Uploaded the (PXR6.1) Legion First Cruiser SSD for Project-X to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 - 11:21 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Columbiad Stardate 04.20.21 in the Pre-History Years to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


COLUMBIAD
STARDATE 04.20.21
PRE-HISTORY YEARS



Counselor Akemi Kinoshita smiled at Crewman Laila Littleton. She offered her a soothing cup of tea which Laila gladly accepted. Counselor Kinoshita crossed her legs and prepared to begin writing on her clipboard. Akemi was a beautiful Japanese woman with straight, long, black hair and slender glasses.

“Your supervisor tells me that you have been making repeated errors while on duty. He also says that you have been late for three shifts.”

Laila looked down embarrassed. She shook her head, accepting the words, but not approving of them. “Yes…that is all correct. The Captain thought I should speak with you. She said you could…Help.”

“Indeed, I can, Laila. That is why we are here. To attempt to help you. We can do it Together. But you have to be open and honest with me, alright? Lying and leaving out important details is only going to hurt what we are trying to achieve. Everything you say to me is completely confidential, I assure you.”

Laila nodded her head, indicating she understood. “Yes, Counselor.”

“You mentioned to me previously that you were having trouble sleeping. Why is that?”

Laila’s brow furrowed. “I keep having the same nightmare. I am caught in a Plasma Leak. My body is slowly incinerated. I wake up screaming each time.”

Counselor Kinoshita jotted down some notes. She was quiet for a few moments.

“I see. That is horrible. When you think of your nightmares, does it remind you of anything? Perhaps something from your childhood?”

Crewman Littleton thought about the question for a minute. She hadn’t considered it all. She was so caught up in the excitement and pain of the nightmare, she didn’t stop to think about it.

“Actually, something does come to mind. When I was a young girl, I almost set the house on fire by accidentally leaving the stove on. My father was enraged. He told me, ‘You’re so stupid! You’ll never amount to anything in life!’”

“Hmmmm,” Counselor Kinoshita mumbled as she rapidly jotted down notes on her clipboard. “And did you believe him?”

Laila was confused by the question. “Believe him? What do you mean, Counselor?”

“When he said that you were stupid. And that you wouldn’t amount to anything in life. Did you believe your Father?”

Crewman Littleton thought about the question. She had to really look within to find the answer.

“Yes…I suppose I did. But I was just a little girl. What else was I supposed to think?”

Akemi removed her glasses, revealing her unique emerald eyes. She took Crewman Littleton’s hand into her own.

“Laila, this old memory is the source of your current troubles. And your reoccurring nightmare. It is a poison that you didn’t even know existed since you were a little girl. It has affected you your whole life. You believed what your father said to you and those negative beliefs have become incorporated into your character. Now, it is time to break free of those chains.”

Laila couldn’t believe it. But deep down, she knew that Counselor Kinoshita was right.

“What…what do I have to do, Counselor?”

“We will face this together, alright? It will take multiple sessions over a long period of time, but this challenge can be overcome. We simply have to be aware every time it surfaces. When your nightmares occur, we are going to face them and defeat them. Your nightmares have a negative association with your Father and the stove accident. We have to change that association. We also have to promote positive reinforcement in your job performance and growth. We will track it carefully. I will communicate with your supervisor so we can both help you. I have no doubt that you have great potential within you, Laila.”

Laila smiled. She was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And that tunnel had been dark indeed.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes, Counselor. Just tell me what to do.”

Counselor Kinoshita helped Crewman Littleton to her feet. She walked with her to the door.

“For now, just get some rest. Think about what I’ve said. We will overcome your nightmares together. Your life is turning around, Laila, starting right NOW.”

“Thank you, Counselor. I will see you next session.”

Counselor Kinoshita watched as Crewman Littleton left and walked down the corridor.

The Human Psyche is an Interesting Thing. We all walk around like everything is fine, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. We all have our own mental and psychological scars. We have all been shaped by the circumstances and trials of our childhood.

BUT HOW MANY OF US HAVE FACED OUR INNER DEMONS AND SUCCESSFULLY OVERCOME THEM?

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Thursday, October 17, 2024 - 06:20 pm: Edit

Another fantastic question by Jeff Anderson. Sharing it here for anyone else interested.

* QUESTION*

"Took a look at the Legion First Cruiser that you posted. I like the single super missile idea.

Do have one question, though. The side phasers? SSD shows them having the narrow L and R arcs. On the Maesron CA (that appears to have inspired the Legion ship), the arcs for the side firing phasers on the main hull are LS and RS, not the narrower ones the SSD you posted show.

Given that the Legion doesn't have any phaser fire from the floating platform to cover the RA, I wonder if it might be a type-o. Turn mode (C), while decent, would still leave the ship vulnerable to more agile ships getting in to the blind rear arc."

* ANSWER *

"Hi Jeff. Yes those arcs are correct. They were done on purpose.

Since this is the First Era of Project-X, many of the ships have limitations. This will allow them to grow in the Second Era and beyond. It also gives them vulnerabilities that can be exploited in combat.

Thanks for checking on it."

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Friday, October 18, 2024 - 05:21 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (MR6.1) Visigoth Heavy Cruiser SSD for Mitosis to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Friday, October 18, 2024 - 05:28 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Old Guard Stardate 11.02.22 in Sector 50 to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


THE OLD GUARD
STARDATE 11.02.22
SECTOR 50


The Old Guard shook from long range Phaser fire. The barrage was coming from two different directions, hitting two adjacent Shields. There were ships flying in all directions on the battlefield. The black night sky of space was filled with red Phaser fire.

Captain Stephanos Severick sat in his Anti-Grav Wheelchair watching the View Screen with an intense gaze. His eyes did not blink. Mentally, he was keeping track of the positions of enemy and friendly vessels. Periodically, he would check the display attached to his Command Chair. He had multiple Comm lines open: to Engineering, to Sickbay, and to other Europa Vessels.

"Shall I return Phaser fire?" William Schuler, the Tactical Officer, asked in a loud voice. His eyes were glued to his tactical display which was lit up with lights like a Christmas tree.

"Negative, Mr. Schuler," Captain Severick replied calmly. "Prepare to fire another burst of Photon Torpedoes. Coordinate the strike with the Colosseum, the Parthenon, the Basilica, and the Stonehenge."

"Yes, Captain!"

A few moments passed, which seemed like an Eternity, then two white bolts of photonic energy shot out of the Old Guard. At the exact same moment, Photon Torpedoes emerged from three other Europa Cruisers and a Europa Dreadnought.

In the distance, a Babylon P3A Battlecruiser felt its forward Shield collapse, followed by a terrible ravaging of its internal systems. Several explosions rocked the Battlecruiser, which shook violently with pain, and then tilted at an abnormal angle in space. Streams of plasma were leaking from its engines.

"Captain!" Garrett Catharnaigh, the Navigator, yelled with excitement. For Garrett, like most of the young crew aboard the Old Guard, this was the first major engagement of his entire life. "Incoming Drones off ah'r Bow an' Starboard side!!"

