assassination Technology
Prior analysis of these artefacts categorised them as 'fitness recorders and sleep analysers'. In this they were mistaken. Your renewed analysis, combined with insights from the lengthy investigations by the FIA into the Satyata, put the devices closer to fitness regulators and lucidity inducers. Put in layman's terms, they are the monitoring and control components of a more active device (or devices) used to precisely control chemicals or implants within the bloodstream and brainstem. Within the program code of the devices this control is referred to as Aorenda . You lack the science to create such devices, but the information from these devices will provide a +20 to unlocking the active component should you obtain one

-  400 m - (116 = 92+24) - Cryptofloriconology (Complex), 100%
Your unusual team of botanists, biologists and mathematicians comes up with a rich form of encryption with several unique properties - including being heavily tied into the culture and biosphere of Comorian. It is easy enough for a Federation agent to learn, whilst remaining difficult or impossible to break. It is also clear that the previous substitution cipher is woefully inadequate and, in fact, was deliberately compromised. You may send encrypted messages on both textual and visual communications (including audio, video, etc) or include a hidden layer of meaning on such messages in a manner that is extremely difficult to detect that there is even a message

-  150 m - ( 74 = 50+24) - Steganography, 85%
With the beautiful simplicity of the cryptofloriconology work, the team working on steganography become distracted close to the completion of their own ciphers.

-  250 m - ( 82 = 58+24) - Feasibility (and Study): Improved Educational Systems, 30%
Educational reform is complicated and difficult to measure other than generationally, however your team believes that the work it is doing in the field of behavioural optimisation will yield results

= 2475 m, 37%

[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
-  100 m - ( 97 = 82+12+3) - Continued efforts with the Balcones (at Dhajafada Economic Institute)
With the Institutes focus on suitable goods and services and the road-train manufactory in Buna City supplying parts and carriages relations with the Balcones continue to improve and there is talk of adding new routes within the Federation. Within the next budget a final push of 300 million or more should see them over the line. You will need to specify whether the Council intends to ally with the Balcones, celebrate their culture or use the coffers of the Federation to absorb them

-   11 m - Deposit into Sovereign Wealth Fund

-  100 m - Payment to ATC for Network Technology (4 of 5)

-  166 m - Payment to ATC for Network Services (2.5%)

-  150 m - Payment to Hishu Gardeners for Natural Detoxicants

-   75 m - Resource Harvesting - Comorian Ansibles
You harvest 1 Comorian Ansible

-   75 m - Resource Harvesting - Comorite
You harvest 1 Comorite

=  677 m, 10%

[3, <25%] Diplomacy
-  100 m - (UM66 = 66+ 9+1) - Propose Research Treaty on Submarine Technology with the Grande y Felicisima (influenced by True Nezemites)
During the course of negotiations one of the Captaines inadvertently admits the Grande y Felicisima already possesses a submarine. Or used to. It has languished 'beneath' one of their floating settlements, Port Barbary, for the past thirty years. It is possible, he suggests once pressed, that the Council could charter it if it was proven sea-worthy. Your negotiators are sufficiently excited by the prospect that the topic of the research treaty is all but forgotten. Estimates to repair and crew the FSS Valencia are around 25 million, which may be included within a broader budget line

-  100 m - ( 79 = 70+ 9) - Recruit a Cultural Expert on the Rafiki Brotherhood
Given their isolationist nature a cultural expert is hard to come by who is willing to work with Federation negotiators. Eventually one woman comes forward, an academic seeking funding for her research into the Brotherhood. You have hired Martha Duin, who provides a +3 bonus to interactions with them for three turns

-  100 m - ( 67 = 58+ 9) - Re-Assessment of Combat Stims
Latest footage of the Amalgam combat stims puts them roughly akin to a Habub Shock Division in force strength for a unit a third of the size. At present the Amalgam field three such battalions and are considering splitting these into company-sized commando units

-  100 m - (187 =175+ 9+3) - Pro-Unity Summit with the Crimean Confederation (influenced by Awegala's Journals)
During the summit with the Crimean Confederation at the newly refurbished proving grounds of The Crag, a sharp-eyed security agent uncovers several bugs. Keeping his head he traces back the signals from them to a Satyata agent and, although the agent is killed in the subsequent stand-off, there is sufficient evidence to convince the Crimeans of the seriousness of the threat to the Federation. You may now utilise the Crimean Confederation forces as military assets for the Federation for a fee of 150 million per turn. New units and blueprints have been included in the Department of War, together with a manufactory and training site in the Anderback Mountains

=  400 m, 6%

[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
-  200 m - (134 = 92+24+10+8) - [Eyes Only!] Investigation into Seihai-Federation Ties (led by McCormack)
Calling the Council to a secret session in an research facility within Fort Mkobe, McCormack lays out the results of her investigation: she has a list of one-hundred and fifty-seven names of suspected Seihai sympathisers and agents - including a handful of politicians, several media celebrities, a well-respected popular science author and far too many corporate executives. Her evidence points to a generational influence over the Federation, shaping polity policies, local government and even cultural pressures. Please let me know how you intend to respond to this

-  100 m - ( 91 = 59+24+8) - [Eyes Only!] Re-Analysis of Historic Satyata Influence (led by Tänzer)
It is clear that Satyata agents have influenced several pivotal moments in pre-Federation history, spoiling opportunities for peace or encouraging certain alliances that led to the Federation. Your analysis is crude but there is a pattern of killing research around the reclamation of space, cryonics and certain areas of virology.

-  100 m - ( 55 = 31+24) - [Eyes Only!] Satellite Analysis of Seihai
Unfamiliarity with the types of scans coming from the new satellite network makes it difficult to extract information beyond that which has been gathered already. Broadly the Seihai enclave consists of fourteen significant settlements centred on Yamashito Dome and a handful of smaller military installations. All of the settlements are linked with underground tunnels, likely some kind of rail network, and each contains some kind of airbase. Few overland routes exist between them, partially because of the thick jungle and rough terrain. Your operatives are uncertain but there are suggestions that three or four tunnel routes exist heading away from the Seihai territory.

