Sparta-Gaian relations

[Kassiopeia]

I threw in the seven bullet list. I decided not to mention the Hive building the CN - that would get the Gaians all jittery over it and they'd want to build it themselves if only to make sure it won't fall into Yang's hands. We can add it later if need be.

[Googlie]

[Googlie]

Kass:

What are your thoughts on The Maniac Manifesto

(It'd entail quite a bit of work intiailly to-ing and fro-ing between the other 2 factions to make it work - that's why I suggested if you like that I could quarterback it as I have lots of time and your novel has a high priority on your time right now

Maniac likes it, and maybe it'd be appropriate for you to kick it off and then say something along the lines of If there is interest, details can be co-ordinated through Lt Col Googlie, our Chief of Administration That way you're still front and center in the diplomacy, but not tied up with the minutiae)

[Kassiopeia]

Originally posted by Googlie
Kass:

What are your thoughts on The Maniac Manifesto

(It'd entail quite a bit of work intiailly to-ing and fro-ing between the other 2 factions to make it work - that's why I suggested if you like that I could quarterback it as I have lots of time and your novel has a high priority on your time right now

Maniac likes it, and maybe it'd be appropriate for you to kick it off and then say something along the lines of If there is interest, details can be co-ordinated through Lt Col Googlie, our Chief of Administration That way you're still front and center in the diplomacy, but not tied up with the minutiae)

I'm all up for it. Not only does it make my diplomatic nerve tingle (accomplishing it would be rather monumental, and indeed a two-man effort is certainly a requirement), and it would ensure that we can keep pace with the Angels and Gaians. We would also be able to surpass the Morganites, to boot, or at least stick on par with them. All the while we build up our Arsenal of Power.

Are we going to have a conquest during the completion of the Maniac Plan? Of any of the AI factions? This is not a crucial matter to me, but from an RPing aspect it'd be fun.

Re: splitting the load:

I can't tell for certain how much I'll be able to put into the DG in Nov - I will have the two forum games I'm hosting off my back in a few days, so they'll decrease my workload even further - but now in Nov, I think it'd be excellent if you could be able to handle the details of the co-operative effort. You are best versed in our strategy and current situation, "Chief of Administration" is definitely an apt title for you.

I'm thinking, pretty much in agreement with you, that I'll kick everything off, have a nifty pre(r)amble on the Morganite threat etc. explaining why we need to co-operate, and we will together try to get the Gaians and Angels to agree with us.

This would be the phase you'll start to take more and more of my workload in this matter off my back so I can concentrate on writing, and perchance handling Morganite diplomacy. That'll be an interesting effort in itself, should the Gaians and Angels give them a clue of what we're up to with them.

Even more so if you think you'll have the time! So yes, my "yea" as a senior junta member to the manifesto, and my "yea" to your proposal.

[Googlie]

If we hope to get the Uni and PK's contributing a couple of thsoe key techs, it'll either be through trade (so no wars) or co-ercion (a blitzkrieg on the Uni)

(And it'd actually be quite a coup if we could simultaneously get some leapfrogging going with Morgan down the builder route - such as Environmental Econ, Bio-Engineering and Monopole Magnets.

That way we'd keep our current tech lead by being parallel to the 2 other groups down different research lines)

G.

[Googlie]

Kass:

Now'd be a good time to table the Maniac Manifesto for the Gaians and Angels (while the G's are deliberating the Soc Psych for Doc Loyalty deal - that pales into insignificance in the grand scheme of things if the Manifesto is accepted)

G.

[Kassiopeia]

I shall post this:

The Maniac Manifesto - Fusion Power by 2160

"The Maniac Manifesto" is a plan for a joint venture of the Data Angels, the Gaian Union and the Spartan Federation. It is an effort to acquire the following prerequisite technologies for Fusion Power:
- Superconductor
- Pre-Sentient Algorithhms
- Advanced Military Algorithms
- Cyberethics
- Intellectual Integrity
- Optical Computers
- Adaptive Doctrine
- Polymorphic Software

And then finally:
- Fusion Power

This endeavour will require open, direct and frank co-operation between our three factions, with extensive research leapfrogging. The Junta believes that it is possible and conceivable.

