turns of ACT007 of Apolyton 2000 tournament

[Tau Ceti]

2154 to korn469 - the unprovoked aggressor...

[korn469]

***UpNet NewsFlash***

In a remarkable announcement Provost korn469 has convened the planetary council with hopes that Lady Tau Ceti will unite behind his leadership. Provost korn469 presented the citizens of the University with classifed transcripts of the Provost's cabinet meetings since landing on Planet. It appears that the Provost had a unifed vision of a Utopia on Planet that he has used to guide UoP policy over the years. The first priority was to gain economic supreamcy and then to leverage that into technical superiority. Using our technical superiority we would then arm and equip our military forces with the best weapons weapons on Planet, and then when the time came, to use those weapons to force the other factions into compliance. Though the Spartan Federation attacked before phase two became a reality, it was just a minor setback in the grand scheme of things. Recently at the urging of UoPAF Command Staff, Provost korn469 decided to leverage our military superiority against the Gaians, who had embarked on a military buildup. Our agents provided analysis that demonstarted the Gaians were going to put everything they had into achieving military parity with us. When they put 90% of their budget into researching Synthetic Fossil Fuels, the order was given to protect UoP interest around the world. In the past two years we have had remarkable success, and a total of three Gaian bases have fallen to our drop troops. Obviously the Gaians must see they only have one choice, join us or die.

Here is a transcript of the message Provost korn469 sent to Lady Tau Ceti.

quote: Honorable Lady Tau Ceti, The time has come to end all of the petty bickering on Planet forever. There is only one way we can do this, and that is to unite Planet under a common banner. To achieve those ends, I have convened the council to elect a Supreame Leader of humankind on Planet, and that Leader is me. The UoP faction has the strongest economy, the largest population, the best technology, and covers most of Planets surface. While your faction has experianced rapid population growth over the past years it is still smaller and much weaker than the University. Though you have a guild of empaths that give you more political prestige than your faction has in other areas, it is time to cast your vote for me. This will bring a new era of peace and prosperity to humankind, and will for the first time ever end warfare across Planet. However you do have an alternative, and that is to continue resisting. This will buy you time until my military forces grinds your faction into dust. You are in no position to negociate, the UoP holds all of the cards. The past few years have been a simple demonstration of the UoP's military prowess. resistance will buy you a few years, but if you do not accept my generous offer Gaia's Landing will be nothing more than a smoking crater in a few years. For the sake of your people submit to my Leadership. Look at the prosperity of the UoP, the Gaians people will finally be able to partake of the bounty that we have experianced. Provost korn469

It looks grim for the Gaians, and they have a hard choice to make. For the sake of everyone hopefully they will make the right choice.

[Tau Ceti]

*** GaiaNet Newsflash ***

While the Gaians appreciate the University's honesty as to what has been their plan all the time, the rest of their recent statement is nothing but propaganda.

The Gaians have always been a peaceful people, bordering on pacifism. For the last 15 years at least, the ONLY military units recruited by the Gaians have been necessary garrison units in the outposts. Not one piece of machinery that could represent a credible threat to the University has been manufactured.

Provost korn469 decided to launch an attack without provocation and without any prior warning - the mark of a traitor and a dictator. He has betrayed the mission charter by refusing to share all research data and by constantly planning to set himself up as sole ruler of the planet. Yet he dares speak of peace and an end to warfare just after starting a war.

The Gaian people will not submit to the rule of an unscrupulous and brutal dictator. While we may not have victory, we will have life, or death, in freedom and honour, and in pact with our ideals. We will never submit. When all of Planet is finally in Provost korn469's hands, those hands will be stained with blood.

[korn469]

***UpNet NewsFlash***

Addressing the issue that the Gaians will try to fight to the death, Provost korn469 dissmissed it, saying that spirit alone wouldn't be enough to overcome the might of UoP. Gaian causulties continue to mount as three more bases fell under the sway of our troops. The Gaians do have many of their citizens signing up for the Gaian Defense forces, but it appears it will all be for nothing. More lightning strikes are expected and the back of Gaian resistance will soon break promised the Provost.

[Tau Ceti]

*** GaiaNet Note ***

We note that the University considers the conquest of tiny outposts major victories. Still no serious assaults have hit the Gaian heartland. Morale remains high.

[korn469]

***UpNet NewsBrief***

The offensive continues against the Gaians, yet another base fell to our troops. Plans for securing the Monsoon Jungle Basin are proceeding on schedule, and resistance remains weak.

[Tau Ceti]

2157 to korn469.