=  400 m, 6%

[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
=    0 m, 0%

[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare

-  120 m - ( 19 = -7+21+5) - Raise Djinn Fighter Wing (at the Crag)
You fail to raise an airwing, suffering setbacks in training and with the prototype airframes

=  120 m, 2%

Total Expenditure:
= 6622 million credits, 100%

Policies:

1. Final Frontier - With the recovery of the RCV Mbal Msafiri the Council has the opportunity to significantly bootstrap the Federation. Pick one of the following permanent bonuses to Federation Aptitudes: +1 to Research, +2 to Economy and Trade, or +1 to Stellar Warface AND +1 to Diplomacy
   
2. (62) Biosciences and Healthcare - Continued funding into biosciences research has encouraged further investment into this field by many corporations. Double one non-secret budget line next turn upto 400 million, because of corporate sponsorship
   
3. (36) Communities - Reacting to the bold move by the Progress Made Manifest Coalition in sponsoring several open source style communities, the Mercantile Alliance attempts a similar move in other fields, though their heavy handed approach hampers innovation. Economy--

Polity Progress

ATC
-  275 m - ( 76 = 43+24+3+6) - Wireless Connections, 50%
Progress accelerates but continues to be slower than hoped for

-  250 m - ( 56 = 39+12+5) - Gaming Subsidies
With such an injection in capital into the industry some serious titles begin to emerge, however the primary demographic drives the investment into storytelling and philosophical genres that challenge the emerging technology little and scale best with human writers

-   72 m - ( 86 = 59+27) - Green Energy Incentives
Demonstrating their continued support of the Green Energy Party, the ATC hosts a series of educasts on public broadcast channels in return for some pro bono work improving the heat efficiency of their data centres

= 597 m, 100%

The New Stoics
-  107 m - ( 67 = 34+27+6) - [REDACTED]

-  125 m - (116 = 89+27) - [REDACTED]

-  125 m - ( 87 = 57+24+6) - [REDACTED]

=  357 m, 100%

Progress Made Manifest Coalition
Output from the Rocketry Community suffers a blow when one of the Nessa II based payloads explodes on the launchpad, injuring one technician. In contrast the Satellite and Software Communities successfully prototype a set of mineral-scanning sensors. With a meagre 100 million investment the existing network could be equipped with such sensors; with 200 million the technology could become a standard payload for satellites and survey probes
-  100 m - ( 63 = 39+24) - Fortify the Exotic Material Exchange
Working with the existing Federation engineers on this means the work is completed, though behind schedule. You consume no extra Comorite, included in the section above

-  100 m - ( 95 = 71+24) - Commission Ansible-Controlled Lunar Tunneller
Coalition engineers make solid progress on a prototype tunneller though struggle with the mass and dimension constraints imposed by the current Ezekiel Lifter airframe. It should fit, however it will need to be reassembled on the lunar surface. Of course there is nothing preventing it's use on Comorian either. Provides a +6 to tunnelling-related budgets for 1-3 Turns. Further work is required to make it more long-lived. You may be able to recover the Ansible when the machine expires

-  231 m - (109 = 82+27) - Global Economics, 35%
Data from the Dhajafada Institute means the team working on this makes solid progress

=  431 m, 100%

Next Turn
Population Growth: Stable, ~1-2%
Economic Situation: Uncertain
Morale: Buoyant
Unity: Buoyant

Aptitudes (Peacetime):

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[8, <40%] Research and Development
[4, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:
Geostationary satellite network equipped for communications and surveillance
Dark side lunar satellite equipped for surveillance by Ansible

Reserves of untapped Comorian Crystals, processed into:

Comorian Ansibles   5
Comorite            1

Sovereign Wealth Fund, 136m up with economic buoyancy

Deployed military forces, on Comorian:

Infantry Divisions  9
Naval Vessels       3
Submarines          1
Air Wings          15

Deployed offworld forces:

RCV Mbal Msafiri    1 Colony Sleeper, in orbit around Comorian. Badly damaged but Ansible equipped
Eleventh Hour System1 Single Use, in orbit
Gomorrah Shuttle    1 Presently uncrewed, within the RCV Mbal Msafiri
Ezekiel Lifter      1 At Sietcee

Available Budget:
+ 6254 m - Comorian (population 4,509,805,953; economy x 3.20; morale x 1.30)
-   21 m - Maintenance of The Crag
-   35 m - Maintenance of the Awegala Memorial Hospital
-   25 m - Investigative Overhead of the CIA
-   40 m - Maintenance of the LEEW
= 6133 million credits</b>

Promissory Notes:
-  100 m - Networking technology to the ATC, 1 payments of 100m
-  153 m - Networking services to the ATC, ongoing
-  150 m - Natural Detoxicant implementation to the Hishu Gardeners, ongoing
-  150 m - Fees for the Crimean Confederation
=  553 million credits

Polity Budgets:

Baseline Default
=  307 million credits - Council budget x 5%

Polity Amendments:
[REDACTED]
-    5 m - Maintenance for Xur Heavy Division
+  100 m - Payment for Computer Networking technology
+  153 m</tt> - Payment for Computer Networking services (2.5%)

Events:

1. [Eyes Only!]Aliens With the RCV Mbal Msafiri's passive scanners online and her historic scans fed via Ansible to the Council Intelligence Agency, it was a matter of forty-two hours before Dr Aris Yutani presented some troubling analysis to them. Approximately three hundred years ago something triggered a change on the surface of Udal, the fourth moon of the gas giant Brahm. What was previously contained to a single area perhaps to or three kilometres in area spread rapidly and in a spiderweb fashion to cover perhaps sixty or seventy square miles. Around the same time the ship was instructed to cease transmissions of any kind of sensor data to the surface of Comorian, other than encrypted on a specific channel at specific intervals. His hasty analysis suggests those intervals correspond to times when the vessel was over Seihai territory. Dr Yutani provides a +8 to offworld surveys and analysis
   
2. (-1) Following a speculative piece on the impact of Comorite in The Swan, the premier Federation economics journal, share prices in several key corporations in the Mercantile Alliance collapse. Economy--- for 4 Turns
   
3. (68) Financial irregularities in the Green Energy Party uncover research into recycling technologies, despite concerns it will have on the Federation manufacturing and mining sectors. It is well handled in the media however
   
4. (92) In Mkobe a national television station airs a documentary on the recently completed missile platform installed within the Federation's satellite network. Cast as a 'worrying militarisation of space', the majority of citizens praise the Council for their forward thinking and seemed pleased with such a defence platform. Unity++

This message was last edited by the GM at 15:39, Thu 30 June 2016.

Council Chambers, Mkobe - March, 37 NS (estimated 3224 AD)

"[REDACTED]"
Extract from CIA report to the President on Motion 13

Progress Report

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
-   50 m - (109 = 82+27) - Fisabee Science Incubator, 100%
Located close to the military town of Usiku, which lies between Mkobe and Buna, the hardened facility attracts it's first batch of retired military scientists and subcontractors as the compound itself comes online. It provides a +5 to up to three Fisabee projects per turn or a +8 to one data-intensive piece of research. Economy+

-  150 m - (108 = 81+27 >>> ) - Expansion of The Crag, including Hardening, 100%
Following the subtle intervention of Team Scryer through a period of remodelling, the Crag is reopened with my pomp and ceremony. Under a new commandant the facility appears to have shed it's political baggage and revamped much of the courseware. No maintenance, no polity-sway, now provides a +8 to training

-  100 m - ( 91 = 64+27) - Repair LEEW
You successfully repair the facility

-  200 m - ( 97 = 70+27) - Create Standard Mineral Scanning Payload and Updates Satellites, 100%
Your satellites now carry this standard scanning package, revealing several unknown concentrations of ore including a motherlode beneath the Seihai lands that they are clearly working. Economy+++

-  200*m - ( 99 = 72+27) - SMARTIE, with Corporate Sponsorship, 100%
Nestled in the Acero Valley close to the blossoming computing industry and counterpart communities, SMARTIE is based out of a hardened testing and research facility designed by Norman Walsh, a renowned architect. Nicknamed the Acero Cathedral and with it's military garrison, the facility and agency becomes one of the hippest places to hang out and tinker on hardware in the valley. Functions as a catalyst for satellite, ansible and sensor technologies that are undertaken here. Unity+++

-  100 m - ( 48 = 21+27) - FeDoRA, 5%
In contrast it is a committee of well-meaning bureaucrats who begin to pull together the mission statement and terms of reference for FeDoRA, keen to understand what might constitute a disaster and what authority over other Federation assets they might have. Progress is maddeningly slow, though they have nice business cards and a reassuringly beige office in downtown Mkobe close to those of the auditors and management consultants.