"Stay calm, Mr. Catharnaigh," Captain Severick instructed in a cool voice. "Your emotions will only lead to mistakes that will cost lives. Prepare to fire Phasers at the incoming Drones and ready a Tractor Beam."

"Yes, Captain!"

Beams of red light shot out of the Old Guard, destroying the Drones before they could reach her. One Drone survived and it was caught in a Tractor Beam by the Old Guard.

The Europa Offensive to destroy the Babylon P10A Battleship designated XERXES did not begin well. Somehow, Babylon was aware of all of Europa's plans, fleet formations, and attack schedules ahead of time. They were well prepared. Captain Severick knew that it was the Traitor aboard the Old Guard who had transmitted vital Europa strategic information to Babylon ahead of time. Who knows how many other Babylon Operatives had infiltrated other Europa Starships, just like the Old Guard?

To make matters worse, Babylon enlisted the aid of the Black Flock. The Black Flock's constant barrage of Quantum Wave Torpedoes steadily degraded the Shields on all the Europa Vessels. Europa was able to convince the Romans to contribute a few starships to the Offensive, but they were few in number.

Suddenly, the Europa Cruiser Basilica exploded in a fiery ball of death. Near to it, two Europa Destroyers, the Conwy and the Bodiam, suffered similar fates.

Captain Severick thought of who the Captains were on those lost vessels. He gritted his teeth and inwardly said a quick prayer for their souls and the souls of their crew.

Then the unthinkable occurred. The Europa Cruiser Parthenon suffered from concentrated Babylon and Black Flock fire. Turning desperately to protect her Shieldless sides, the Parthenon was forced out of Europa Fleet Formation. Isolated from her companions and wounded by enemy fire, the Parthenon would be easy prey. Enemy Babylon and Black Flock Starships closed in on her.

The Captain of the Parthenon was Melina Dequest, Stephanos' old love.

Captain Severick acted instantly without thought. He was driven by instinct and emotion.

"Mr. Bacchia, adjust course! New Heading 289.4 Mark 22!"

The Old Guard spun around and raced toward the Parthenon and her foes.

Captain Severick's First Officer, Descry Brookside, quickly spoke up. She was shocked and in disbelief.

"Captain Severick, what are you doing?!? Our orders are to protect the Stonehenge until we reach our fleet rendezvous point. You are breaking formation! I must protest!!!"

"Your objection is noted," Captain Severick said in a grim voice. He stared at the Parthenon on the View Screen like a man possessed. "Stay the course."

I'M COMING, MELINA. I WON'T LET YOU DIE.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Sunday, October 20, 2024 - 04:24 am: Edit

GENESIS TACTICS MANUAL
"THE ONLY VALID TEST IS COMBAT; THE ONLY VALID RESULT IS VICTORY"
BRITTANI HEAVY CRUISER
MITOSIS
Link to the Brittani Heavy Cruiser
Link to the Genesis Tactics Manual


The makeup of a starship defines its tactics. This has never been more true than with the Brittani Heavy Cruiser in Mitosis. First, know your own ship. Second, know your enemy's ship.

The Brittani Heavy Cruiser has a strong Shield #1 and Shield #4, each at 24 boxes. Shield #2, Shield #3, Shield #5, and Shield #6 are 20 boxes each. While the protection of Shield #1 is vital (typical in other galaxies), in Mitosis it is also essential to preserve the starboard and portside Shields for as long as possible. As you perform specific tactical maneuvers, be aware of which Shields you have exposed to your enemy.

The Brittani Heavy Cruiser carries four Photon Torpedoes, two of which are FX and two of which are RX. At the beginning of the Mitosis Timeline, Photon Torpedoes may not be overloaded. Still, the objective is to concentrate the four Photon Torpedoes in order to punch through the enemy's Shield. Because the Firing Arcs of the Photon Torpedoes are FX and RX, this means their concentration of fire is R and L, where the firing arcs overlap. Therefore, in order to concentrate the fire of all four Photon Torpedoes, the enemy vessel must be within the R or L Firing Arc at the time of firing.

In order to achieve this firing position, the Oblique Attack is best suited for the Brittani Heavy Cruiser. However, because the Brittani's Photon Torpedoes cannot overload, there is no need to maintain a strict distance of 8 hexes when it comes to the Oblique Option Point. For example, a Brittani Heavy Cruiser could approach such that the Oblique Option Point is 4 hexes away from its opponent, giving it a 1-4 chance to hit with each Photon Torpedo. Alternatively, a Brittani Heavy Cruiser could approach such that the Oblique Option Point is 2 hexes away, giving a 1-5 chance to hit with each Photon Torpedo, or 12 hexes away, resulting in a 1-2 chance to hit with each Photon Torpedo. The decision to turn in or to turn away at the Oblique Option Point is still important, but it is diminished somewhat because the Photon Torpedoes cannot overload.

It is worth noting as well, that since the Photon Torpedoes are FX and RX, they can concentrate their fire not just along the RF and LF Oblique Lines, but also down the RR and LR Lines. This is especially useful in the case of a pursuing enemy vessel.

Curiously, the Brittani Heavy Cruiser has two Phaser-1's mounted FA and two Phaser-1's mounted RA. As you should seek to supplement the concentrated Photon Torpedo barrage with Phasers, the two FA Phaser-1's would be ideal to fire at the Oblique Option Point along with the four Photon Torpedoes. If the Range is 5 hexes or less, the Phaser-1's are guaranteed to hit. If the Range is 6-8, any roll except a 6 will result in a hit. If the Range is 9-15 hexes, the Phaser-1's only have a 50% chance to hit. As the supplemental damage scored by the Phaser fire could mean the difference between victory and defeat, choosing the Range for the Oblique Option Point during the Oblique Attack is extremely important. Expect the opponent to try to control the Range as well, disrupting the formulation of your tactics.

Turning away at the Oblique Option Point allows you to bring your two RA Phaser-1's to bear. If the opponent has not turned or moved since you fired your Photon and Phaser concentrated strike, your RA Phaser-1's may hit the same Shield.

The Brittani Heavy Cruiser is protected on its Starboard and Port Side by pairs of Phaser-3's. Unless the enemy vessel is at a Range of 2 hexes or less, these Phaser-3's are best used for defense against Seeking Weapons.

The Brittani Heavy Cruiser possesses two Shuttles. When facing an opponent armed with Seeking Weapons, these Shuttles are best prepared as Wild Weasels. However, if the opponent has Direct Fire Heavy Weapons instead of Seeking Weapons, the two Shuttles could be used as Suicide Shuttles or Phaser-3 Supplemental Firing Platforms. With only two Shuttles, their wise use is essential.

The Brittani Heavy Cruiser generates 20 Total Power each turn. Since arming all 4 Photon Torpedoes requires 8 energy, the remaining energy must be carefully managed. With 12 Total Warp and a 1/2 Movement Cost, the Brittani Heavy Cruiser has a maximum Speed of 25 (with Impulse added). If High Speed is critical to your tactical plan (such as against an opponent launching Seeking Weapons), then it is recommended to not arm all four of your Photon Torpedoes, instead arming only some or none of them. That energy can then be used to boost your Speed, giving you an advantage against the Seeking Weapons targeted at you.

