The Trial: Campaign

Introduction

Approximately 7,000 years ago, when humans still thought two rocks banging together was the height of technology, they were visited by the highly advanced collection of species known as The Collected Worlds. Eager to help them, their researchers and experts worked with these early humans to guide their development. Leaving with several thousand volunteers, who would be educated by the aliens to act as ambassadors, they trusted that Earth and humanity would flourish in their absence. When they were deemed ready, these ambassadors could then return to bring them into The Collected Worlds

Unfortunately, in two ways, human nature surprised them. While journeying back to the educational worlds in the heartlands of TCW, humanity annihilated itself in nuclear hellfire, climactic collapse and biological Armageddon. That was surprise one.

Surprise two were the demands of the humans aboard the vessel - they wanted to return to Earth, salvage what humanity remained there and rebuild. Calling themselves The Starborn, they rejected the comfort and security of TCW insisting instead on carving their own path.

Mebalskin Croydon, the representative in charge of the original uplift mission, peacefully handed over the ship. For this she was tried, found guilty and sentenced to punishment. For her crimes she was ordered to recontact the StarBorn and bring them into TCW, fixing the mistake she was blamed for all those centuries ago.

What follows are the written accounts of her works, collectively know as “The Trial”, reflecting the dual legal punishment and huge challenge that lay before her. Her handwritten notes and reports make up headline chapters (Reports) while the information gathered by the ship sensors between reports complete the narrative.

Index

Other Threads

Report 1: 03 Feb 0011

Overview

Total population across all bodies stands at 1223m (growing at 2.23% per year). Naturally, growth on colonies is significantly higher than on Wounded Garden, driven by the younger population, higher incomes and use of in vitro fertilisation and synthetic wombs, as opposed to the more conservative and traditional homeworlders. Despite this, homeworlders make up 97.9% of the population

image

There has been an explosion of economic activity since landfall, with wealth nearly quadrupling, research output more than doubling. A strong trade lobby has prevented any taxation on the growing space industries - leveraging taxation and financial engineering instead.

The Pacifist / Federalist coalition has reigned in an uninterrupted continuation since landfall, occassionally exchanging the leadership between parties. The few resources deployed for ‘military’ means include the “Orbital Web” of Thorn class fighters, launching regular salvoes of geo-survey missiles alongside the limited geo-survey fleet.

Thorn class Observer      441 tons       4 Crew       20.2 BP       TCS 9    TH 0    EM 0
1 km/s      Armour 1-5       Shields 0-0       HTK 1      Sensors 0/0/0/0      DCR 0-0      PPV 2.25
Maint Life 7.22 Years     MSP 5    AFR 8%    IFR 0.1%    1YR 0    5YR 3    Max Repair 3 MSP
Magazine 15 / 0    
Sprout [7]    Control Rating 1   
Intended Deployment Time: 3 months    Morale Check Required    


Avarice Launcher (3)     Missile Size: 5    Hangar Reload 111 minutes    MF Reload 18 hours
Thorn Control Alpha (1)     Range 16.6m km    RES 100
Farsight Beta (3)    Speed 320 km/s    Range 5,030m km    WH 0    Size 5    TH: 32 / 64 / 128

Restrictions

Restrictions are emergent, near-permanent political/cultural taboos that prevent certain activities. They build up over time, and can only be removed through culture-wide revolutions

The long rule of the Pacifism faction has created a new set of restrictions:

  • No military units can be built or stationed and Wounded Garden
  • No military shipyards can be stationed at or in use above Wounded Garden

Planets

Wounded Garden

The homeworld remains the hub of economic activity and research. It’s university campus (WG University) focuses on researchers over all other specialities.

Economic prosperity is highly uneven - elegant research campuses and new industries contrast with those labouring inefficiently in conventional industries or living on the limited government assistance.

image

The first commercial shipyard glows with industry, churning out freighters and cryo-ships to support and supply the colonies.

Industrial Intent class Freighter      40,000 tons       135 Crew       431.7 BP    
390 km/s      
Cargo 25,000    Cargo Shuttle Multiplier 6    
Sprout [7]    Control Rating 1   BRG    

Aventura: Prospera Drive (5)    Power 312.5    Fuel Use 11.18%    Signature 62.5    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 245,000 Litres    Range 9.8 billion km (292 days at full power)

In short - the buoyant optimism of the first landfall is slowly curdling. While the planet is more productive than ever, inequality has also never been higher. Federalist emphasis on off-world development has left some feeling bitter and abandoned, even as others benefit from the surge in productivity and demand.

