The Kliuchene incident

[AKO]

Cycle 26

 

"These negotiations aren't going anywhere. These buggers stall and stall, it is very frustrating. We should start to do think about other ways to get this planet on board." Imperial ambassador Belamy Spencer ventilated his frustration to his aide John MacIntosh, at the foreign ministry on the home world. "I will propose the president to have a backup plan to 'encourage' these guys below to join our empire. We need their resources badly to further grow the empire. These peacefull negotiations take forever."

 

"Well, sir, I understand what you are saying, we are also not at all happy to see that it takes so long. We can see that there is progress, but it is very, very slow." Belamy was already negotiating a peace treaty for 10 cycles with one of the Kliuchene planets, but some factions on the planet kept sabotaging the talks by coming up with more and more legalistic issues to protect their interests. "What can we do to help you sir?", MacIntosh asked.

 

"Maybe we can 'encourage' them by sending in one of our peace corps, they can be very convincing. But Kasame doesn't want that, he wants to do it clean and peacefull. He expects that it will take less effort later to work with them and he doesn't want to commit troops for a long time to keep a hostile population under control. He has a point there, I suppose. But I would still like it as a backup plan. Please schedule an appointment with him, John."

"I will do sir, anything else?"

"No thanks, that's it. Over and out."

 

The call came a lot quicker than expected. Three hours later Belamy was contacted by Kasame M'Bete, president of the republic.

"Thanks for getting to me so soon, mister president." "

"No problem, Belamy, but I do have an urgent mission for you. You will move immediately to warp point [sensored]. You will be briefed by the defense minister and science ministry while you are on your way. This is very important to the republic Belamy, treat this delicately."

"Well, ofcourse sir, I will. Can you tell me what it's all about?" Belamy asked, thinking what could be more important than gaining control over a new world.

"We think we have established first contact.", Kasame replied. "So, get going on the double."

 

The briefing was quick and clear in it's unclarity. The 154th exploration fleet had detected a Pathfinder from an alien empire. "A cat's paw on a field of orange encircled by stars" was visible on the hull of the pathfinder.

The captain of the 154th had contacted the pathfinder's crew and ordered them to hold their position. The fleets were eyeing each other at the point of entry of the alien pathfinder. The warp point had been surveyed from both sides quite some time ago, and it was a mystery how this alien arrived there. It looked as if it came from the core of the republic!

 

The 101st Recon group accompanied the Imperial Ambassador to his new mission. The oldest ship in the fleet, but good enough for diplomatic missions. Although Belamy now wished that those Type A Universal Translators were available on this ship, it could help him in his communications with this alien. But on the other hand, the captain of the 154th was able to talk to them, so some form of communication should work out.

[AKO]

Cycle 27

 

Belamy Spencer showed a big smile on his face. "Like this is something different. These guys are not bad at all. At least they understand that diplomacy is to get results not to stall." Talking to himself, the Imperial Ambassador was very pleased. The captain of the alien vessel, with an unprunouncable name, was very surprised to be at this point. They entered the warp point from a far away system, and tried to survey the new warp point that was too difficult for them. They were even more surprised to find that the new warp point would not lead back to their own empire, but deeper into URS space. They apparently entered the Kliuchene system via an one-way warp point.

 

Belamy noticed the disappointment on the face of the aliens. They realised that getting back home would take a very long time, if they would reach it at all. Belamy knew that this was the first contact with another space faring race, and that the republic does not know any way to get these guys back home. Some disappointment came over Belamy too: if we couldn't reach the alien's systems, there would be no opportunities to trade. We would be able to receive goods, but they would not be able to get anything back home. What a shame.

 

But still, this first contact went OK. Belamy had expressed the republic's security concerns of a pathfinder moving around in systems that belonged to the URS, and recognised that Kliuchene was sovereign URS space. They also acknowledged that they would remain at the current warp point and not move around.

Belamy decided that he would contact the president to discuss all other agreements he had reached. He got a connection within 15 minutes.

 

"Mr. President", Belamy stated, "first contact is going very well. These aliens are lost in space, and we have agreed that they will stay where they are. They will not go out and explore our systems. I have promised them that we will try to find them a way home."

"Very good, Belamy, well done. Good you were on the spot. Do you trust them?"

"They seem to be sincere and really concerned about being in a spot where they may never be able to get home, sir. That's is understandable, and was also very obvious. I think they can be trusted. However, sending in some backup on our other side of the warp point seems to be a good protection, in case they want to move further into our space. Maybe you want to send in a few Guardians to protect the border?"

"A very good suggestion, and we have already taken action", the president replied. "Fabiana is on her way with the first defense fleet, a small detachment of frigates. That should be enough of a detterent in case these guys get ideas on their own. I would like you to progress a bit further, though. Please propose them to send in a diplomat of their empire. You could then negotiate a non-agression pact with them. We do not expect that they will send in more ships through a one way without any possibility of getting back, but we would like to establish a better relationship with them. What is this alien empire called?"