The Brittani Heavy Cruiser comes with two Batteries. As the Tactics Manual states, these two Batteries should be emptied out during Energy Allocation and refilled with Warp Power, giving you Reserve Warp Power. Use your Reserve Power carefully. Some uses could include boosting your Speed, assisting in powering a High Energy Turn, or providing aid during a Tractor Auction.

Use the Brittani Heavy Cruiser's two Labs to identify incoming Seeking Weapons. This will enable you to properly defend against them, depending on exactly what they are.

The Brittani Heavy Cruiser is not well suited to performing High Energy Turns, having a Breakdown of 3-6. You should only be performing a High Energy Turn under the most desperate of circumstances, when there are no other options.

Always be ready to defend against the Gorn Anchor. Control the Range and preserve energy for Tractor Auctions.

The Brittani Heavy Cruiser has a notoriosly bad Turn Mode. Be aware of this and don't employ any tactics that require repeated snap turns. Base your Speed on when your Turn Mode allows you to turn.

If one or more of your Shields have been breached, be prepared for enemy Boarding Parties. Post Guards at critical systems. If your enemy has Shields down, consider launching Boarding Actions of your own.

A good Captain always knows the advantages and flaws in their weaponry. The Brittani's Photon Torpedoes are no different. What follows is a detailed analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the Photon Torpedo taken from the Tactics Manual. It is just as relevent to the Brittani as it is to the Federation.

* It can be held.
* It does not lose strength over long ranges, making it supreme in base assaults.
* It can be fired at range 0 or range 1 with considerable success while under passive fire control. You can still deliver an Alpha Strike under weasel restrictions at the cost of voiding the weasel.
* It takes two turns to arm.
* It requires warp energy.
* The chance of hitting the target reduces greatly as range increases.
* Regularly armed torpedoes can't be fired at a range of less than two hexes.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Monday, October 21, 2024 - 10:58 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (YGR1.2) Indomitus Mark I SSD for the Yesterday Galaxy to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

Indomitus transformed into literally hundreds of different Marks before becoming a Multi-Empire Galaxy Dominating Mechanical Monstrosity.

This was how IT began

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Monday, October 21, 2024 - 11:02 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Merlin Stardate 07.08.21 in the Prime Sector to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


MERLIN
STARDATE 07.08.21
PRIME SECTOR


Captain Elizabeth sat across from Captain Graw. She was at Starbase Dover, relaxing inside of Jeannie's Disruptor Diner. Captain Graw was the Captain of starship Agent One. An unusual name for an Alliance of Lords vessel, but there must have been a good reason for it. Captain Graw was a tall, handsome, athletic figure, confident and imposing. Back in the Academy, his peers would always joke that Captain Graw was so smart, he could have designed his own galaxy. Captain Elizabeth had always been attracted to him, although such feelings never came out openly.


"So the Dark God Dreadnought just sat there?" Captain Graw asked while sipping his strawberry milkshake. He had a look of disbelief on his face. "Right in front of Merlin?"


"Yes," Captain Elizabeth answered. She slowly drank her hot coffee. "Then it just turned away and disappeared! Can you believe it? Dusk said they have their own reasons for doing what they did."


Captain Graw grew quiet at the mention of Dusk. He frowned. "Elizabeth, are you sure you trust your Chief of Security? To hold such a high position full of clearance...but to be a Dark Matter Being..."


Captain Elizabeth was quick to answer. She was confident and assertive. "Without a doubt. He had earned Alliance Command's trust and he has earned mine. I believe in him explictly. Dusk has earned his position. We've been through this before, Captain Graw. Never judge a person based solely on their species."


Captain Graw nodded. He flashed one of those smiles that made him look more attractive to Elizabeth. "Of course, you're right. It's just...we know so little about them."


Captain Graw decided to quickly change the subject.


"So...the Merlin is docked here for repairs right? And what's this I hear about the installation of an Experimental Device?"


"You're correct," Captain Elizabeth confirmed with excitement in her voice. "I only have a little information about it. Right now, Daedalus, Una, and Morgause are attending a briefing about it. The training will continue all week. Merlin is going to test the Device's performance in the field."


"You're a lucky Captain," Captain Graw said as he finished his strawberry milkshake. "I would love to get my hands on such a Device."


Suddenly, Captain Graw's Communicator beeped. He flipped it open with a quick twist of his wrist. Captain Graw listened carefully to the person on the other end.


"I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I'm needed back on Agent One. Forgive me for leaving early? It was so good to see you again!"


Captain Elizabeth gave Captain Graw a quick hug before he left. She was disappointed. Their meeting had been too short. She watched as Captain Graw strode away from her and out of Jeannie's Disruptor Diner.


THEN SHE SAT BACK DOWN, FINISHED HER COFFEE, AND DREAMT OF WHAT COULD HAD BEEN IF SHE AND CAPTAIN GRAW HAD NOT FOLLOWED DIFFERENT PATHS IN LIFE...

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 - 02:12 pm: Edit

Jeff Anderson asked if Indomitus Mark I could be boarded.

I answered that Indomitus Mark I could not be boarded. It is too small and there is no room for boarding parties to fit inside.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 - 02:58 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (PMR10.1) Rover Merchant Vessel for the Prime Sector to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 - 03:05 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Heirs to Fate - Venus Stardate 10.29.22 in the X-Sector to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


HEIRS TO FATE - VENUS
STARDATE 10.29.22
X-SECTOR


Captain Ichabeth entered the Command Center of Outpost Bakira with a grim look on her beautiful, young face. Archimedes, the faceless, metal mannequin who served as Science Officer aboard the Venus, was sitting at the main terminal, typing faster than any human could type. Suddenly, Ichabeth's Communicator sounded. She flipped it open quickly with a flick of the wrist. It was Doctor Freya calling from aboard Venus.

"Captain, I've conducted a more in-depth analysis of the Cryonanotechnology that has frozen the residents of Outpost Bakira. It appears to be some kind of weapon. Each of the Colonists was affected initially through a contact point somewhere on their skin. This contact point introduced the Cryonanotechnology into their system where it quickly spread. Within moments, their entire body would have become frozen. The good news is that they are all alive and in well preserved condition. If I can find a way to reverse the process, all of them will return to a normal, healthy condition. But in order to come up with a counter agent, I need to know more about the Source of the Cryonanotechnology."

Ichabeth took a moment to absorb all of the information that Doctor Freya was conveying to her. Out of habit, she adjusted her blonde hair with red streaks by tucking it neatly behind both ears. Finally, the Captain answered.

"Well done, Freya. Continue your analysis and keep me updated. Ichabeth out."

Ichabeth closed her Communicator and walked over to Archimedes. The Metal Mannequin spoke without turning around.