Rising Ape

The economic situation of the orbiting Rising Ape colony is a sharp contrast to their colleagues below. The lack of atmosphere drives near-instant, zero interference communication, allowing for financial speculation, investment and trading on an unprecedented scale.

Millionaires are made, fortunes are lost. Without the economic activity of this small elite, the budget would be in serious deficit - a truth they use to their political advantage.

The low gravity and lack of contaminants allows for the development of high-end technical entertainment products [e.g. Sim-Ego 5000 virtual multimedia system] and recreational drugs, exported to the eager masses below.

The prestigious, and well funded Educational Excellence Institute acts as a finishing school for the children of the elite, creating the leaders of tomorrow and the networks that sustain them.

image

A growing class of employees toil in the terraformers creating a new Eden. Their success is limited, as of yet, but these investors think in decades, buying up uncolonised land for the anticipated post-terraform boom.

The Private Colonies

Around the nearest gas giant, a few intrepid employees cling onto barely habitable moon colonies - Insight and Ambition. Funded by the overflowing coffers of a consortium of billionaires, they race against their dwindling supplies to create a semblance of life in alien places.

image

All supplies and population arrive here through purely private means, with no state involvement. Employees all, they understand that their lives and livelihoods depend upon success. Indeed, many channel their incomes into the purchasing of shares in the new colonies, hopefully that they’ll ‘make it big’ when the work is done.

The Morrigan & Moons

Orbited by two listening posts, the rapidly militarising planet of The Morrigan sustains itself on the exported military complexes and shipyards forbidden on the homeworld.

It’s founders and leaders dream of a fortress world, where organised and highly specialised ground forces are supplemented by surface-to-orbit installations. So far, research and development into this field, however, has been restrained by the politicians ‘back home’.

Only time will tell if the growing unemployed population, comprising 50% of working age individuals, will endure the cost of these ideals.

Space

The mining colony Brightwind, so named for the glimmer of the irradiated dust scattered by hundreds of nuclear detonations, flings minerals and resources to The Morrigan, daily fueling the barracks, shipyards and ground based defences.

Far, far away, sits the mysterious planned codename Minerva. Orbited by a dozen moons, this super-Jovian gas giant sits beyond the reach of the nascent space industry. Still, the coincidence of orbits, the gravity distoritng effects and technology may conspire to bring about a bounty - the legrange point links between LP1 and 2 cut the distance dramatically - and ever smaller, as Minerva drifts anticlockwise. Below is a screenshot from a classified briefing on the matter.

Politics

All political parties have ideals, mandates and taboos. Ideals describe their general principles, mandates describe requirements they must achieve in the next 12 year cycle, and taboos indicate forbidden / restricted practices that they must not perform.

With an election scheduled for 0014, the political parties have begun posturing and presenting their agendas.

Incumbents

These parties have reigned over the long decade of founding and peace. Have they done a good enough job to remain in power?

Ad Astra
We came from the stars. They belong to us. Let us not delay our destiny.

Ideals: Colonisation, Expansion
Mandate: Found new colony every 3 years. Fully terraform Rising Ape
Taboo: 40% of all productive capacity must be assigned to colonisation / expansionist work [terraformers, infrastructure etc.]

Forward to the Future
Curiosity, knowledge, experimentation - this is how the future is won

Ideals: Exploration, Research
Mandate: Quadrouple research capacity
Taboo: Military ship count can never exceed civilian ship count

Outsiders

These political parties have been excluded from many of the big policy decisions, to the anger of their base and leadership. Is there revolution in the air? Is it their time?

Morrigan’s Children
The universe is large, dark, and full. In times like these, one must carry a large stick

Ideals: Power, Discipline
Mandate: Advanced STO and police force on all colonies except Wounded Garden
Taboo: At least 50% of research output must be applied to military technologes

Terra Firma
Born of the rich soil of our ancestors, we know where we belong. Unified under one banner, we must prevail.