-   50 m - (114 = 87+27) - Create Seismic Sensor Network, tied into SMARTIE, 100%
Prototype seismic sensors and ground scans are quickly tested and deployed to urban centres across the Federation, providing 67% coverage. Combined with further data from the satellite network, whose cutting edge algorithms provide partial assessment over a further 15% of non-Federation territories, this represents a significant step forward. Researchers at the Acero Cathedral recommend investigation of sensor meshes, seeding techniques and even low-altitude mobile sensors.

-   75 m - Resource Harvesting - Comorian Ansibles
You harvest 4 Comorian Ansible

-   45 m - Resource Harvesting - Comorite
You harvest 1 Comorite

=  870m, ??%


[8, <40%] Research and Development
-   50 m - ( 50 = 26+24) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Liquid Metals, 100%
Your research team is extremely excited to present their final progress report, providing footage of a cube of metal that recovers it's prior extruded form as a gantry framework when charged. Dr Sheldon, brought into the project at the last hurdle, is especially excited about the potentials for deep space or deep sea construction as well as they clear military use. You may now use this when building equipment, vehicles and spacecraft to provide a limited form of self-repair, though this requires Comorudes which can be processed at a maximum rate of 3 units per turn for 100 million each. You begin with 3 units and the engineers claim this processing cost can be reduced by a quarter in a zero-gravity facility. Economy+++

-  400 m - (133 = 49+24+60) - Gravionics, 40%
With increasing access and translation to the RCV Mbal Msafiri's vaults, progress begins to be made on this

-  438*m - (116 = 87+24+5) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Psychoactive Properties (at Twin Shards), 60%
Building on the other reseach into crystals, a clear theme is emerging into their augmentative nature and solid progress finally emerges. Your scientists suggest, cautiously and based only on partial evidence, that when consumed the crystal dust is activating latent talents within the subject - either at a cellular or cognitive level, depending on the subject.

-  800*m - ( 86 = 52+24+10) - Universal Addiction Treatments (at Awegala Memorial, with Corporate Sponsorship), 100%
Despite slowing progress towards the end, the team at Awegala is extremely proud to unveil a spectrum of pharmacutical products that effectively conquer chemical addiction - together with the diagnosis tools to determine the specific cocktails to use in which particular cases. Newspaper reports and talk shows begin to refer to Focht as 'our smallpox' and it is consigned to it's place as a trigger for a better, healthier, world. Morale+++, Unity+

-  200 m - (121 = 86+24+5+6) - Improved Pharmacology (at Clinics and Awegala Memorial), 100%
Working with the team on Universal Addiction, the general practioners and healthcare experts network deliver a series of techniques for improved delivery, efficacy and robustness. In part their success is based upon new discoveries and adjustments from Comorian native fauna and flora, showing up gaps in their traditional Terran medicines. You may now exert more fine-grained control over the Population rate, increasing it up to 4% or 12% within offworld colonies

-  250 m - ( 63 = 39+24) - Satellite-Coordinated Anti-Aircraft Platform, 60%
Good solid progress with the combined military-academia team at the Acero Cathedral helping with translations

-  250*m - ( 93 = 26+24+3+30) - Solar Efficiency (in conjunction with Rafiki Brotherhood), 90%
Continued solid progress with Martha Duin helping smooth over a few cultural hiccups

-  150*m - (139 = 80+24+5+30) - Self-Sustaining Closed Ecosystems (in conjunction with Hishu Gardeners, helmed by Kate Johnson), 30%
Datavaults from the RCV Mbal Msafiri help the team understand where robustness is required and where simplicity is better. You receive a +5 next turn to this

-   50 m - (119 = 95+24) - Steganography, 100%
Layering techniques from cryptofloriconology into this the team finally complete their research and you have the basis for a set of unbreakable ciphers. You expand existing techniques to provide a set of ciphers that can be used, such as Red-Shifted Mountain Perennials with a Badlands Scavengers sub-channel.

-  150 m - (106 = 82+24) - Improved Educational Systems, 55%
Further progress is made on habit formation and an early thesis on educational gamification arises

-  150 m - ( 67 = 38+24+5) - Blitzkrieg, 65%
Application of outdated Rim Confederacy training manuals to Federation warfare manuals proves surprisingly fruitful

-  200 m - ( 35 =  6+24+5) - Smart Ballistics, 0%
Attempting to see the datavault as a silver bullet for unlocking this, the team make little progress

-  120 m - (115 = 91+24) - Anti-Virals, 100%
Despite the pressure on research scientists focused on the work at Awegala and the clinics, the research director pulls together a solid team and delivers a ground-breaking technique at a low-key conference. Reduced impact from biological events by one degree

= 2500 m, ??%

[6, <40%] Economy and Trade
-  150 m - (-58 =-76+18) - Propose to Crimeans Move to War Footing
Your junior staff officer is laughed out of Anderback Airbase and told to come back when he has a clue about aerospace logistics

-  300 m - (193 =175+18) - Economic Integration of the Balcones into the Federation
As talks continue with the Balcones leadership, the benefits to them becoming full members of the Federation quickly become clear to everyone. On 9th November NS 36 they sign onto the Federation charter and announce three new roadtrain routes: the Casúr roadtrain from Buna to Mkobe; the Seiseamhán roadtrain from Port Cartegena to Ksar-el-Kebir; and the Ridire roadtrain from the Nezem Coast to Velacruz within the Silver Republics. Economy++++, Unity++

-    3 m - ( 24 =  6+18) - Deposit into Sovereign Wealth Fund
Squandered in fees

-  100 m - Payment to ATC for Network Technology (5 of 5)

-  156 m - Payment to ATC for Network Services (2.5%)

-  200 m - Payment to Gorski Amalgam for Combat Stims (1 of 5, remainder 150m ea)

-  150 m - Payment to Hishu Gardeners for Natural Detoxicants

= 1059 m, ??%


[3, <25%] Diplomacy
-   40 m - ( 26 = 17+ 9) - Negotiate Time Limit on Natural Detoxicant Payments
Your offer is rejected, though the rejection is carefully hidden behind politeness and talk of a generational investment into the future of the Federation

-   50 m - ( 87 = 75+ 9+3) - Propose to Rafiki Counterintelligence and Security Amendments to Roadtrains
Despite intervention from Martha Duin, the propsal for a shared citizenship and biometric security stalls on the Rafiki's preference for a non-interventionalist government (or rather, such a government that is not their own)

-  100 m - ( 52 = 43+ 9) - Public Relations Handling of Motion 13
Your public relations team is pumped, ready to swing into action in neighbourhood and hand out flyers like no-one's business. Thankfully they are not required, though the Council receives one very sternly-worded letter from Disgruntled of Mkobe about the bulk dumping of flyers outside a commercial tipping site close to their residence

=  190 m, ??%

[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
-  900 m - (108 = 55+24+10+8+8+3) - Enact Motion 13
Known later as the Afternoon of Thirteen Ronin, intelligence operatives from the CIA, FIA and local law enforcement swoop on homes, businesses and corporate offices across the Federation in a meticulously planned raid. Assets worth 4.6bn Cr$ are seized, together with 52 petabytes of corporate records and close to two thousand suspects. It sends shockwaves through the business community, with several firms and polities jockeying to seize the opportunity. Three corporate executives and ten others from the traitor list escape custody in vicious gun battles through the streets of the business districts in Mkobe and Buna, seven in all escaping into hiding. Sixty-two civilians and four operatives lose their lives. Economy will receive a modifier of between ++++++ and ------ each turn for the next six turns, Morale between ++++ and --.

