Ambrosia Software Web Board: Chapter 3: Prelude to War - Ambrosia Software Web Board

INCOMING MAIL
SOURCE: Grand Admiral Gerald Levt, C.S.S. Chimaera
DESTINATION: Admiral Jackson Spann, U.N.S. Centauri

I'm not going to sugarcoat this for you as the Ishimans often do, Jack, the UNS is falling apart. Nearly every former UNS province not under Audemedon control has either gone rogue or secceeded from the union. You've had to resort to emergency blood pacts with aliens for god's sake! The Ishimans are in a state of panic about the Audemedons and Earth is still far, far away as long as we contunie to put our trust in these cowards.

Despite your inferiority and blind traditions, it is obvious that we share the same vision right now: Taking back our homeworld. My armada in the [classified] is fully prepared and ready for combat; the last capital ships joined us this morning. With our combined forces and a few of your dirty allies, it is possible to surprise the prophets and their robotic lapdogs and end this war quickly and efficiently.

Our enemy are legion in the hundreds of thousands, so our moves must be swift, and daring. I will need your full cooperation, Spann, lest we both be dashed upon the rocks. Join me, Spann, and see the true power of the U.H.C.

Sincerely,

Grand Admiral Gerald Levt,
C.S.S. Chimaera,
United Human Confederacy

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Never put all your ranking officers in a shuttle.

Spamo fumed.

Things had been going so well for a while that he had forgotten what it was like to have events turn their bad side towards him. Though, it wasn't a total loss. The raids on Salrillian space were going well, and the newest R&D ships named "rackers" were wreacking havoc among the Salrillians. Of course, there were some losses...

Spamo shook his head. He couldn't think about that right now. That damn fool Levt was a bigger problem. What does that madman have on his mind?
Levt had not replied to Spamo's recent communiques. It was if he was acting totally independent of the UNS. Of course he's acting independently. He's gone crazy. Wizr's reaction to the news that Levt had gone off the deep end and was now bent on genocide was bad to say the least. Spamo had been told right out that affiliation with Levt may cause the Ishimans to withdraw aid. They woudln't consort with races that committed genocide.
Damn Levt. Damn him! I should have sent him on leave when he got back. Now I've got a potential war criminal on my hand. Why hasn't Darkk gotten me that info yet?
Spamo was still musing about this when his pad bleeped at him.

"Spann here."

"Sir, I have a priority diplomatic message for you."

"Send it through."

The pad went dark, and then the insectile visage of a Gaitori appeared on the screen. Spamo barely contained his surprise, which was quickly followed by suspicion.

"Adtmiral Spann, we thank you for recieving us. I am General Irt'yat't'hat"

Spann raised an eyebrow before responding.
"Yes, General, what can I do for you?"

"We the Gaitori have been downtrodden for several centuries. Our fall from grace long ago has been one we have never recovered from. Foremost, our passive oppressors have been the Cantharans. For long we have feared of Cantharan reprisal, but humans have defied them and succeeded."

"Our success has been quite costly."

"No price is too high for our dignity as a race to be restored. We would join an alliance with the UNS. Perhaps then, with your help we can regain our lost face."

Spamo thought for a moment.
This could be a good thing... the Obiards might have a problem with it...

"Yes General, I think we should talk about this alliance."

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Ne Cede Malis Sed Contra Audientor Ito

"All right, let's show these b*stards what the Outrun can do!"
Suddely Darkk kicked in maximum power, turned around, and skirted the web of beams his pursuers had shot at him in an attempt to force him to keep going into the nebula.

"Send a message on all frequencies, no encryption, in ASCI text only: 'You guys aren't so hot. Be seeing you.'"
"Rodger that, boss-man. Hehe, we sure are annoying them."
"Imagine those hulking lummoxes thinking they could keep up with me!"
"Um, sir - what about the wing of fighters ahead?"
"We fly right past them. Our acceleration is probably twice theirs or more. They can't touch this ship, even if we can't fight back."
The Outrun blasted through the fighters, ramming one, tumbling for a few seconds while beams whizzed past, and then continuing on its way.

"I meant to do that."
"Whatever you say, boss."
"No, really - it was the most efficient method of dodging all those beams - far more random than mere piloting could make it. I do nothing without purpose in battle - never forget that."