"Captain, I believe I can be of help in regard to Freya's request. While reviewing the Outpost Logs, I came across some details that could explain what happened here. Six months ago, the residents of Outpost Bakira came into contact with a local Tribe called the Frosten. Their initial communications were peaceful, however the Frosten made it clear that this was their territory. They demanded that the residents of Outpost Bakira leave immediately. Our personnel tried to explain that they were here for scientific study, to no avail. Three months ago, verbal threats were made by the Frosten. Two months ago, violence began. The Frosten began to raid the Outpost at random intervals. Each time they were easily repelled by our personnel's Phasers. The attacks seem to have intensified the closer we get to today's date. There is no mention in the Logs about a weapon that can freeze a person."

Now we know who the most likely suspect is, Captain Ichabeth thought to herself. Archimedes watched her with his faceless head, completely silent as he waited.

"Do the Logs indicate where the Frosten Tribe lives?"

"Yes, Captain. I have the exact coordinates. We can be there in less than an hour on foot. Due to the icy winds, turbulent weather, and unstable ground in that particular area, I don't recommend we use Transporters."

Ichabeth nodded. "Instruct Venus to transport down two dozen Security Officers armed with Phasers. We don't want a fight, but if they get violent, we'll be prepared to respond. Archimedes, you're with me. Your nearly indestructible, metal body will be invaluable in that hostile terrain. Are all your built-in weapons charged and ready?"

"Yes, Captain."

Captain Ichabeth's deep blue eyes narrowed.

"THEN LET'S GO FIND THE SOURCE THAT FREYA NEEDS."

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 - 03:17 pm: Edit

Jeff Anderson kindly sent some suggestions about the Indomitus Mark I SSD. This is specifically in regards to it being boarded (which it cannot be).

"Couple PSB thoughts on explaining why...

While the Mk. I has a cargo bay, there's no way to access any of the probe ships critical systems from that bay. The only access to any of those systems is through a small set of crawlways that are too small for anyone to even fit in if they're wearing any sort of space suit. The folks who built the Indomitus do maintenance on it inside of a pressurized, but still zero gravity bay. Aside from when it's in the bay, the probe ship is unpressurized, so any theoretical boarder would need a vacuum suit.

Naturally, there are likely to be some folks who'll say that doesn't work for some races (Hiver, Loriyill, and Nicozian), but if there're no folks like that in your realm during the time when the Mk. I was the standard Indomitus, even that argument is non sequitur."


Here is my response for those interested:

"Thanks Jeff I'll consider your ideas, but you have some assumptions I'm not sure about. Like Indomitus being built. That the cargo bay needs to be accessed conventionally, as humans would. That there are crawlspaces. That there is maintenance that goes on. That it is unpressurized.

We don't really know anything about Indomitus at this point. Where it came from, who built it, or how it functions internally."

I would also add that there is a long list of Yesterday Galaxy Empires that have not yet been published. It is possible that some of them may resemble the Hiver, Loriyill, or Nicozian (although that still would not allow them to board Indomitus Mark I)


Thank you for the ideas, Jeff!

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Thursday, October 24, 2024 - 04:02 pm: Edit

A response by Jeff Anderson (and my reply) for those interested in Indomitus:


"You are quite correct in that I made an assumption about the Indomitus being built. In my defense, the only thing I can say is that, aside from four of the folks in the Omega Octant (Alunda, Branthodon, Souldra, and perhaps the Loriyill), everyone does use constructed ships. With some thirty five (or so) ADB, Inc. published races, it is quite the majority.

Also, your technical blurb on the Indomitus indicates that they went through a number of upgrades, something which, if it were some sort of bioship, would mean an incredible rate of evolution (which I'll admit is entirely possible with bioengineering 🤓).

You were also quite correct in my assumptions that the cargo hold was something physical; we do have references throughout the original source material (Star Trek) of items being stored as a digital pattern by a transporter. In my defense on THAT one, as I recall, you did state that the tractor was used to help collect samples, which implied that they were collected in a physical form. As far as there being no access to internal workings from the cargo bay, to me, it seems common sense to wish to avoid any contamination of the workings by some strange that was collected in deep space; it just seems to be an unnecessary, and pretty easily avoidable risk."


"Hi Jeff. No need to defend your statements I wasn't criticizing or commenting negatively about your positions. As SPP often states, "Please don't read a tone in my response which is not there."

Rather than simply saying "No" to your question about whether Indomitus could be boarded, I thought I would elaborate more by going into your assumptions. The basic gist is that we don't really know much about Indomitus at this point. However, Indomitus is mechanical for certain, and not biological.

As always, I appreciate all your comments and questions, Jeff. Thanks again."

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Thursday, October 24, 2024 - 06:06 pm: Edit

This story was written by Glenn Hoepfner for the Yesterday Galaxy back in 2014:
Link to Fiction on GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com
Link to the Yesterday Galaxy


The following are exerpts of the Majestic's final log (discovered within Mount Pompamaula - a long dormant volcano) which had been automatically jettisoned seconds before the ship found its final resting place. There are some speculations and assumptions included in this text derived by recovered personal logs, family input and security editing. Some fictional elements were added for dramatization in the photoplay.