-  300 m - ( 63 = 39+24) - Forensic Investigation into Prior Cryptographic Research
Sadly the trail on this is very cold

= 1200 m, ??%

[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
=    0 m, 0%

[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare
-   80 m - (116 = ??+21+5) - Raise Ifrit Mechanised Division (at the Crag)
You successfully raise a further division. Without specific instructions they are stationed at the Acero Cathedral.

-   20 m - ( 69 = ??+21) - Refit Colonel O'Shannassey's Djerboa Divsion to Fisabee
Although the refit is a success from a technical perspective, no-one catered for the required re-training and this division is unavailable for action in the next turn

-  100 m - ( 74 = ??+21) - Raise Ifrit Strikers Division
You successfully raise a further division. Without specific instructions they are stationed at the Acero Cathedral.

-   45 m - ( 62 = ??+21) - Raise Fisabee Stormtrooper Division
You successfully raise a further division. Without specific instructions they are stationed at Port Cartegena

-   90 m - ( 88 = ??+21) - Raise 3x Polity Infantry Division
You successfully raise three further divisions. Without specific instructions they are decentralised to provide a rapid reaction force throughout the Federation state

-  100 m - ( 33 = ??+21) - Deploy Anti-Chemo-Biological Equipment, 0%
Almost a complete white-wash, with incorrect or poorly procured equipment, insufficient training and mis-routed logstics

=  435 m, ??%

Total Expenditure:
= ???? million credits, 100%

Policies:

1. (92) <DarkGreen>Balcones<DarkGreen> - Both the Grande Armanda and the Rafiki Brotherhood make postivie diplomatic noises following the acceptance of the Balcones into the Federation - representing a warming in the relations towards and prompting several cultural exchanges
   
2. (87) Economic Boom - Despite the enactment of Motion 13, the maturation of the Federations economy is seen across many industries and regions.

Polity Progress

ATC
-  200 m - (264 =231+24+3+6) - Wireless Connections, 100%
After a breakthrough in one of the labs it becomes clear that prior slow progress was due to interference between data transfers and power transfers. With that isolated the team quickly tackles both problems. You have unlocked and completed Wireless Power Transfer research in addition

-  150 m - ( 85 = 61+24) - Terminal Miniaturization . Progress is on track

-  113 m - (-21 =-51+24+6) - [REDACTED]

=  463 m, 100%

Huitzilopochtli Group
-  150 m - (-45 =-75+27+3) - Build Munitions Manufactory
Flash floods wash out the foundations as the manufactory is nearing completion, setting off fires and explosions of store materials and munitions

-   75 m - ( 94 = 64+27+3) - Build Citlali Power Plant
You construct the power plant without issue

-   82 m - ( 75 = 45+27+3) - Build Xolotl EM Lab, 25%
You establish the framework of the facility and start to recruit the necessary scientists

=  307 m, 100%

The New Stoics
Blueprints have been made available for Stoic Clinics, providing a bonus to research and morale.
-  100 m - (152 = 80+27=45) - Establish Cobra University, 66%
Establishing the university colleges and township of Broca Ridge is a simple enough construction project, quickly put in place. You secure some initial faculty from amongst the faithful, including big names in academia and industry, however insufficient to open the university at this stage

-   25 m - (106 = 94+ 9+3) - Gather a Coalition to Takeover the Mercantile Alliance
Although there is interest and even some money within the Stoics, the big players remain uncommitted in these uncertain times

-  256 m - ( 69 = 45+18+6) - Corporate Takeovers
You make a series of small corporate gains: a local credit union, a chain of car dealerships, a uniform supplier

=  381 m, 100%

Progress Made Manifest Coalition
Output from the communities is disrupted this turn by Motion 13
-  125 m</tt> - ( 90 = 58+27+5) - Global Economics (at the Dahajafada Institute), 50%
Continued solid progress is made

-  175 m - ( 84 = 60+24) - Mercantile Communities, ???%
You establish further communities, taking up the reins where the Mercantile Alliance left off in the costuming and electronics realms

-  169 m - ( 97 = 76+21) - Combat Engineers
You raise a combat engineering brigade off the back of basic infantry trained personnel.

=  469 m, 100%

Next Turn
Population Growth: Stable, ~1-2%
Economic Situation: Buoyant, but erratic
Morale: Stable
Unity: Buoyant

Aptitudes (Peacetime):

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[8, <40%] Research and Development
[6, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:
Geostationary satellite network equipped for communications surveillance, mineral and seismic scans
Dark side lunar satellite equipped for surveillance by Ansible

Reserves of untapped Comorian Crystals, processed into:

Comorian Ansibles   8
Comorite            2
Comorude            3

Sovereign Wealth Fund, 145m

Deployed military forces, on Comorian:

Infantry Divisions 16
Naval Vessels       3
Submarines          1
Air Wings          15

Deployed offworld forces:

RCV Mbal Msafiri    1 Colony Sleeper, in orbit around Comorian. Badly damaged but Ansible equipped
Eleventh Hour System1 Single Use, in orbit
Gomorrah Shuttle    1 Presently uncrewed, within the RCV Mbal Msafiri
Ezekiel Lifter      1 At Sietcee

Available Budget:
+ 7181 m - Comorian (population 4,595,943,424; economy x 3.75; morale x 1.25)
-    0 m - Maintenance of The Crag
-   35 m - Maintenance of the Awegala Memorial Hospital
-   25 m - Investigative Overhead of the CIA
-   40 m - Maintenance of the LEEW
= 7081 million credits</b>

Promissory Notes:
-  177 m - Networking services to the ATC, ongoing
-  150 m - Combat Stims technology to the Gorski Amalgam, 1 of 4
-  150 m - Natural Detoxicant implementation to the Hishu Gardeners, ongoing
-  150 m - Fees for the Crimean Confederation mercenaries, ongoing
=  627 million credits

Polity Budgets:

Baseline Default
=  354 million credits - Council budget x 5%

Polity Amendments:
[REDACTED]
-    5 m - Maintenance for Xur Heavy Division
+  100 m - Payment for Computer Networking technology
+  177 m</tt> - Payment for Computer Networking services (2.5%)

Events:

1. (47) Launching their first recycling facility in Buna City, the Green Party release the blueprints widely across the Federation causing wild speculation in core industries such as mining and kelp processing. Economy-
   
2. (-13) Footage of several failed incursions into Seihai territory is released to a public broadcaster in Port Cartegena, who lets it run on prime-time news. Morale---
   
3. (19) Process improvements in construction highlight a concerted effort to ignore health and safety concerns within the industry over the past twenty years. Several firms are the subject of class action lawsuits. Economy-, Morale-
   
4. (77) Amidst the uncertainty following Motion 13, records are released of Council investment in a number of key industries. Economy+

This message was last edited by the GM at 15:40, Thu 30 June 2016.