Ideals: Unity, Loyalty
Mandate: Raise population capacity and YoY population growth on Wounded Garden to above 2%
Taboo: No industrial capacity (e.g. construction facilities) can be outsourced to any collonies.

Upstarts

With rising inequality, new parties have thrown their hats into the mix. Who can tell how these new ideologies will disrupt the political landscape?

Abundance Inc.
A rising tide raises all boats. The best of us are best place to make the world better

Ideals: Competition, Opportunity
Mandate: Double racial wealth. Always use private sector capacity [freight, colony] over public sector
Taboos: Never raise shipping taxes above 0%, never run budget deficit, never tax civilian mining

Workers of the Worlds
A civilisation is judged by the prosperity of it’s poorest citizens. We will be judged worthy

Ideals: Equality, Justice
Mandate: Halve proportional and absolute unemployment
Taboos: Construct no additional automation [auto mines] until full employment achieved.

They are summarised below:

Ad Astra Forward to the Future Morrigan’s Children Terra Firma Abundance Inc. Workers of the world
New colony every 3y
Terraform RA
4x research capacity STO + Police force
on every colony
Grow WG Double Wealth 1/2 unemployment
40% industry
on expansion
Military < Commercial 50% research
on mil
All construction
on WG
No tax, no deficit, always private No automation

Vote

No single party is likely to win a majority at this stage, so coalitions are to be expected. For as long as the poll below is open, it is influencing the campaign.

Please also contribute your ideas for parties, taboos, mandates, and any other ideas. Parties often fracture and reform, new ideals drive political transformation, and the more you contribute, the better this will be!

Who are you supporting?
  • Ad Astra
  • Forward to the Future
  • Morrigan’s Children
  • Terra Firma
  • Abundance Inc.
  • Workers of the Worlds
0 voters

Interlude 1.1: VoidDancer

-— This message brought to you by Morrigan’s Children -----

Soundtrack here


Military Boardroom
Clean shaven, no nonsense General. Stern look, military attire. Broad shoulders behind simple podium. Audience filled with young, eager, bright, attentive team

Thank you for attending at such short notice. We’re on the clock, so let’s begin.

This is your mission:

Cut to night sky - inky blackness speckled with bright dots. Zoom on one dot, zoom again larger. Final zoom, swirling gas giant giant fills screen

General [voiceover]: 170 billion km of cold, unrelenting void against -

The orange/red of Morrigan, just visible behind the Military Starport slowly orbiting in the foreground

General [cont. voiceover]: 4,000 tones of shipbuilding capacity, the wealth of worlds, and the brightest minds we have.

Cut back to the General - slight smile barely visible behind stern facade

General: I know who I’m putting my money on.


Quick series of shots: researchers scribbling on bits of paper, engineer hidden behind visor as welding sparks fly, coffee slurped late at night. Coffee cup lifted off stack of papers, leaving brown half-moon stain.

Camera focus on face, frowning down behind thick glasses. Then a smile - Eureka

Plans handed from scientist in lab coat to worker in blue overalls factory. Nod of respect passes between the two

Missile Size: 5.00 MSP  (12.500 Tons)  
Speed: 640 km/s     Fuel: 6,500     
1st Stage Flight Time: 20,587 hours    1st Stage Range: 47,431.3m km
Second Stage: Geo Buoy Beta x1

A starport now, shown orbiting the blue / green marble of Wounded Garden loads Farsight Gamma missiles into the waiting vessel

VoidDancer class Geological Survey Vessel      4,000 tons 
1562 km/s
Maint Life 4.84 Years     MSP 181  Max Repair 100 MSP
Magazine 15 / 0    
Plant [6]    Control Rating 1   BRG   
Intended Deployment Time: 48 months   

StormDrive (1)    Power 125    Fuel Use 63.25%    Signature 125    Exp 10%
Fuel Capacity 750,000 Litres    Range 53.3 billion km (395 days at full power)

Avarice Launcher (3)     Missile Size: 5
Thorn Control Alpha (1)     Range 16.6m km    RES 100

Geological Survey Sensors (1)   1 Survey Points Per Hour

VoidDancer interior

Captain: Morrigan, this is VoidDancer. Permission to launch?

Morrigan [radio]: VoidDancer this is Morrigan Actual. Greens across the board - 5 by 5, you’re good to go.