First Officer Tycho adjusted his body to conform to the brand new chair. It's virgin leather squeaked with nearly every movement he made, but he was assured it would break in, eventually. Yeah, right. The moment this assignment is done and someone else takes over this position. He leaned forward and checked the status board that over-saw the other departments’ statuses. All lights were blue. Everyone seemed to be doing their job quite well. Right now, his job was to baby sit them. Nothing glorious. Almost a little redundant. But he earned this spot as First Officer, and one day he may command one of these great vessels. Maybe, he’ll break in the command chair for the fifth ship scheduled to be built next year, rumored to be named, CXI-Vicereine (assuming Poindux’s health continues to fail and the current Queen doesn’t relinquish the throne upon his death, and in the past, some had not). Tycho swiveled around towards his captain with a resounding leather squeal. “Just under ten minutes, Captain. All systems Blue. The WIF is ready for final checks.”
“Very good”, Bardon acknowledged. “Proceed.”
“Dourdrey?”
The Helmsman and Second Officer nodded. “All looks good. Course has been plotted, if you call maintaining orbit a plot. Ground control reports all traffic has been cleared from our current and projected previous position.”
“Mr. Muck,” Tycho asked as he noisily turned to the Science Officer.
Muck never smiled since he had been assigned to the experiment. Rumor had it that he was the only non-volunteer, but he never voiced it. He gently stroked his gray and pink beard as if in deep thought. It seemed it was pinker today than it was yesterday. Maybe the stress was getting to him. “All recording sensors active. No abnormalities to report. Let’s get this over with.”
“Less than ten minutes, Muck. If a monkey survived it, so can you. Thank you.” Rather than risking another leather screeching moment, Tycho strained his neck towards the Communications Officer. She was a joy to look at, so much so that he was too intimidated to actually speak with her casually. My wife probably wouldn’t appreciate that anyway. “Mystivus?”
“Mystifious, sir,” she immediately corrected.
“Sorry.”
She smiled but it was not a sweet smile. Her canines showed briefly, exposing a chipped tooth, and her eyes did not sparkle. Tycho assumed she was tired of correcting the butchering of her name. “All comm lines are open. Data bands and the redundancies are on line.” Her short-cropped gray hair had a wisp of pink showing her youthful maturity which was belied by the numerous scars of her violent background, including the missing chunk of her left ear. Whatever her background was, she had most definitely been there.
Captain Bardon was on the link with Engineering when Tycho turned back to him. “Sir? All bridge personnel are . . .”
Bardon held up his palm to Tycho, shushing him. “What was that, Laela?”
“The WIF is fully integrated into our warp drive. Computers are tied in. Warp field is standing by at 15 percent. Ready for static warp sphere. Mass calibrations have been verified by Ground and simulations all look good. Inversion at your command.”
“Very good,” Bardon said. He terminated the link and as he slowly stood up and looked around the rectangular bridge, he exhaled very slowly. He slowly walked to the Comm officer. “Okay, Myst. Ship wide.”
Two quick keystrokes. “Ship wide, Captain, Sir.” There was a quick glint in her kaleidoscopic eyes, not those of a lover but more of kinship. Even having come to that conclusion, Tycho still felt a ping of jealousy. No. Not jealousy. Just a little envious. It was a subtle distinction but very important, nevertheless.
“This is the Captain. In a few short minutes, we’ll be right where we are right now. King Poindux called me this morning, personally, to have me thank all 22 of us who have volunteered . . .” Bardon quickly glanced at Muck. Muck harrumphed and turned back to his science console. Bardon continued. “ . . . who have volunteered for this exceptional program. The risks are always with the new but every single day has its own risks. In a very short while, and for a very short time, there will be two of each of us and two ships named Majestic. This is an historic moment and each of our names will be remembered as pioneers. I know all of you will do your duties as prescribed by the Crown.” Bardon glanced at the chronometer. “Two minutes. Stand by.” He patted Myst on her shoulder. “Keep it on ship wide.”
Tycho watched his captain survey the bridge once more. It was a huge bridge, almost the size of mobile house. Very spacious, just in case any dignitaries wanted to visit, and there were a lot of them. Sadly, King Poindux’s health prevented the ritualistic send off tour. This would be the first time since the inception of the deep space program.
For what seemed to be an enormous amount of time, there was silence, and waiting. The Chronometer inched its way closer, ever so slowly.
“Open the doors,” Bardon ordered to no one in particular.
Tycho reached out and flipped an antiquated looking switch, and suddenly the walls began to slide away, exposing huge panels of clear steel. In just a few seconds, the forward half of the bridge had a 180 degree panoramic view of the universe. Far away were support and observation corvettes. They were little bigger than specks of reflected light. Squire and Space Dock were unseen as they were on the other side of their world.
“Fifty seconds,” Muck said.
“Tycho?” Bardon asked.
“All blue. Good to go.”
Bardon walked to his command chair.
“Thirty five”
Bardon sat down.
Tycho hadn’t even realized how hard his grip was on the firm, brand new leather arm rests. They were in the way, so he collapsed the arms.
“Twenty.”
“All right, Laela,” said the Captain. “Punch up the Warp Sphere. 100%”
Laela didn’t immediately respond but the bridge lights dimmed, almost imperceptivity. “100%,” she replied. “Inversion standing by.”
“Ten seconds.” Muck’s tone was sounding nervous.
If I hadn’t volunteered, I’d probably be running for the nearest shuttle bay, Tycho thought to himself. Then he remembered. The shuttles had been removed for this test to reduce as much unnecessary mass as possible.
“Five . . . four . . .”
“Initiate inversion, Laela. Now.”
“Two . . . one . . .”
Tycho stared out one of the windows and watched as the specks of reflected light disappeared.

*** Part 2 ***

And that was it. No flash of light, no vibrating or shaking hull. All was quiet except for the background noise of the bridge equipment. Everyone stood up, looking at each other.
“Well, that was . . . anti-climatic,” Muck said, sitting back down.
Tycho looked down at his board. “Still all blue.”
Captain Bardon stepped up behind Dourdrey as he sat down, looking over his shoulder. “Where is the Majestic?”
The helmsman’s hands danced over his controls. “We should be ahead of us,” he said slowly. “I mean they . . . well, yeah, we should . . . oh nevermind.”
“I’m getting no chatter at all,” Mystifious reported. “And the data link is gone. Let me check my equipment.”
“I’m getting sensor data but nothing from the ground,” Muck reported. He paused and stood up, his face showing confusion. “Uh . . . Captain. Where is Bijou?”
Bardon stared at Muck for a long moment. “You tell me. Dourdrey, punch up camera six-ventral”.
The main viewer came alive and showed an array of stars. It would have been beautiful had it not been for the fact that a red and yellow planet should have been filling the entire screen.
“Maybe . . . the calculations were off,” Tycho suggested. “Maybe we just warped for a few seconds.”
“What the hell is going on up there?” came the filtered voice of Laela from Engineering. “And if you guys don’t want to start a •••••• panic, you better take yourselves off ship wide.”
Mystifious quickly severed the ship wide broadcast.
Bardon composed himself and for the moment ignored Laela’s outburst. “Alright. Everyone, give me a status report. Muck. Find our planet. Uh, Tycho, get back to engineering and help Laela and let everyone down there know everything’s going to be okay. Muck . . . where’s my planet? Dourdrey, station keeping . . . if we’re moving at all. Bring us to a halt. Myst, get someone on the radio.”
Tycho immediately headed for the bridge doors. They barely opened in time.