Council Chambers, Mkobe - July, 38 NS (estimated 3226 AD)

Progress Report

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
-  200 m - ( 36 =  9+27 >>> ) - FeDoRA (with Team Scyer), 15%
Redesign of the business cards and repainting their corporate headquarters to a different shade of beige takes up much of the agency's focus until Team Scryer arrive on scene and begin to whip things into shape. After that solid progress is made on understanding the scope of work required and the details required for implementation. You will need a minimum of a further 800m invested into FeDoRA, but will receive a +12 if this is invested in a single budget line next turn, or +3 otherwise until complete

-  350 m - ( 12 =-60+27+45) - Space Tactical School (based on Historic Datavaults), 10%
Endless debate and argument into the subject matter derail the site selection and initial construction, with funds being wasted on several abortive attempts

-  300 m - (100 = 73+27) - Repair FSS Valencia and Scavenge Site E3 & E4
Your newly commissioned submarine performs preliminary surveys of both sites. At E3 the FSS Valencia is able to make several passes of the UTF Järkkymätön, what appears to be a escort class hull. It is broken into several pieces along the edge of the shelf, but those sections of it remain relatively intact. Several smaller hull sections are recovered and delivered to the Fisabee Incubator. At E4, perched on some kind of shelf several hundred metres into a deep trench, the RCV Verhuis is largely intact. At first it is difficult to make out what kind of vessel the boxy cube might be, but the datavaults aboard the RCV Mbal Msafiri confirm it is a mobile dock of some form. You could easily return to E3, but salvage at (or of) E4 will be complicated given the depths. You should treat analysis of the materials and salvage of either site as separate budget lines in the next budget cycle, with a one-off +8 to one Exodus engineering project from the salvaged parts

-  400 m - ( 71 = 44+27) - Bureau of Astronautical Design and Innovation (BADI), 40%
Establishing the Bureau in Port Cartegena is initially seen as a bad decision, especially with the awkward travel required to Sietcee, but solid progress is made from the wealth of naval engineering expertise and the nearby university

-  350 m - (112 = 25+27+60) - Convert the old Astronaut Training Wing to a Starflight School (based on Engineering Datavaults), 100%
Building on the existing excellent facilities and infrastructure at Sietcee, the newly commissioned Starflight School is equipped with the best new ATLAS-enabled terminals and refurbished Exodus datavaults. Each turn any one project related to starflight or navigation receives a +10, for an ongoing maintenance cost of 20 million

-   90 m - (101 = 39+27+30+5) - Reverse Engineer Exodus Fusion Powersystems (based on Engineering Datavaults), 20%
Strong initial progress is made.

-   25 m - (131 = 74+27+30) - Feasibility: Exodus Sensor Systems (based on Engineering Datavaults under the aegis of SMARTIE)
Preliminary study of the RCV Mbal Msafiri's systems isolate a handful of sensor technologies that would bear further investigation: Improved RADAR, LIDAR, Phased Antennas, Temporal-Corrective Sensors and Sensor Fusion Algorithms. At the Acero Cathedral facility one bright wag points out some of these techniques would show considerable improvement with Ansible enhancements. Research Available

-   25 m - ( 47 =-10+27+30) - Feasibility: Exodus Hydroponics (based on Engineering Datavaults)
Conflicting theories from the existing kelp aquaculture techniques make it impossible for the team to come up with a costing for this research, or a clear elucidation of the benefits. Research Available, but cost unknown

-   25 m - (120 = 93+27) -Feasibility: Federation Transport Network
Given a wealth of options - from the existing roads and sea trade routes to the new roadtrains and the potential of Gravionics - this is clearly an area of rich study. Research Available

-  450 m - (185 = 158+27) - Construction of a Recycling Plant, 100%
Building a new facility in Mkobe integrated within the transport system is a stroke of genius and the engineers are able to improve the basic blueprint as well as generate significant positive publicity. Economy++, Morale++

= 2225m, 31%


[8, <40%] Research and Development
-  280 m - (147 = 64+24+60) - Gravionics (based on Engineering Datavaults), 100%
Completing this research sparks a slew of articles about flying cars and rocketpacks, but the implications will be far more subtle and take longer to embed themselves in Federation culture. You have some control over both the magnitude and direction that gravity may be applied in, though it is limited to vehicles or equipment the size of a small car inside a planetary gravity well. Outside it will likely prove far more interesting. It does however, with the Blitzkrieg research, unlock the final Fisabee unit. You will need to research specific applications or blueprints, but there will be clear benefits to the Shock and Striker divisions together with any research into Powered Armour

-  100*m - (106 = 77+24+5) - Further study: Comorian Crystals: Psychoactive Properties (at Twin Shards), 70%
Approaching the completion of their research, the team have begun to isolate which factors - in the subject or dust - trigger what kind of response from the subjects. They implore the Council to fully fund the final stage of research required

-  120 m - ( 85 = 61+24) - Satellite-Coordinated Anti-Aircraft Platform (under the aegis of SMARTIE), 100%
General Kumbe of the Nezem presents the test data from the new platform to the Council, struggling not to come across as a man with a very effective new toy. He is especially delighted that the Acero Cathedral team managed to build in several enhancements to the Eleventh Hour System at the same time. You have a platform to provide this cover and may choose to raise the requisite Scraager Mobile Defence Guns, five divisions of which would provide cover over the existing Federation territory (or three focused on the Seihai border or twelve planetwide)

-  160*m - (UM100 = 110+24+3+30) - Solar Efficiency (in conjunction with Rafiki Brotherhood), 100%
Working together in excellent harmony for the first time, the joint Federation-Rafiki team power through the remaining theorectical and engineering problems. Off the back of several months of such intense work, they produce improvements in manufacturing cost and operational efficiency to existing Solar Plant blueprints together with a miniturised version that would be especially suitable for high-altitude, low-orbital or deep space craft. Off the back of these improvements the Rafiki embark upon a significant expansion programme of their green energy capability. You may redeploy Team Helios on other Clean Tech research, engineering or economic projects so long as they align with Rafiki interests. They provide a +12 bonus

-  150*m - (123 = 29+24+5+5+60) - Self-Sustaining Closed Ecosystems (in conjunction with Hishu Gardeners and based on Engineering Datavaults, helmed by Kate Johnson), 60%
Breakthroughs continue apace, with studies of several existing Federation settlements within the badlands and deserts close to Buna being critical to applying Comorian-specific solutions to the problem

-  270 m - ( 67 = 43+24) - Improved Educational Systems, 100%
Consisting of a strong behavioural psychology bent and a reliance on novel technologies, the proposals from the research think-tank on education are quite radical - encouraging a combination of home-schooling and traditional campuses, flipping the focus of lessons to problem exploration and increasing the prominence of homework for exercises and tests. It will take some time for these methods to be adopted into the mainstream, however the Council may accelerate that with construction of LaPlante Hackschools - blueprints for which are available - or through retooling the Atlas Kiosk manufactory (or both). Morale-

-   55 m - ( 58 = 29+24+5) - Blitzkrieg, 100%
With the clear marriage of Rim Confererature manuals and those techniques employed by Djerboa and Habub divisions, the field officers of Fort Mkobe unlock these tactics and strategies. You may choose to apply this when utilising combined arms ground forces. Further study will be required to apply this to other spheres of operation.