The reason for this rather bold and open proposal is the fact that the Morganite faction is spiralling out of control. It has constructed Planetary Transit System and is in the process of effectively doubling or even tripling its population by abandoning and rebuilding bases to gain the boon the PTS gives. We can all attest to the fact that the Morganites are a force to be reckoned with, and the Spartans are willing to give up their slight lead in the tech race to level the playing field with the Morganites.

I have appointed the Spartan Chief of Administration, Lieutenant Colonel Googlie, to act as a special envoy on this matter: he will be conducting official diplomacy by my side, as we feel that one person alone can not organize this extraordinary project between three separate factions.

Yours sincerely, and awaiting for your response,

Major Kassiopeia, Senior Diplomatic Officer of the Junta of the Spartan Federation.

[Googlie]

I posted a more detailed explanation as to how it might be possible:

Posted by Googlie in the Embassy
To further elaborate:

Fusion has 2 prerequisites: Superconductor (string #1) and Pre Sentient Algorithms (string#2)

Yang will have researched Superconductor in 2154, so that technology can be "lifted" any time therafter

PSA needs Advanced Military Algorithms and Cyberethics

AMA needs Optical Computers (Yang has that) and Adaptive Doctrine, which in turn needs Polymorphic Software (Yang has that) and Doctrine Flexibility (Sparta has that)

So for the first string, we need:

1 probe action to extract Polysoft from Yang and then one of us researches Adaptive Doctrine

1 probe action to extract Opticals, then with AdaptDoc, research Advanced Military Algorithms, then wait for string # 2 to catch up

Cyberethics needs Planetary Networks (we all have that) and Intellectual Integrity, which needs Ethical Calculus (Sparta has that) and Doctrine Loyalty (can have next turn)

So the second string needs:

1 of us to research Int Int, then pass the baton to another who'll change to Cyberethics

Then AMA and Cyberethics get passed to the the team that will research Pre Sentient Algorithms, which, when completed, goes to the team that has received the probe fruits of Superconductor, who changes to Fusion Power

Thus in 14 years we are researching 6 techs among 3 factions (and 1 or more of those techs may be extractable from the Uni or PK's through probe action or trade).

With leapfrogging, it is attainable (even without assuming that the Gaian Union and Data Angels are able to maintain a faster research rate than the Spartan Federation)

How about it?

Lieutenant-Colonel Googlie

[Googlie]

Good Grief!!!

Absolutely ridiculous counter proposal from Illuminatus regarding our Soc Psych >>> Doc Loyalty offer:

Extraxt of post in the Embassy by Illuminatus
Spartan Federation shall send Social Psych preaccepted to Gaian Union in 2146. Gaian Union shall redirect its research, enabling it to send Doctrine: Loyalty to Spartans preaccepted in 2147. Gaian Union will agree on a ten year embargo on received technologies (expiring 2158) as well not to build Command Nexus.

However, Sparta will have to provide us one of following options of sweeteners to convince us that granting such power to Sparta will not go without gain for us:

1) Sparta will add Doctrine: Flexibility to the preaccepted technologies (with Social Pysch) and 15 energy credits. Doctrine: Flexibility will not be bound to tech embargos.

2) Sparta will add Ethical Calculus to the preaccepted technologies.

3) Sparta will add Lal's and Morgan's commlink frequencies as well 15 energy credits to the preaccepted offer.

4) Sparta will add 200 credits to the offer or pay 20 energy per turn for 15 turns.

Unless Sparta accepts one of the sweeteners there will be no deal.

-Lord Illuminatus

I say, screw 'em. That response is almost tantamount to a declaration of vendetta - at least worth breaking the Treaty over. It's time for a bit of sabre-rattling. methinks

[Snoddasmannen]

What an outrageous proposal. Either there is something they are just not getting, or they are provocing us.

Perhaps it is time for Cpt. Snoddasmannen to be appointed chief diplomat to the Gaians? That would be a good way to break the treaty come the time.

Off to work now...

[Kassiopeia]

What are they smoking?! Fungal weed? That's absolutely ridiculous. They can't possibly be expecting for us to agree to that. It must be some sort of feeler tossed out to see what our reaction will be.

[Googlie]

Let's just simply reply:

Then there is no deal

And I'll delete the whole Manifesto thread from the Embassy files

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Snoddasmannen
What an outrageous proposal. Either there is something they are just not getting, or they are provocing us.