NAV DELTA TIGHT BEAM
DARKKNN MODE 14 ENCRYPTION, SECONDARY RSA 65536 ENCODING
FROM: William Darkk
TO: Fleet Adm Jackson Spann
CONTENT:
Spamo, this is BAD. Slug's got himself a grade AAA armada. I've got no clue how he got it - the ships were made by humans - nobody else's ships sound like that - but they are far more advanced than most of the UNS's. There's no way he could have built them all that fast, it's as though they dropped in through a hole in space from another universe or something. The interesting thing is that the pilots of the 4.5km carriers (see attachment) don't consider their ships that big, if the way their tactics rise and fall in pitch is anything to go by. All of this is quite disturbing. There's easily a full fleet's worth, and maybe more, there, and the possiblity of larger ships is most nagging. It is possible that said larger ships are not present here, or only exist on the simulators, but he still has enough firepower to realize most of his claims. BE CAREFUL. As always recently, Sarah says "hi".
ATTATCHMENT: Sensor Log 364
RECIEVE VERIFIED
HAVE A NICE DAY

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Formerly-Rampant Human-Coded AI

[This message has been edited by Fleet Admiral Darkk (edited 02-12-2001).]

INCOMING TRANSMISSION - PRIORITY ALPHA
SOURCE: Grand Admiral Gerald Levt, C.S.S. Chimaera II
RECPIENT: Admiral Jackson Spann, U.N.S. Mobile Headquarters

The UNS lies on it's deathbed and still you procrastonate! You have yet to launch any signs of an offensive on the Audemedons, choosing instead to seek out friendship the weakest and most desperate aliens, as they are the only ones who will join your cause.

Your prejudeces are blocking you from our aid which we have offered dozens of times, as well as a pact of alliance. The Deal is off, Spann.

Clearly Humanity is split into two factions now: The glorious UHC and the floundering UNS. We're both powerfull, and we both want to be the dominant. I offer this proposal to you, Jackson: we shall both independently strike into Audemedon space. Whoever is the first to force the Audemedon surrender at Earth can use the planet as their homeworld.

Looks like we have a space race. Good Hunting!

<EOT>

- - - - -

Jerry Levt grinned broadly. He sat aboard the bridge of the newely rechristened command ship Chimaera II, having acquired a preference to it over the ancient former UNS carrier.

He rolled his fingers into the luxurious fabric that made up the captain's chair. He savored the awkward silence that engulfed the fleet, now poised on the edge of the nebula, ready for quasiwarp. He leisurely pulled down the Stellar Chart and selected the system which would mark the first checkpoint for his leg of the race. He was significantly farther from Earth than Spamo was, and would need to move quickly if he was to reach the prize first: Earth.

He cleared his throat and flicked a speck of dust from his broad chin. He breathed slowly in through his nose and finally, after a full minute of deafening silence in the fleet, said "Salril Prime: Engage"

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Never put all your ranking officers in a shuttle.

"This is a serious problem, Spann. The Gaitori alliance is surprisingly good news. I think I can get foreign affairs to begin working with them very quickly, unless you would rather take care of the treaty yourself, I could act as an advisor to you, and I can also attempt to pacify the Obiards to some extent. With the Cantharaans tied down until they build another gateship, the Gaitori could become a strong and willing candidate for protectorate status, if in name only, as they would be doing quite a bit of the attacking. Imagine if we could quell Cantharis. It would be amazing! Of course, how you handle this is entirely up to you, we can keep it within the UNS if necessary.

As for these Humans that Levt has rallied, I can harly say that they are a good thing. Not just for the protectorate status of the UNS, but possibly for the survival of the Human race in general. The Human Confederacy will have a tough time trying to take out any of the major powers, even with their impressive technology. They may only succeed in angering the entire Spiral Arm. I have read histories of the races joining together as a glaxy against universally hostile forces like this one. It is not going to be good for Humans to carry any assosciation with any sort of racially motivated attacks. Even if the UHC and the UNS remain separate, many people will not bother to distinguish. Many races still don't see the difference between governments, they see individual races. The Protectorate is rare in that it is thoroughly mixed, but the legislature still may not take kindly to trouble caused by any humans, which is why I caution you about accepting their aid. Naturally, there is little I can actually do to stop you, and they certainly make an attractive offer, but there may be consequences... I don't know what to suggest, it certainly has me in a tight spot... its so bizzare, where could they have come from?"

Wizr stopped free assosciating as he continued reading Darkk's briefing, and sipping his tea.

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Faris eck Vaenar Maletena-Wizr, Trey'ish of the Ishiman reestablishment comittee.
"I don't think I'm alone when I say that I'd like to see more and more planets fall under the ruthless domination of our solar system."