-  200 m - ( 43 = 14+24+5) - Smart Ballistics, 10%
Progress continues at a snail's pace

-  200 m - ( 89 = 65+24) - (Corrected) Cryptography, 100%
Your errors are clear and advances in other related technology makes this relatively simple to complete. Your cryptanalysts scoff at whether these will be any better than your existing cryptofloriconology or steganography techniques however.

-   25 m - (111 = 27+24+60) - Feasibility: Basic of Exodus Engineering Techniques (based on Engineering Datavaults)
You clearly indentify a set of techniques that will provide bonuses to subsequent Exodus reserve engineering projects. Research Available

-  275 m - (100 = 76+24) - Remote Augmented Missions, 100%
You may now conduct surveying and scouting missions with basic remotes, with a far finer-grained interaction than your existing probes if within a sufficient lag range or the unit is equipped with Ansibles. Your ability for these remotes to sense and act is clearly limited by your knowledge of sensor techniques and robotics, however. Your science team begs to be able to use these techniques for further exploration of the RCV Mbal Msafiri and the other crash sites, with the understanding that such remotes will be throwaway prototypes. Any remote-enabled mission receives a +8 and reduces or eliminates the risk of personal loss, but such missions must be funded to a minimum of 200m and you cannot use more than two remotes per budget cycle. Both restrictions will lift once you have sufficient expertise or some kind of specialised manufactory

-  100 m - (-79 =-90+24) - Review Logs Sent to Seihai (under the aegis of SMARTIE), 0%
Despite diligence and a multi-layered review process, operator error manages to replay a significant swathe of recent data and resend it to the Seihai coordinates. Only the comparatively narrow window overflying their territory prevents it being much much worse. Morale------

-  300 m - ( 84 = 60+24) - Feasibility (and Study): Efficient Allocation and Application of Compulsory Federal Service, 100%
Experts from many fields come together in a five-day plenarium to debate and discuss the topic, with the gamble of full media coverage throughout. Beginning with a resounding keynote and several poignant calls to service throughout, there is a clear response from the people - who demand the Council put this at the forefront of their agenda next session. You may treat the enactment of Compulsory Federal Service as a special budget item (or set of up to four budget lines) outside of normal category limits, with a +25 bonus and a 100% matched budget from seized Satyata assets. It requires a clear plan from the Council however, which will be tracked as a Motion. Unity+++

-  100 m - (209 =177+24+3+5) - Feasibility (and Study): Armour Augmentation (including Powered Armour and Material Variants), 10%*
Pulling together the team for the study, Council science advisors stumble over Private Mac Gyver - who has worked on Nezem State equipment for close to forty years. He quickly rises to command the study and, whilst a little loose in his military doctrine, his results speak for themselves. You have progressed on three studies, which you may combine if you choose, and Private Gyver may continue to work on all three providing his +8 bonus

-   25 m - ( 71 = 17+24+30) - Feasibility: Insystem Ion Drives (based on Engineering Datavaults)
Debate rages within the study team regarding the implications of some of the vault material, but that should not prevent research commencing. Research Available

-   25 m - ( 99 = 75+24) - Feasibility: Combat Simulators, 0%
Clear interest from the military in increasing the efficacy of training makes this a relatively cheap piece of research, though limited by existing simulation technologies. Research Available

-   25 m - ( 95 = 71+24) - Feasibility: Em Drives, 0%
Championed by one of the less-reputable scientists at the University of Buna, there is enough data here to substaniate a fully-fledged project. It will clearly be expensive, but the potential benefits are huge . Research Available

-   25 m - (105 = 21+24+60) - Feasibility: Exodus Computers (based on Engineering Datavaults), 0%
Despite a degree of divergence between Federation and Exodus computing technology, especially in networking technology, there are still several areas that would see a clear benefit from this technology and it is an area the Federation has begun to excel in. Research Available, with a +3 to the first turn

= 2310 m, 33%

[6, <40%] Economy and Trade
-    9 m - ( 93 = 75+18) - Deposit into Sovereign Wealth Fund
You make the deposit and see some small gains, though these are wiped out by overall poor performance in the secondary markets. Your advisors strongly recommend investigating this economic theory in earnest, rather than playing with Federation funds with these half-hearted investments. Basic simulations performed at the Dhajafala Institute suggest that the Federation would likely receive extra income from a Sovereign Wealth Fund whose balance it remained over 15% of the Council budget. Morale-

-  100 m - ( 40 = 17+18+5) - Negotiated Technology Purchase Charter with Polities (at Dhajafada Institute)
Several conferences later there is no agreement on increasing the bureaucratic burden on either Polities or the Federation. Experts at the Institute suggest this is a matter better suited to Council-level negotiations. Unity--

-  100 m - ( 78 = 60+18) - Establish Veterans After-Service Programme
With most existing veterans coming from law enforcement, the Cartel Wars, or with experience only in handling bandits at the edges of Federation territory, this initiative is well-received but the structure and purpose of the programme remains unclear. You receive a +5 next turn if you build on this

-   75 m - Resource Harvesting - Comorian Ansibles
You harvest 2 Comorian Ansible

-  180 m - Resource Harvesting - Comorite
You harvest 4 Comorite

-  300 m - Resource Harvesting - Comorudes
You harvest 3 Comorudes

-  177 m - Payment to ATC for Network Services (2.5%)

-  150 m - Payment to Crimean Confederation for Airforce

-  150 m - Payment to Gorski Amalgam for Combat Stims (2 of 5)

-  150 m - Payment to Hishu Gardeners for Natural Detoxicants

= 1391 m, 20%


[3, <25%] Diplomacy
-  100 m - ( 80 = 68+ 9+3) - Propose to Rafiki Counterintelligence and Security Amendments to Roadtrains (led by Martha Dunn)
With the clear benefits of working with the Federation in their research programme, the Rafiki agree to supply units of their Peacekeepers on any roadtrain whose route passes through their territory. They further offer to train Federation an infantry division in their technqiues at each of their Ksar el-Kebir or Ksar es-Seghir each Council session. You can now refit Polity Infantry Divisions to Peacekeepers, who have the same stats but provide a +15 to civil missions (or +5 over a wider area if Decentralised)