***

As he entered the Engineering section, Tycho immediately smelled an acrid scent in the air. He also heard several voices calling out to each other, not in distress but with urgency. The owners of the voices were, for the moment, not to be seen.
Tycho took the moment to look around, assessing whether he could determine any obvious damage.
The commodious room was packed with instrumentations, computers and an array of displays and machines that were not indigenous to an engineering room. All of this was for the experimental Warp Inversion Field which was suppose to revolutionize star ship tactics. The twin towers, two massive tubes that reached from floor to ceiling housing the waste material from the Singularity warp drive, stood foreboding. The lifeless tubes had their own subtle hum which you could almost feel if you were standing too close to one of them. The waste material fed power into the ship systems, including battery maintenance, shield stability, and the Singularity Disjecta Membra.
“We would have never, ever come up with this •••• on our own.”
Tycho jumped a bit to the sound of the unexpected voice behind him. He turned to see Laela standing behind him. “What?”
“This here. All of this. The warp core in its entirety. This imperfect copy of the original we found.” The unusually petite female was holding out a calibration spanner to him. “Since you’re here, help me with the converter juncture.”
Tycho took the tool and followed her. She wasn’t wearing the normal engineering attire, instead she wore the short sleeve worker garb that exposed her dark gray furred arms, neck and head. Her hair was shoulder length and pink less. “Not exactly the required uniform,” he said.
“This isn’t your typical mission, either, boss man,” she said as she turned to face him. Her multi-colored eyes changed to a darker hue in agitation. “You know •••• well that the new uniforms are for the benefit of our esteemed visitors, not for work efficiency.” She turned away and knelt down to an open panel. “The hell with them.”
Tycho knew this wasn’t the time to discuss the matter. “What are we doing here?”
“I am going to recalibrate the waste injectors. You are going to hand me the tools I need.” She held out her hand.
Tycho handed her the spanner, wondering why she handed it to him in the first place. She immediately began her work. He looked around again and saw many new faces hustling about, doing tasks that were well beyond Tycho’s comfort zone. They seemed to be focused on their jobs. Not panicking. Laela seemed to have taken control of the situation here. “We have three other ships that are doing just fine with your imperfect warp core.”
“Yup. Barely a generation from its original inception. Constructed by sifting through shattered remains of a nearly 2000 year old space-alien ship wreck that had been submerged in one of our most densest and dangerous swamps, picked clean by hungry swamp-dwelling blood suckers that can even eat certain metals for nourishment. Hold this.” She held the spanner back up to Tycho. He took it. She resumed her work, reaching one arm deep inside the panel, straining to reach something. “Oh yeah, you couldn’t ask for anything more, eh?”
“Maybe we should have come up with our own design.”
Laela craned her neck to look at Tycho, grimacing in discomfort. “We wouldn’t even have thought to do this had we not found Pompamaula Artifice. So why re-invent the wheel if its handed to us, albeit in pieces, decayed and centuries old.” There was a loud popping noice. Laela cried out in pain, withdrawing her hand. She immediately covered her hand with the other. A new light came on the panel above and a steady hum filled the room. “Ah, that should take care of the air ventilation now.”
“Let me see your hand.”
She held it out and on the tip of her fifth finger was a small tiny drop of green blood. Tycho looked at it, then at Laela.
“Hey, it hurt. A lot.”
Suddenly the ship wide chime alerted the crew of an upcoming alert.
“This is the Captain. Everyone, get your stations in order and report to Mystifious on your status. Department heads will meet in the conference room at 1300.”
“Great,” Laela mumbled. “That’s in 20 minutes. I bet his niece is getting an earful right now.”
“Niece?”
“Yeah. Captain Bardon is Myst’s uncle. When you can get a relative working on the same ship as you, don’t complain to me about which uniform I wear. Deal?”

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Friday, October 25, 2024 - 01:07 am: Edit

Uploaded the (PXR7.1) Khan First Cavalry SSD for Project-X to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Friday, October 25, 2024 - 05:19 pm: Edit

More great questions from Jeff Anderson, this time about the Khan First Cavalry:


"As frequently happens, though, yeah, I made a few assumptions about them.

Regarding the Mobile Armor, one assumption that I have held is that the individual plates, both in terms of numbers and arcs as shown on the SSD, are the both the initial set-up and the maximum allowed for each arc. Another assumption is that, like the regular armor in the Basic Set, they can't be repaired (although they could be replaced at a major base).

I also assumed that the Khanate they served operated in many respects like the Paravians; they have their homeworld (s?) SOMEwhere, and their First Cavalry raiders ranging far and wide, and any enemy who might wish to limit these raids by attacking the logistics that support the raiders would have to venture much further into "Unexplored Territory" with their OWN logistics network being so vulnerable to the First Cavalry that any enemies of the Khan would find it an almost impossible undertaking.

HOWEVER, this same vast distance from REAL repair/refit logistics would make it difficult for the First Cavalry to get replacement Mobile Armor plates. Were any of these assumptions in keeping with your vision of them?"


Here is my response:


"In regards to the Modular Armor (not Mobile Armor, I think I used that term on another empire), I would not assume that what is shown on the Khan First Cavalry SSD is the initial set-up or the maximum allowed for each arc. They may be, but that hasn't really been defined yet. Your second assumption is correct, the armor cannot be repaired during a scenario and can be replaced at a major base (or other sources).

I would not assume the Khan operates like the Paravians (although there may be similarities). We don't know anything at this point about the Khan's Homeworld or their Logistics System. It could be that they constantly move from place to place, never establishing a permanent base. There may be other ways the Modular Armor gets replenished and reconfigured, other than making their way all the way back to a starbase or base station. There also may be some kind of "ship" that transports loads of Khan First Cavalry around, something like a PF Tender of sorts. Another option is for the Khan First Cavalry to "emerge" from the belly of the transport ship, similar to the Andromedans carrying satellite ships. I think that if any of the Project-X Major Empires decided to drive deep into Khan Territory, they would not be so foolish as to leave their own territory (and logistics network) unguarded.

It's best at this point to leave such questions unanswered for now, so that the future is open to many different possibilities. We will see which design paths the Khan follow in the future."

Thanks again Jeff!

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Friday, October 25, 2024 - 05:51 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (YGR4.1) Bijou Heavy Cruiser with three Common Crowns and one Warp Crown SSD for the Yesterday Galaxy to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


The Royal Bijou Regal (featured in the Majestic Story) were created by Glenn Hoepfner back in 2014. His starship design featured Modular Components called "Crowns."

Curiously, while Glenn wrote the Background, Biology, Timeline, and Rules (plus the Majestic Story) for the Bijou, he never wrote individual Ship Descriptions for his creation. This task has now fallen on me. Consequently, I wrote a brief Ship Description for the Bijou Heavy Cruiser with three Common Crowns and one Warp Crown SSD.

Unfortunately, when the Royal Bijou Regal were created, they were not specifically Balanced against the other Yesterday Galaxy Empires (since many had not been created yet). Instead, the Bijou were simply formed with the Early Years Design Paradigm in mind. Still, the Royal Bijou Regal exist as a Minor Empire in the Yesterday Galaxy. Now, ten years later, Glenn's creation resurfaces and opens to the doorway to all kinds of future Royal Bijou Regal Designs.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Friday, October 25, 2024 - 06:20 pm: Edit

As I updated the Bijou Heavy Cruiser SSD for the Yesterday Galaxy, I noticed some inconsistencies with the YGR Numbering and the Page Numbers for the other existing Empires. This has now been corrected. The revised SSD's have been uploaded to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com (replacing the old SSD's) and the R-Section Text has been corrected as well.

(YGR2.1) Cyclopean Work Barge SSD

(YGR3.1) Indomitus Mark I SSD

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Saturday, October 26, 2024 - 06:09 pm: Edit

For those interested, a great suggestion from Jeff Anderson for the Khan First Cavalry and a comment about the Bijou Crowns.


"Given that you list the Khan First Cavalry ships as Size Class 5, the idea of a "PFT" for them does make some sort of sense, but given their name and my understanding (limited though it is 🥴) of the hordes of Ghengis Khan, I have yet again one of those (probably inaccurate) preconceptions of the First Cavalry ships being more capable of VERY long ranged travel.

Screwball thought...

WHAT IF...

What if the Khan First Cavalry had a support variant? A ship that, say, took out the center engine and sacrificed its modular armor (and probably Quantum Arrows) in favor of logistics gear (cargo and repair).