[Tau Ceti]

*** GaiaNet Newsflash ***

Today, an entire squadron of University needlejets was destroyed on the airstrip by a brave Gaian scout patrol. Gaian leaders are very pleased.

[Tau Ceti]

With the loss of 10 bases in the last year alone, there is no longer any doubt that the Gaians are losing the war. But in spite of this, new recruits are still standing in line at Gaian military bases, prepared to give their lives to fight the evil forces of provost korn469.

[korn469]

***UpNet NewsBrief***

Provost korn469 signed general order 307 late yesterday evening. This order states that

quote: No technology of the University shall fall into the hands of the Gaian fundamentalist. In accordance with this order the UPDM has authority to take any means neccesary to accomplish this goal.

Early this morning the UPDM general staff issued orders to field commanders which resulted in 120,000 Gaian citizens being put to death. It appears that none of the UoP's precious technology will fall into Gaian hands, but what we ask is, was the price worth it? I'm sure all of those 120,000 Gaians would have said no.

The UPDM issued a short statement in responce

quote: Causulties are a direct result of a war, the longer a war drags on the higher the amount of causulties. Our technological superiority will ensure a quick victory, and all steps must be taken to protect our datalinks from espionage. The actions of our troops today was an effort to bring this war to its quickest possible conclusion, and will actually save lives in the long term.

After they raized several gaian cities the UoP soldiers activated their self destruct mechanizisms to prevent the Gaians from reverse engineering any UoP military hardware. All troops not equipped with neural implants were scattered and told to head for the shoreline to await rescue operations by the UPAF search and rescue (SRT) teams. All troops with the UPDM standard MMI interface died when the implants self destructed. All of the soldiers were volunteers and voluntairly activated the self destruct devices. Still we think this was a waste, and ask "What next Provost korn469?"


Ilya Fedorov is son of Petra Fedorov, who is chairman of the Mir Peace Party (MPP) and his views do not necessarily reflect those of UpNet. His NewsBrief was broadcasted unedited and none of his uplink was censored. UpNet is soley responsible for its content and as always invokes the Artical 21 section 3 of the UoP Charter.
[This message has been edited by korn469 (edited April 14, 2000).]

[Tau Ceti]

*** GaiaNet Newsflash ***

Memorial services were held in the great gardens of Gaia's Landing today. Lady Tau Ceti herself attended all of them, but did not make a speech. 'Words cannot express the grief we all feel,' explained a spokesman. 'We are truly shocked at the monstrosity of the... creature that is Provost korn469. No human being could bring itself to give such heinous orders. To slaughter the entire civilian population of four cities - under the pretense of avoiding espionage! If that is his worry, he did not need to conquer those cities at all. They posed no threat to his empire.'

In case the Provost is interested, his policy even failed. Last year, Gaian computer specialists hacked into the University network and downloaded hitherto unknown research data. Unfortunately, it turned out to only be the details of Environmental Economics - not much use in the current war effort.

Although large crowds have been burning University flags and demanding retaliatory measures against captured University personnel, the official Gaian policy remains that we will not blame the ordinary soldiers and citizens of the University for these crimes against humanity. The unfortunate 'volunteers' to the University armed forces have all had machinery bolted into their skulls, and it is obvious that the Provost is using these neural implants to override the emotions and the intellect of his soldiers. All casualties will get a decent burial. In keeping with this policy, Gaian medical personnel immediately began to tend to the wounds of the civilian population of Cosmograd, a recent conquest by the Gaian armed forces. They even went so far as to use their secret knowledge of the human genomes to cure many very sick citizens.

[Tau Ceti]

2161 to korn469.

[Tau Ceti]

2162 to korn469.

[korn469]

***UpNet NewsFlash***

Cosmograd has been liberated from the vile Gaian Cultist. Their mindworms tried to set a trap for our loyal troops but the UPAF decimated them, with little resistance.

In other news the newly formed University of Planet Aerospace Command (UPAC) based in Tsiolkovsky Institute reports that the University is on the verge of taking to the stars again. Officials from Extalite Corp reported the delivery of the first UoP satellite and UPAC officials confirmed that it is waiting for liftoff. A successful launch will be the culmination of years of work done by UoP scientist and industry. The launch will be broadcast across Chiron on UpNet making it possible for even the technologically backward Gaians to marvel at.

Though the military applications of this new technology are unknown, it is interesting to note that UPAC is a military organization, under the authority of the UPDM.

[Tau Ceti]

Bomb shelters are being built everywhere in Gaia's Landing. Lady Tau Ceti has not made a public appearance in several days.

2163 to korn469.