=  100 m, 1%

[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
-  100 m - (  4 =-20+24) - [Eyes Only!] Forensic Investigation into Prior Cryptographic Research
Nothing further is uncovered, nor is it likely to be with key records removed. Your investigative team is somewhat blase in their report, "It is clearly the Satyata"

-  100 m - ( 79 = 55+24) - [Eyes Only!] Investigate: Suspiciously Effective Military Recruitment
Your team tread carefully in what could be otherwise a powderkeg, though this hampers their effectiveness somewhat. At the end of several months of performance reviews, interviews and undercover placements they are comfortable that it is most likely related to the undercurrent of Unity and a reaction to Motion 13

-  100 m - (-26 =-58+24+8) - [Eyes Only!] Investigate: Interrogate Prisoners and Search for Aorenda Implants (led by McCommack)
During the interrogate of one key traitors the Satyata prisoners manage to stage a riot in the facility they're being held in. Sadly Theresa McCommack is killed in the line of duty, together with a full quarter of the prisoners. No trace of Aorenda is found

-  100 m - ( 72 = 51+24+8) - [Eyes Only!] Investigate: Continued Probes into Satyata (led by Tänzer)
Delving into the seized corporate assets and records of the Seihai sympathisers, Tänzer manages to add to their profile of the Satyata. They uncover a tantalising passage concerning the Seihai founder and their relationship with the Satyata, which suggests that the RCV Mrefu Kiweo made planetfall in Seihai territory and contains the original Satyata Council in cryostasis, mostly.

-  100 m - ( 47 = 13+24+10) - [Eyes Only!] Investigate: Continued Probes into Seihai (based on Genealogy Datavault)
You have reached the limit of what existing Federation technology can uncover from the datavault

-  100 m - ( 74 = 47+24+3) - [Eyes Only!] Investigate: Continued Probes into Grail (led by Mendez)
With the vaguely specified mission parameters it is difficult for Captain Mendez to make significant progress.

=  600 m, 8%

[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
=    0 m, 0%

[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare
-  100 m - (106 = 80+21+5) - Deploy Anti-Chemo-Biological Equipment
Basic protection is incorporated into all Federation troops (but not Polity units, because of budget pressures)

-  100 m - ( 81 = 52+21+8) - Refit Colonel O'Shannassey's Djerboa Divsion to Fisabee (at The Crag)
Re-training and refit is complete, with O'Shannassey's unit now the most potent on Comorian

-  100 m - ( 87 = 58+21+8) - Raise Ifrit Mechanised Division (at The Crag)
You successfully raise a further division. Without specific instructions they are stationed at Fort Mkobe.

-   80 m - ( 85 = 56+21+8) - Raise Ifrit Striker Division (at The Crag)
You successfully raise a further division and send them to the Seihai border

-   75 m - ( 99 = 78+21) - Deploy Decentralised Garrison Troops to Seihai Border for Exercises
Your combined arms force begins to establish a forward camp close to the Seihai border, conducting exercises. At this stage they elicit no response from the Seihai, beyond increased air patrols.

=  455 m, 6%

Total Expenditure:
= 7081 million credits, 100%

Policies:

1. (00) Private Militaries - Public reaction to the rise of militias and, in particular, their prominence on the Council, raises concerns on the path the Federation is taking and whether the concerns over the Seihai - who have remained steadfastly isolationist - are being over-egged by the Council. Next turn one line item will receive support and interest from political Hawks and two similarly from Doves, which will influence their outcome. Council may choose which items or let them be selected randomly
   
2. (77) Retribution - Attempts at retribution towards the Council and it's member polities by the Satyata proves ineffectual, with several terrorist events - economic and paramilitary - foiled by the efforts of the CIA and FIA. You receive a +6 bonus to one counter-intelligence operation next turn
   
3. (42) Communities - Gaining strength as this method of cooperation and collaboration spreads, the so-called open movement suffers it's share of splinters, power-plays and rabbit holes. No insights from them this turn

Polity Progress

ATC

-  250 m - ( 76 = 13+24+6+3+30) - Spoke Sensor Clouds (conducted on Atlas, based on Engineering Datavaults), 100%
Enhancing the protocols for how the Atlas network handles integration with low-power, low-compute sensor hardware to take advantage of improvements in wireless technologies, chip enhancements and processing on the wire, your team successfully manages to combine inputs from clouds of smaller and cheaper sensors to provide significant improvements in quality, coverage and resilience to degradation - directly covering for missing or damaged units and gaps in existing coverage based on probabalistic algorithms

-  250 m - (161 = 74+24+3+60) - Terminal Miniaturization . Progress is on track

-  156 m - (-41 =-68+24+3) - Bureaucratic Streamlining
Attempts to revise the process of research yields a number of conflicting theories, opportunities and guidance. You receive a -8 to any research in the next budget cycle

=  656m, 100%

Blackwatch
-  300 m - ( 43 = 10+21+4+8) - Raise Polity Infantry Divisions (at The Crag)
You raise only eight divisions of infantry, stationing them through Blackwatch territory.

-   29 m - ( 61 = 19+21+3+8+10) - Veteran's Affairs Association - Command Structure and Cadre (at The Crag and Awegala Memorial Hospital)
You make some progress in establishing the scope and structure of the programme, though there is confusion in some quarters regards this and the Veteran's After-Service programme and you waste a lot of time clarifying, explaining and worrying about the marketability of the VAA.

-   25 m - ( 95 = 16+24+45+10) - Veteran's Affairs Association - Group Structure (at the Awegala Memorial Hospital, based on Cultural Datavaults)
Better progress is made on understanding how to integrate and structure individual offices of the VAA, with some clear sensitivities around rank and equivalence negotiated with a deft hand. Your early engagement with the medical corps is well-received and you begin to receive approaches from practioners keen to better understand the kinds of injury - be it physical, mental or emotional.

 =  354 m, 100%
 
Huitzilopochtli Group

-  100 m - ( 54 = 36+18) - Energy Negotiations
Your initial forays into energy supply fall foul of incumbency and bureaucratic red tape. You receive a +6 to further attempts

-  150 m - ( 70 = 40+27+3) - Build Power Electronics Manufactory
You successfully construct a manufactory. Economy+

-  122 m - ( 57 = 27+27+3) - Build Xolotl EM Lab, 50%
Work proceeds apace on the construction of the lab

=  372 m polity budget, 100%

Jacinto Combine

-  204 m - (UM100 = 195+27) - Build Advanced Projects, Research, and Initiatives Laboratory (APRIL) Facility, 100%
Sited in the Acero Valley, close to the Cathedral and the heart of the network, April Labs as it is inevitably called, establishes solid relationships with the staff of both facilities and the burgeoning open source communities from the outset - spending a full half their time in outreach, engagement, and the disemination and translation of research materials. It rapidly establishes a reputation as a thought-leader. You may commit upto 450 million of research through April per budget cycle with a +12 bonus, however this research cannot be secret and, if polity-funded, no payments can be received or made for it.