Perhaps it is time for Cpt. Snoddasmannen to be appointed chief diplomat to the Gaians? That would be a good way to break the treaty come the time.

If I was a Gaian I would too have refused our last proposal. They're right we're asking for two powerful SPs while we are only promising to give them two SPs way up in the tech tree.
However the Gaian counterproposal is indeed rather ridiculous.

Perhaps you, Captain Snoddasmannen, could post a reply like this in the Gaian Embassy, in your role of Anti-Gaian-Winger?

"What's wrong with you Gaian weasels?!? In Maniac's initial inquiry, if we trade we both get Doctrine: Loyalty, and if we don't trade we both get nothing. What could be more fair than that? So what are we supposed to think when you even refuse that! If you want to refuse all the cooperation we offer and keep rotting in your technological inferiority, fine by me!"

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Googlie
Let's just simply reply:

Then there is no deal

And I'll delete the whole Manifesto thread from the Embassy files

No no no. Perhaps we could use this as a starting position for more cooperation with the Angels. See my post to follow there.

[Googlie]

The citizens of Sparta Command awoke to the sound of an army on the move.

Well, perhaps not an army, but certainly that of Alpha Platoon of the First Light Infantry as they left the confines of the small barracks beneath the Headquarters building, their boots rapping on the synthmetall pavement as they made their way to Module 13.

The young Lieutenant in the lead freqently referred to her wrist commlink as she gave the orders to her command.

They reached Module 13, where in the still morning air the two flags of the Gaian Union and the Spartan Federation hung limply. At her command, the Platoon split and the troopers rapidly deployed around the building. The Lieutenant brought her wrist to her face and muttered fresh orders into the commlink.

Beside her, a sapper ran up to the door, and planted the two halves of the electronic lock on either side, then activated the lock, A faint blue shimmering arced across the gap of the doorway as the lock engaged.

"Report", she muttered into the commlink.

"All secure," came the various replies. "Windows, emergency exits, trades entrances, even ventilation shafts. "

"Now what" the sapper asked.

"We wait for the Lieutenant Colonel" she replied.

Almost on cue, the staff car arrived, and out stepped Lieutenant-Colonel Googlie. He looked over the module, then nodded, and snapped off a crisp salute to the Lieutenant.

"Good work, Lieutenant. I see those years in the hospital haven't dulled your efficiency."

Lieutenant Rynn saluted in return. "Thank you, Sir. My stay was protracted, but I'm 100 percent now."

Googlie nodded. Many would be scarred for life upon escaping the massed mindworm attack on her Rolling Thunder Division some years ago, in the Battle of Taygetus Gap. But the Lieutenant was nothing if not a survivor. Her strength of will forced her to move away from the mindworms' psi-numbing powers, until she eventually made her way to Olympus Academy and safety, but badly injured, both physically and mentally.

Lt.-Col. Googlie walked up to the door, and at his command the lock was de-activated. He entered.

The Gaian Embassy staff - just a handful as Lord Illuminatus had been recalled for urgent Council meetings - were gathered in confusion.

The Lieutenant-Colonel spoke to them.

"You will pack your belongings and take your Embassy files and data crystals and vacate this Embassy. Transport is awaitng outside that will take you to Gythium Harbour, where a ship of our Pegasus fleet will transport you down through Hive waters to drop you off on your mainland.

This Embassy is closed."

He turned on his heels and left, as the frantic packing began.

Lieutenant Rynn turned to the Lt-Colonel; "And what of our staff in Gaia's Landing?"

He replied: "Major Kassiopeia returned last evening for a Junta meeting, and the rest can evacuate to the east coast where the SCC Invincible is waiting."

"How will they - and we - contact each other now?" she asked.

"The old fashioned way," he replied laconically. "By commlink to individual Junta members. If we answer, that is"

They relaxed for a few minutes by the door until the Gaian staffers emerged with boxes and files, to board the now-arrived transports for the journey south.

Lieutenant-Colonel Googlie waved an arm to the sapper, who reactivated the locks, then the Lieutenant-Colonel ceremoniously pinned the notice to the door:

The Gaian Embassy is closed indefinitely

By Executive Order of the Junta

*************************************************

So whaddya think? Should I take the Embassy offline?