Probably doesn't fit your vision of the Khan First Cavalry, but it was something that just jumped into my head.

Anyhootch, I'm sure you know how it is with people getting enthusiastic about things...

On a different note, the various Bijou Crowns? I can see a path for abuse with the side mounts being given warp engines and the aft mount being given more weapons (like the front mount). Personally? I think I'd go for a combination of science/survey and diplomatic points/pods, but that's just me..."


My response:


"Hi Jeff. Thanks for the variant suggestion.

I would say the Khan First Cavalry is capable of Long Range Travel, but not Very Long Travel. There must be limits imposed on them, especially during the First Era of Project-X. Plus some of this gets into F&E.

Interesting thought about a support variant for the Khan First Cavalry. While there certainly will be variants of the Khan First Cavalry, I'm not sure if there will be one with cargo and repair. The craft may just be too small for that role. Perhaps there will be something 1.5x the size of the Khan First Cavalry that is fast enough to travel with them to "resupply" them. I'll have to give it some thought.

As for the Bijou Crowns, yes, it is possible there may be abuse regarding their implementation. That is why I mentioned the Bijou are not balanced against other Yesterday Galaxy Empires. It is very difficult to balance an empire with so much modularity. But it does make the Bijou unique and interesting to play."

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Saturday, October 26, 2024 - 10:30 pm: Edit

HIPPOCAMPUS
STARDATE 10.26.24
PROJECT-X
Link to previous Hippocampus entries

In a secure room, a highly classified conversation was taking place. The atmosphere was casual and informal, but still official. Captain Mobula sat across from Admiral Autumn/Winter, Providence, Head of Research and Development, and Lubrus, High Master of Engineering. Glasses full of water and coffee sat on the table before them. As Captain Mobula reached for her water, her black manta fin draped over the table momentarily. She took a sip before continuing.

"As I was saying," Captain Mobula said in a soft, soothing voice. "Our Kinetic Torpedoes are powerful, but inaccurate at longer ranges. Additionally, the more energy we charge them with, the more limited in range they become. Initially, I was confident in the destructive power our Kinetic Torpedoes could generate. But after engaging the Regime in several battles, I realized that there is room for improvement."

Providence and Lubrus took notes on their computer pads while Admiral Autumn/Winter listened intently with both of his heads. He was one of the Ettin. His right head, Autumn spoke next.

"But our Overloaded Kinetic Torpedoes can reach out to 120,000 kilometers. Standard Kinetic Torpedoes can reach 200,000 kilometers. Is this not sufficient, Captain Mobula?"

"I used to think so," Captain Mobula said, tilting her head so her two horn-like protrusions pointed at the Admiral for a split-second. "But after encountering the Regime, I have since changed my mind. You see, a Regime FZ4 Battlecruiser will float out just beyond our Overload Range, sniiping at us constantly with their Neutron Bolts and Phaser-7's, whittling down our Shields, all the while launching a steady stream of Light Missiles to keep our Phaser-5's occupied. We then find ourselves in a game of cat and mouse, with us as the cat constantly chasing the quicker, elusive mouse. It is at that point that the limited Range of our Kinetic Torpedoes becomes apparent."

"Speaking of Phasers, how do you feel our Phaser-5's compare to the Regime's Phaser-7's?" the Admiral's left head, Winter, asked.

"Our conclusion is very similar to that of our Kinetic Torpedoes. While our Phaser-5's are deadlier at close range, the Regime's Phaser-7's can hit us from much further. This perfectly compliments their long range tactical game. Furthermore, using up a Phaser-5 against a single Light Missile is overkill, something of a waste. My crew and I suggest that the Republic come up with some sort of "lighter version" of the Phaser-5, one more suited to dealing with the Regime's Light Missiles."

Lubrus, an artifical, mechanical being with organic components, was intrigued. He answered in a strange, hollow voice. "An interesting suggestion, Captain Mobula. It may be possible to come up with a "Point Defense Phaser" which requires only part of energy required to charge a Phaser-5. It would be extremely limited in range, but we can make sure it generates enough destructive force to destroy a single Light Missile. One issue I can foresee is one of space. It would require the same space aboard a starship as a Phaser-5, despite being a weaker version."

Providence, a being with three eyes, commented, "Why not fight a missile with a missile? We may be able to design a missle launcher that specifically targets enemy incoming missiles. Then we would not have to waste a Phaser shot at all. It would be a type of...'Anti-Missile.'"

Captain Mobula smiled slightly. She was pleased that her feedback regarding the Republic First Cruiser was generating positive results. She imagined that since all Captains of the First Cruiser had been recalled to Republic Space for this interview, they most likely provided similar conclusions.

"This is good information, Captain Mobula," Autumn, the Admiral's right head stated. "We thank you for taking the time to come back and provide us with this information personally. Now do you have anything to add beside the weapons utilized by the Republic First Cruiser?"

"Yes...yes I do," Captain Mobula said, taking another sip from her glass of water. Her long tail, which was hanging down from her chair, whipped back and forth slightly. "The Republic First Cruiser has a notorious 'blind spot' in its aft section. Not only is our Aft Shield the weakest Shield out of all our Shields, but we have no weaponry that can fire directly to our rear. We find ourselves turning constantly to bring our starboard and portside Phaser-5's to bear, but as you know, the Republic First Cruiser is not the most maneuverable of starships."

Lubrus replied, "I wish a Refit could solve those issues, but there simply isn't room on the Republic First Cruiser to install more weapons pointing to the rear. This is something we will have to incorporate into our Second Cruisers."

Lubrus looked at Providence, who stared back silently with his third eye.

"Anything else, Captain?" Admiral Autumn/Winter asked.

"I know the Republic First Cruiser is limited in the amount of systems that can be installed," Captain Mobula said, wrapping her manta fins around herself as she typically does. "But if the future Second Cruisers are going to be larger, I would suggest to add more Shuttles, Tractor Beams, Transporters, and Laboratories. Oh, and there can never be more than enough Power. More power systems would be of great benefit, more Batteries for Reserve Power especially."

There was a moment of silence in the room as all the occupants considered everything that had been said. Then Admiral Autumn/Winter, Providence, and Lubrus stood up.

"Captain Mobula, we thank you for providing this information to us. Your service to the Republic has been exemplary. We hold your feedback regarding the Republic First Cruiser in high regard. We will examine all of these considerations to the best of our ability."

Captain Mobula nodded and then stood up to leave the room. But Admiral Autumn/Winter called out to her one last time.

"CAPTAIN MOBULA. BE PREPARED TO TAKE COMMAND OF ONE OUR SECOND CRUISERS ONCE THEY ARE BUILT. YOU AND YOUR CREW ARE GOING TO WITNESS, FIRSTHAND, THE FRUITS OF OUR CONVERSATION TODAY."

