Covert Operations - Angels

[Maniac]

Great message.

[Snoddasmannen]

Don't ask me why, but I happened to check the Angels diplomacy forum just now after getting home. Here's what they have to say:

Dear Col Googlie,

Thank you for the offer of University commlink. We will respond shortly. Meanwhile, please read the following message.

IT Mart

To Spartan Federation,

Maybe you could agree with our assesment of the political situation on the Planet, that recent events were very significant. We would like to ask you about your oppinion about the situation on Chiron and discuss several issues.

Our last trade agreement is approaching completion with the moment you will succesfully receive Intelectual Integrity. We would like to ask you then, how would you like to receive this technology. We understand that you wish to build Citizen's defence Force. Will you be prepared to instabuild it in 2164?

Our relations have been very good and we very much appreciate the trust you gave to Data Angels by entering such agreements like trading Ethical Calculus for Intelectual Integrity, when we received the technology so many years ahead. Would you be interested in further technology trading?

Recently we entered in contact with Morgan Industries, as you may already know, and have a Treaty agreement with them. We received also an invitation for Pact, however we refused it. Our refusal was based on staying neutral policy regarding your conflict with Morgan Industries. We are although interested in your oppinion on the current state of the war. In one of the statements in public discusion forum, we read, that Morgans could sign a peacy treaty with Spartan Federation. It appears from the conversation that it is Morgan Industries that refuses signature of Truce. Would you comment on that?

We also realize, that elimination of Planetary Transit System brought a commerce penalty on Spartan Federation due to market mechanisms independet from ours or yours will. Since you are in the Treaty of Friendship agreement with Data Angels, we would like to ask you, what is your current economic situation after the commerce income was stopped.

Sincerely,
Data Angels Diplomatic Corpse

I may have had a beer or two, and I'm pretty sure that last one tasted like apples for some reason, but this seems very friendly. Perhaps too friendly. They still have reason to withhold a conspiracy from us, and that would be to extract information. They now throw a feeler to get a glimpse of what our internal status is like with regards to crawlers (insta-building the CDF) and our economy.

I would be very cautious to answer this truthfully.

To their credit, they ask a question regarding a possible truce with Morgan, which they could easily have answered had there been a conspiracy, but this might just as well be for credibility.

[Googlie]

I'd like to reply honestly, along the lines of:

yes, we are in a position to instabuild the CDF in 2164

We are interested in further technology trading, perhaps assisting the Angels in acquiring Planetary economics and your building the Ascetic Virtues Project (which we undertook not to build, if you remember)

We, for our part, wouild like to acquire Fusion Power, and MMI, and build the Cyborg factory. That would eseentially complete the military phase of our development for some tens of years. After that, we would plan to focus more on infrastructure, as we would see ourselves able to defend ourselves against the Hive - and perhaps take the offensive at some point against Yang

The intent of our elimination of the Planetary Transit System was twofold:

a heavy handed response to their effrontery in mind contolling away our foil, the Hunter, and

an attempt to "level the playing field" somewhat.

We saw Morgan, employing the Kody doctrine used so successfully in ACDG history (building nothing but colony pods in size 3 bases that themselves became size 3 bases, thus exponentially growing), as running away with the game.

(Had we been able to - and it was our intent - we would also have deprived them of the HGP, but unfortunately they saw our transport where it was hiding in the fungus and were able to ring the shores with units to prevent easy landing of our forces.

But having achieved that limited objective, we then held out the olive branch of peace, as in the meantime Yang had declared Vendetta against us and we were reluctant to fight on two fronts.

They have ignored our offers, so in the interim we have engaged in some light "pinprick" skirmishing - shelling of forests and mine on their northern shore, to remind them that we are a military faction.

We cannot hide that we are suffering an economic penalty due to sanctions. Also, Morgan has reneged on around 150 ec's owing us in payment for prior technology sales.

But early after we met them, we borrowed heavily from Yang and Lal (and we see that you, too, have gone that route - at least with Lal - very shrewd!!), and after defeating the University in battle, we have extorted a small amount of credits from Zak - but he, too is relatively poor, and we would like to see his infrastructure built up and his faction expand - hence our offer to you of his commlink.

But we have been fortunate in having a largish navy, and have been able to rein in and open some Unity pods that have released energy credits to us. But we are looking forward to the end of the ten year sanction period, when our - and our Treaty and Pactmates - can resume profitable commerce trading.

I see no downside to being honest, and it begs the question - should we delay any attack on the Gaians until 2164? The Angels do seem friendly enough towards us, and even if they are not Pacted with the Gaians, let's not give them any excuse to stall on delivering Int Int to us and denying it to Morgan (in 2164 anyway)

[Maniac]

How about continuing this discussion in the Angel relations thread?

[Maniac]

The Angels have acquired quite a few techs these last couple years, and now only lack DocIni compared to us.

Either they've been engaging in some juicy tech deals (but what could they give in return?), or they've got the Corporation infiltrated, meaning they could get all techs they have now through a combination of the PKs, Hive, Morgan and/or the Gaians owning them.

[Googlie]

I see that they now have Cyberethics, and have started researching MMI

We gotta get the Cyborg Factory!!

[Googlie]

Angels have completed and get the Neural Amplifier next turn (all that was avaiulable, I guess, when we snagged the HSA from under their noses)

[Googlie]

Hmm - Angels are still in population reduction mode. Rock Paper Scissors had 8 pop last turn and only 7 now!!

All 8 of their air units are accounted for in bases

Delirium Camp (their most northerly base) seems to be where they are assembling what little army they have - suggesting that we should strike further south)