-  115 m - (142 = 85+12+45) - Establish Comorian Football League (based on Cultural Datavaults)
Capturing the public interest - in the open air debate about the conflicting rules found for football, soccer, blood bowl, rubgy, fusbal and kaplatch especially - a melange of rules is reasonable enough to establish. Taking the precedence on corporate ownership from both football and soccer, twenty six corporate teams compete in the first season and the Jacinto League, named such by public demand, is watched avidly even outside Federation territories. Economy++, Morale++, Unity++

-   35 m - ( 91 = 51+27+3+10) - [REDACTED] (at Awegala Memorial Hospital and Federal Clinics)

=  354 m, 100%

The Kavacha Hegemony

-  120 m - ( 64 = 40+21+3) - Raise Polity Infantry Divisions
You raise four divisions of infantry and deploy them throughout Kavachian territories.

-  200 m - ( 76 = 49+27) - Begin Construction on the Suvidha Testing Grounds, 40%
With a clear template in the form of the proving grounds at Fort Mkobe, including their clear limitations, progress is solid with a site chosen, surveyed and the major ground-moving completed quickly

-   34 m - (106 = 79+27) - [REDACTED]

=  354 m, 100%

The New Stoics
You receive word of Stoic Clinics being built on the Nezem Coast by the Nezem and the Stellar Imperium, and in the Gama de Acero by the Hishu Gardeners.

-  200 m - (123 = 51+27+45) - Establish Cobra University (based on Cultural Datavaults), 100%
Development of the facilities at Boca Ridge are completed on schedule and within budget, permitting the strange luxury of sufficient time to spend recruting scholars and academics. With the clear initial focus on Mallory College of Theology, the faculty is initially skewed towards those disciplines. As a faculty, Cobra University provides a +6 to suitable research occurring under it's roof, for projects up to 250 million. . Within Mallory College, Dr Jane Wiggin provides a +6 bonus to research specific to her college and raises the research maximum by 75 million

-  209 m - (134 = 47+27+60) - Establish Temple Design Programme (based on Medical Datavaults)
Faculty of the Zabbat College establish a team drawn from the brightest researchers and creatives professing the Stoic faith, stretching the existing fellowship funding to cover the whole rather than a single academic and making their work self-funding through exquisitely designed object d'art, homeware and instructional videos filmed at Red Moon studios. By incorporating newer Atlas terminals into the first iteration of the clinics they radically reduce the cost of sustaining their changes and set up virtuous cycles where they can experiment on treatment effectiveness and process improvements.

-   25 m - ( 91 = 57+24+10) - [REDACTED]

-    5 m - Military Maintenance (Xur Hvy Division, Colonel Jace Diego)

=  439 m, 100%

Stellar Imperium

-  200 m - ( 71 = 44+27) - Build Stoic Clinic
You successfully construct a Stoic Clinic in Port Algrave. Morale+

-   75 m - ( 53 = 26+27) - Build Solar Power Plant
You successfully construct a Solar Power Plant.

-   75 m - ( 76 = 49+27) - Build Kelp Harvesting Marine Platform
You successfully construct a Kelp Harvesting Marine Platform

=  354 m, 100%

Wraithguard

-  300 m - ( 39 = 12+27) - Build Arms Manufactory
You successfully construct a Manufactory, though there are some teething issues with handling munitions. Economy++

-   45 m - ( 78 = 49+21+8) - Raise Polity Infantry Division and Reservist Division (at The Crag)
You successfully raise two divisions, stationing them in your territory

-    9 m - ( 52 = 35+18+3) - Schools Contribution
You sponsor the field and track events at several local schools, though the response from the local community is underwhelming

=  354 m, 100%

Next Turn
Population Growth: Deliberate Surge, ~4%
Economic Situation: Buoyant
Morale: Stable
Unity: Buoyant

Aptitudes (Peacetime):

You may treat the enactment of Compulsory Federal Service as a special budget item (or set of up to four budget lines) outside of normal category limits, with a +25 bonus (on top of the relevant Aptitude) and a 100% matched budget from seized Satyata assets. It requires a clear plan from the Council however, which will be tracked as a Motion

[9, <45%] Construction and Engineering
[8, <40%] Research and Development
[6, <40%] Economy and Trade
[3, <25%] Diplomacy
[8, <30%] Espionage and Counter-Intelligence
[2, <15%] Stellar Warfare
[7, <15%] Planetary Warfare

Available Assets:
Geostationary satellite network equipped for communications surveillance, mineral and seismic scans
Dark side lunar satellite equipped for surveillance by Ansible

Reserves of untapped Comorian Crystals, processed into:

Comorian Ansibles  10
Comorite            6
Comorude            6

Sovereign Wealth Fund, 152m

Deployed military forces, on Comorian and with Polity forces in brackets:

Infantry Divisions 18 (48+)
Naval Vessels       3 ( 6)
Submarines          1
Air Wings          15

Deployed offworld forces:

RCV Mbal Msafiri    1 Colony Sleeper, in orbit around Comorian. Badly damaged but Ansible equipped
Eleventh Hour System1 Single Use, in orbit
Gomorrah Shuttle    1 Presently uncrewed, within the RCV Mbal Msafiri
Ezekiel Lifter      1 At Sietcee

Available Budget:
+ 7421 m - Comorian (population 4,779,781,161; economy x 4.05; morale x 1.15)
-   25 m - Maintenance of Fisabee and Ifrit forces
-   60 m - Maintenance of the LEEW and Starflight School
-   35 m - Maintenance of the Awegala Memorial Hospital
-   25 m - Investigative Overhead of the CIA
= 7276 million credits

Promissory Notes:
-  182 m - Networking services to the ATC, ongoing
-  150 m - Combat Stims technology to the Gorski Amalgam, 2 of 4
-  150 m - Natural Detoxicant implementation to the Hishu Gardeners, ongoing
-  150 m - Fees for the Crimean Confederation mercenaries, ongoing
=  632 million credits

Polity Budgets:

Baseline Default
=  364 million credits - Council budget x 5%

Polity Amendments:

ATC
+  182 m - Payment for Computer Networking services (2.5%)

Blackwatch
+    0 m

Huitzilopochtli Group

Jacinto Combine
+   58 m - Broadcasting Rights and Sponsorship

The Kavacha Hegemony
+    0 m

The New Stoics
-    5 m - Maintenance for Xur Heavy Division

Stellar Imperium
+   10 m - Income from Stoic Clinic


Wraithguard

Events:

1. (80) Despite the collapse of the Mercantile Alliance the economy itself suffers little impact as voracious acquisitions by other interests snap up the individual interests quickly, the collapse political rather than economic
   
2. (12) Within the banking sector however there are rumblings and rumours of a build-up of systemic risk caused by complex bundling of debt and credit instruments together with the influence wielded by Satyata supporters. Given the opaque nature of these instruments it is difficult for the Council to predict where the risk may lie
   
3. (16) Following his resignation from the Council, Takala Dahajafada is subject of a new expose that reveals the secret work that the Progress Made Manifest Coalition had conducted to siphon off Federation resources for the construction of of an hardened Ansible-controlled lunar tunneller. Custody and warehousing handled by the Exotic Material Exchange suffers as a result, with a knock-on call for regulation across Crystalline based industries. Unity-

This message was last edited by the GM at 07:13, Wed 02 May 2018.