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Sunday, October 27, 2024 - 03:41 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (XSR3.1) Shadow Legion Lord Manta Plus V2 SSD for the X-Sector to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

Note that this is the Revised Version 2.0 where the maximum Alpha Strike has been balanced against the Protectorate Heavy Cruiser Plus and the Reaper Battlecruiser Plus.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Monday, October 28, 2024 - 09:53 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Merlin Stardate 07.10.21 in the Prime Sector to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


MERLIN
STARDATE 07.10.21
PRIME SECTOR


Fafnir sauntered across the main deck of Starbase Dover. The small Dragonoid was in a good mood, even going so far as to skip a footstep every now and then. He was enjoying his time away from the Merlin. Sometimes, flying a starship can be a very stressful thing. Especially lately, after their battle with the Death Cult Battlecruisers.

Fafnir couldn't help but to think of his "parents." He didn't know too much about "Ma" and "Pa", but he knew they were good Draconids. They didn't believe in the Draco's warlike mentality. They wanted a better future for their "son." So "Ma" and "Pa" brought Fafnir to the Alliance of Lords when he was but a young Dragonling. Fafnir had always had a natural instinct for flying, so he eventually became a Helmsman. He owes everything he has to the decision his "Ma" and "Pa" made all those years ago...

Suddenly, Fafnir slammed into something huge and solid. He fell onto his back, slamming his head onto the floor. Fafnir shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Then he noticed two large Security Guards wearing Red Shirts standing in front of him.

"Excuse me!" Fafnir quickly said even though he was still rattled. "I'm terribly sorry, I didn't see..."

One of the men reached down, grabbed Fafnir by his shirt, and pulled him up into the air. Fafnir's feet were dangling below him. The Security Guard was angry.

"What makes you think you can freely walk around a HUMAN Starbase, you ugly lizard? Don't you know that your kind aren't welcome around here? My brother and sister were aboard the Whitby when it went down! I know what you Draco are like! One of your Hunter Wyrms tore the Whitby to pieces with its claws!! I lost my brother and sister because of scum like you!!!"

Two punches hit Fafnir's gut, causing him to lose his breath. Fafnir fell to the ground once again. A swift kick to Fafnir's abdomen followed. Something broke and Fafnir was in serious pain.

"Ha, ha! That'll teach you reptiles to not..."

"Is there a problem here?"

The two Security Guards spun around to find a Humanoid Vampire Squid staring at them with its strange blue orbs. Everyone in the Alliance of Lords knew of Lovecraft. They knew he was the First Officer aboard the Merlin. And they knew he was one of the Gorgon.

"Because if there is, I'm sure we can come to a...mutual understanding."

Lovecraft opened his blood red cloak, revealing the sharp spines and mouth full of fangs within. Each of the Security Officer felt a chill run down their spine.

"Now, report to your Commanding Officer. They have already been informed about what occurred here. And I better not see you...EVER...bothering a crew member from the Merlin again. Do you understand?"

The two Security Guards nodded their heads and quickly ran off.

Lovecraft helped Fafnir to his feet. "Are you alright, Fafnir?"

"Yes, Lovecraft. I thank you for saving me. But how did you know...?"

"Delphi saw what was happening in one of her visions. She quickly informed me. Now, transport back to the Merlin and report to Dr. Sap right away. You may have serious injuries."

Fafnir gave Lovecraft a sheepish look.

Lovecraft flipped open his Communicator, establishing a link between himself and the Merlin.

"Emergency Transport. One for Sickbay. Transport NOW."

A low humming sound could be heard before Fafnir disappeared in a rotating bundle of light. He tried to wave goodbye to Lovecraft, but it was too late.

LOOKS LIKE I'LL BE RETURNING TO THE MERLIN SOONER THAN I EXPECTED.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - 09:00 pm: Edit

CYCLOPEAN THUNDERCLAP STEED SSD
YESTERDAY GALAXY
Link to the Cyclopean Thunderclap SSD

(YGR.2.0) CYCLOPEAN FORGESMITHS

CYCLOPEAN SHIPS
(YGR2.2) CYCLOPEAN THUNDERCLAP STEED (THST):

The Cyclopeans Borfyr and Doralyr both dreamt of building a Wonder Device with each other. Although it took them some time to find each other in Cyclopean Space, they knew that their Shared Dream would lead to the creation of something incredible. That something was the Thunderclap Engine.

The Cyclopean Thunderclap Steed was the ship designed to specifically house the Thunderclap Engine. The Engine required unique specifications; it could not be installed on any common Cyclopean vessel. Only two Cyclopean Thunderclap Steeds were ever built, Sleipnir and Hofvarpnir.

The Thunderclap Steed was not a war vessel, although it was outfitted with two Type-2 Lightning Emitters for defensive purposes only. The Thunderclap Engine allowed it to jump to incredible speeds instantaneously, much faster than the laws of physics should have allowed physically. The starship was highly maneuverable, capable of performing High Energy Turns almost without failure. The Thunderclap Steed was noted for its weak Shields, primarily due to the fact that it was not a combat vessel.

The Cyclopeans tried, without success, to duplicate the Thunderclap Engine on other starships. Like all Cyclopean Wonder Devices and Weapons, the Thunderclap Engine remains an enigma.

DESIGNER NOTES

The Cyclopean Thunderclap Steed, which was inspired by Odin's Eight-Legged Steed, Sleipnir, showcases the unparalleled design skills of the Cyclopeans. Going beyond traditional Engineering, their Wondrous Inventions are drawn from the realm of the Metaphysical. Keep in mind that the Cyclopean Thunderclap Steed existed during an era of Early Years, not General War, so the creation of the Thunderclap Engine was truly remarkable.

It was important to limit the number of ships produced which utilized the Cyclopean Thunderclap Engine. It was equally important to make sure that the Cyclopean Thunderclap Engine could not be transferred or built on any other vessels. This maintains the Wondrous nature of the Cyclopean Wonder Devices, each of which are rare and unique.

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Thursday, October 31, 2024 - 07:48 am: Edit

With a max speed of 21, that thing is going to get zorked the first time someone gets mad at it. 2 P3 equivalents, thin shields and no speed? I'd rather be in a E4...

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Thursday, October 31, 2024 - 08:51 am: Edit

Well, remember that this is Early Years, not General War. The Commonwealth YCA has a Max Speed of 25.

The Thunderclap Engine provides the Cyclopean Thunderclap Steed with a burst of incredible speed, regardless of its standard top speed. So it can actually move much faster than the SSD would imply.

Also, the Cyclopean Thunderclap Steed is not a combat vessel, but more of a Prototype designed to house the Thunderclap Engine. The Cyclopeans as a whole are not a warlike species.

Future Scenarios will involve the Cyclopean Thunderclap Steed transporting civilians during a rescue mission, transporting military personnel, transporting critical supplies, scouting missions, and research missions. The player's main goal (using a standard combat vessel) will most likely be to escort/protect the Cyclopean Thunderclap Steed during its assigned mission. There will also be a scenario involving neighboring enemy empires launching a mission to specifically destroy the Cyclopean Thunderclap Steed.

Thanks Mike. I appreciate the comment and analysis.