Boosters thrum. Young navigator opens heart-shaped pendant round neck - pregnant woman on one half, smiling child on other. Kisses it, looks deeply for a moment, closes it. Game face on

Captain [over speaker]: Approaching LP 1: Brace for jump

Engineers clamber over pipes in the busy interior. Loose bolts stowed, crates tied down. Expert, efficient, effective.

Captain [over speaker]: Jump complete, all systems nominal. Approaching range markers.

Gentle glide through inky space as Minerva hoves into view. The team sit ready and calm

Captain: Targeting?

Targeting [tapping at keyboard] : Ready!

Captain: Launch?

Launch team [in unison]: Ready!

Captain: Missiles - away!

Dramatic burn, missiles flying from ship, gliding towards their destination

Captain [over coms]: Morrigan, this is VoidDancer. Bombs away.

Morigan: Morigan actual to VoidDancer - well done. Now get back here - there are a few fellas who want to buy you heroes a drink!

Captain: You heard the boss - take us home!

Navigator [excited]: Eye eye!

Shot from VoidDancer exterior, turning 180 degrees and burning for the LP.


Yet there’s tension now - it seemed too easy. We see a shot of the young navigator looking nervous, clasping his necklace. Cut to shot of his family, back on home soil, clustered around a radio, listening, hopeful, nervous

The fuel gauge - it’s ticking down… every inch closer is a litre more fuel they won’t get back…

image

Captain: Morrigan - we’re running on fumes here!

Morrigan: Morrigan actual to VoidDancer - steady now. Hold your course

The drives sputter… the fuel ticks down to empty… is this the end for our heroes?

Captain: Morrigan. Bingo fuel [pause]. Morrigan, do you copy?

A flash as the Dawn jumps through the LP

New voice: VoidDancer this is Dawn. Fancy a lift?

Cut briefly to interior Dawn - a grinning lady in blue overalls smokes a cigar as she talks into the radio

With a thunk, the tether leashes the VoidDancer, to the cheering of the crew

Captain: VoidDancer to Dawn - are you a sight for sore eyes!

Dawn: Next time just remember, it takes two to tango in this galaxy, VoidDancer!


Final cut to a flag, fluttering in the thin air of Morrigan

General [voiceover]: To go where others cannot go. To do what others cannot do. This is what Morrigan’s Children are!


Ambitious scouting of the distant Planet X has given Morrigan’s Children a boost at the next election

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Interlude 1.2: Contact

First contact

On 28th July 0013, at roughly 01:00 hrs, a contact peeped into view near the newly established corporate mining colony.

It’s detection was beyond a fluke - with a thermal signature barely over 100, it was only the alarmingly near pass by a developing colony that triggered detection.

The nearest military vessel - the VoidDancer, out beyond the orbit of Neptune

Worse still, not one single military grade missile in stockpiles

image

If failing to prepare is preparing to fail, we were well prepared indeed.


Action stations

Missile design

Wraith Alpha designed to be fired at 17m km, just inside the puny fire control systems aboard the VoidDancer (should it arrive in time to stock up)

Wraith Alpha
Missile Size: 5.00 MSP  (12.500 Tons)     Warhead: 4    Radiation Damage: 4
Speed: 5,800 km/s Range: 17.03m km
100% Chance to Hit: 580 km/s   50% Chance: 1,160 km/s   25% Chance: 2,320 km/s

Research was assigned:

image

7th August - too long? Who could know as the aliens approached the mining colony with purpose.

Meanwhile, on the ground, the panicked teams did the only thing they could think of - build as many telescopes as possible to track this thing!

image

It approaches…



…then ran…

…then… nothing. Scanners go dark

Days go by… then weeks…

Missiles are built, allocated, loaded. Tension and panic wracks the colonies. How could we have been left so unprepared?

Still, there’s one thing we know for sure - there are strangers out there, and we have no idea what they want.


Second contact

Two months later, the same signature appeared on the newly enhanced terrestrial sensors.

The contact has clearly circled around, hiding out in the asteroid belt as they snuck in to check the bounties of Brightwind

This time, however, we were ready.

VoidDancer shot the starter’s pistol with a clean detonation

Next came the gamble - where was he going to run? If he came from JP 1, the smart money bet he’d retreat that way too.