"The Phoenix empire, sir, but we do not have a lot of other knowledge. They are quite secretive. I will transfer your proposals and see what happens."

"Thanks Belamy, keep up the good work."

 

The connectionn faded, and Belamy contacted the alien captain again.

[AKO]

Cycle 28

 

Again a good discussion. The alien captain said he has contacted his home world and stated that they would send a diplomat to further negotiate. So, for now, sit and wait.

The 1st defense fleet reported that they would be in position soon, and that another ambassador would be arriving soon to take over the negotiations on the neutral world.

The neutral world, Belamy had almost forgotten about it. Maybe a new ambassador would get things going a bit faster. At least the neutrals now know that they are not the republic's first priority, and that there are other threaths behind the horizon. Maybe that would make them more cooperative.

 

So, nothing else to do than to wait for an alien ship to arrive through the warp point.

[AKO]

Cycle 31

 

"Sir, please wake up, we have a red alert. Our captain has signalled all staff to battle stations, but he suggested to wake you up because you probably want to be there." With a loud banging on the door of his quarters, Imperial Ambassador Belamy Spencer is rudely awakened from his dreams. But, with his naval background, he is up in a minute and five minutes later he reaches the bridge in full diplomatic attire. With a morning shadow on his face, but ready for duty.

 

"Welcome mister Spencer, we guessed you wanted to see this." The screens on the bridge show a collection of several Phoenix empire ships, about a dozen in total. "These just warped in through the warp point. A bit more than we expected. We are executing a few scans at the moment, we will have the results shortly. We tried to contact them, but we have not received a reply."

"Thank you for waking me up. Can we use your ready room and have your science and tactical officers join in? I'm glad I transferred to this exploration vessel, captain, and that we have such a fine staff available."

"You are very welcome sir. We have the honour of being the ship that made first contact. Luckily we also had our famous explorer Barnaby on board, he is having a field trip with this encounter. He asked if he could join in the discussions."

 

Belamy nodded and the five people assembled in the captain's ready room.

"We had invited one ship only, with an ambassador, and not these non-communicating 9 new vessels." Looking at the science officer. "What do we know of these new ships?"

A young looking woman, the science officer on the ship, started a display in the room to show the ships.

"Besides the pathfinder that arrived earlier, there are nine new ships. Two of them are small Express boats, the other 7 are a bit larger than the pathfinder. They seem to be improvements of the Pathfinder, probably with better Jump Survey Sensors."

"A regular fleet of spies" offered the tactical officer.

"I agree with your assessment" Belamy stated. "Captain, what do you think?"

After a few seconds of thinking, the captain replied "I do not know, sir. Do they have fighting capabilities?"

"We do not know sir." the science officer responded.

 

Belamy rose from his chair:

"I don't care, they outnumber us at the moment. Although I do not underestimate your and your ships capabilities, captain, I do not want to take them on with this Exploration ship only. But I also do not want these ships to start moving about. They are too small to have a transwarp drive, so it will take them some time to clean their engines, but I am sure they will move on and then it will be hard to find them. How many of our ships are there in this system?"

"Not many sir, definitely not enough to track and follow them if these aliens split up." offered the captain.

 

"I am ordering in the 1st defense fleet. Captain, please contact the first defense fleet in system [censored]. They are to warp into this system. I will contact the foreign and defense ministries to get final approval. Please have the first defense fleet set their systems to red alert. We have to shoot these guys out of the sky before they start exploring. This Phoenix empire sacrificed them anyway by sending them all in through a one way. Any questions?"

 

The officers all rose and walked out of the ready room. Warily watching the fleet of aliens outside, activity was high on the 154th exploration ship, with a battle soon to follow. The 1st defense fleet was only one jump away and would be here before the aliens could try to escape. But that would mean that the 154th would also take fire, and that is not what an exploration ship is build for.

[EternusIV]

Nice

 

Curious as to what Cycle 32 will bring you

[WKE235]

Interesting reading....

[AKO]

Cycle 32

 

Tension was rising on the ship. The captain had just had a brief discussion with Rear Admiral Fabiana Kushakova of the 1st Defense Fleet that was on the brink of entering the warp point.

"Lock our weapons on the Pathfinder, we'll take that one down first. If we are still there when it is destroyed, you can fire at will", the captain ordered his tactical officer.

 

"We do not have to destroy them all, as long as we cripple them so that they cannot start browsing in our territory. I'd rather have them for interrogation than dead." offered Imperial Ambassador Belamy Spencer. "I am looking for a succes here." Spencer was not in a very good mood. Word had just arrived him that the neutrals on the Kliuchene planet had decided to join the empire, and he was upset that someone else would pick up the credit for winning them over. It was unfair, after all the hard work he put into these pesky neutrals, that Bill Rolands would be promoted for getting them into the empire. Belamy should feel pleased that an important asset was won over for the republic, but personal disappointment overwhelmed him.

 

"The warp point is opening sir, we expect it to be the 1st Defense fleet." the ensign at the helm cried out, incapable of hiding his excitement.

"What are the aliens doing, are they targetting their weapons?" the captain asked.

"No activity on the alien ships sir." commented the science officer.

"Ok, charge our weapons, but do not start to fire before the Rear Admiral starts to fire first. That will distract the aliens from us, and I prefer them to fire a frigate than at this Exploration ship.

 

"Three Guardian class Frigates are materializing through the warp point, sir. The alien are still ignoring them." the ensign stated, having a better grip on himself.

"Weapons locked and loaded sir, ready to fire at your command."

 

Everybody looked attentively at the screens that showed the battlefield outside. It seemed like the aliens didn't even know what was coming. Although the frigates were the smallest naval war ships in the fleet, they looked big and sturdy compared to the collection of scouts and express boats from the Phoenix empire. It would be an uneven battle.

 

Seeing this, Belamy requested: "Open a channel to the Rear Admiral, we should try to disable them, and not destroy them. These aliens do not stand a chance."

But before he could finish his sentence, he knew it was too late. The frigates opened fire, and even before one of the alien ships could fire, 6 of them were already destroyed.

"Seize fire, seize fire", Belamy shouted, "they are more valuable to us alive than destroyed." But the frigates kept on firing, and without taking any damage (just single salvo of autocannons was released at the frigates, that evaded them easily) the battle was over at the time it began. There was nothing left of the 10 alien ships, but rubble.

 

"Captain, please order the collection of all biological debris. We should at least give these poor souls a decent burial. Our first contribution to our recently joined friends on one of the planets below will be an alien cemetary. And please advise the Admiral to call upon the 3rd and 4th Defense fleet to join us at this location. I'm guessing this will not be the last thing we've seen of this Phoenix empire, and I am sure that anything that will pop up next through that warp point will be a better match for frigates. We need more firepower to fend them off next time."

Belamy Spencer retreated to his quarters. He would have to think hard to give a positive spin to his report to the foreign ministry.

[Crimson Renaissance]

"Seize fire, seize fire", Belamy shouted, "they are more valuable to us alive than destroyed."

Perhaps "cease fire" would have done the trick?

 

 

Ah, the horror of a simple miscommunication. May those lost souls meet their Makers peacefully.

 

 

His Holiness Archbishop Godolphin

[AKO]

Hello Godolphin,

That's the disadvantage of writing something in a language that is not your own.

Please go ahead and try to write something like this in Dutch.

Kind regards, André

[Clan Elder 'Keen]

"Seize de brand, grijpt fire", Belamy schreeuwde, is "they waardevoller voor levend ons dan destroyed." Maar de fregatten die op vuren, en zonder het nemen van enige schade (enkel werd het enige salvo van autocannons vrijgegeven bij de fregatten worden gehouden, die hen gemakkelijk) vermeden de slag waren over tegelijkertijd het begonnen. Er waren niets verlaten van de 10 vreemde schepen, maar puin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(In addition to my Babelfish, I also carry a towel.)

[crossroads]

"Seize de brand, grijpt fire", Belamy schreeuwde, is "they waardevoller voor levend ons dan destroyed." Maar de fregatten die op vuren, en zonder het nemen van enige schade (enkel werd het enige salvo van autocannons vrijgegeven bij de fregatten worden gehouden, die hen gemakkelijk) vermeden de slag waren over tegelijkertijd het begonnen. Er waren niets verlaten van de 10 vreemde schepen, maar puin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(In addition to my Babelfish, I also carry a towel.)

:lol: :lol:

 

For us Dutch it is very funny. Todlers speak better Dutch.

 

[MadMartinB]

Hello Godolphin,

That's the disadvantage of writing something in a language that is not your own.

Please go ahead and try to write something like this in Dutch. 

Kind regards, André

 

Nuken in de kuken is bedder den affwassen!

[EternusIV]

Gunter glieben glauchen globen?

[Clan of Xymox]

"Seize de brand, grijpt fire", Belamy schreeuwde, is "they waardevoller voor levend ons dan destroyed." Maar de fregatten die op vuren, en zonder het nemen van enige schade (enkel werd het enige salvo van autocannons vrijgegeven bij de fregatten worden gehouden, die hen gemakkelijk) vermeden de slag waren over tegelijkertijd het begonnen. Er waren niets verlaten van de 10 vreemde schepen, maar puin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(In addition to my Babelfish, I also carry a towel.)

LOL......

 

I think your babelfish just died on you.........

 

Maar verder vond ik het een hele mooie vertaling, ik heb zelden zo gelachen..

 

 

IC:

 

Ze Clan vill not make zuch mistakes in communionication..... By ze vay... are you food ? Ve like food a lot :lol:

[Clan of Xymox]

Nuken in de kuken is bedder den affwassen!

Now zhere is a sensible remark.....

 

Zjust still still food, ve are comming to get you...