But with all the tubes used, what could be done?

If Dawn could drag a series of fighters into position along the path of retreat while VoidDancer kept the target detected - maybe there would be enough chances to bring it down


BINGO! Engine hit - speed tanked:

These aliens know what they’re doing, however - repairs happen almost instantly…

image

Indeed, the arrogant so-and-so stops to scan Brightwind…?

Foolish? Or does he know something we don’t?





Aftermath

The Dawn brought their destruction with the dragging of fighters. That same ship saved their desperate lives…

image
image

… and the wreck is there for us to learn from…

Interlude 1.4: Election Night 0014

News Jingle

Camera pans round brightly lit studio. Male news anchor says something to female besides him, causing her to laugh in a way that almost looks natural

Brian: I’m Brian Wilson -

Ellie: - and I’m Ellie D’Moll. Welcome to BCDAB News.

Brian: You join us for our election special. For those just tuning in, let’s have a look at the results.

Ellie: Thanks Brian - it was a close run thing, but Morrigan’s Children just squeaked out ahead of WOTW. I guess the ladies really do love a man in uniform huh?

Brian [patronising] That’s right Ellie. With neither party holding a strict majority, a coalition between these huge power blocks will be holding the reigns of power firmly and surely. But will their leaders be able to yolk the diverse and impetuous horses of public opinion like an expert charioteer, or will they be left mangled in the wreckage? Lek’tel Jones reporting from the scene;

Ellie [off mike]: Brian, what the hell was that charioteer drek? If you tortured that metaphor any more it would have been a war crime! It’s bad enough I have to be a damn news bimbo without you -


Excited newsman brushes a lock of blonde hair of his forehead as he speaks to camera. Besides him, the ‘General’ from the advert towers over him

Lek’tel: Lek’tel Jones, political correspondent reporting here from the ‘Speaker’s Pit’ here on Morrigan. General - how did you achieve such a victory here today?

General: The victory isn’t mine - it’s the brave crew of our fleets and troops - not just fending off the aliens but using their excellence to make the galaxy a safer and better place.

Lek’tel: And how do you feel about the upcoming coalition?

General: The people spoke; jobs, industry, a better quality of life. We are ready to answer - the military will always be pushing the frontier of the possible, and that will always benefit the public.


Within the infrastructure of Morrigan, the real work has been going for several weeks. Experts, organisers and civil servants walk between cubicles and across cheap carpets

Fae, a stern, no-nonsense woman, pokes her head into a cubicle. Standard grey suit, no frills, trainers with good arch support

Fae: Sarah, Jacob - walk with me.

She sets off without turning back to see if they are following.

Fae: Sarah - how are we doing on the research front

Sarah: We should be able to make it - barely. The demands are pretty steep.

Fae: Remind me - what are the tec specs of these STOs?

Sarah [handing her a page] Here are the minimum requirements

Requirement Target
Range > 200k km
Fire Rate >12 / min
Damage > 1

we think that Lasers are best here. Versatile, long range -

Fae [interrupting]: Good - Jacob, how are we gonna get them there?

Jacob: Well, there are 8 colonies, 5 of them populated and needing police crews alongside enhanced STOs. We have the squaddies doing jumping jacks on base but we’re gonna need purpose built troop transports - technology we just don’t have yet…

Fae: But we will?

Jacob [uncertain]: Erm… yes?

Fae: Good - let’s make it happen. Remember we can’t get distracted by civilian research - we have homes to protect

Jacob: And the jump point?

Fae [stops to look out of a tiny porthole, the light pink of aetherium giving the air of Morrigan a light glow] If we have time, and it’s a big if we have to get some troops and defences on the other side of one of those


Back in the studio

Brian: Of course, the WOTW make up a considerable part of this coalition. When we reached out to them for comment, they had this to say:

Ellie: Wow - some pretty radical words there from our new government! We sent Lilith Bra-ben down to the party headquarters for some follow-up. Lilith - how’s it looking over there?


It’s hard to tell if the reporter is inside a factory or a pub. Oil stained hands dip into kegs of alcohol as the shattering of dropped glass earns the eternal “waheyyy!” from hundreds of drunken, red, sweating faces amongst girders and pipes spouting steam

Lilith: The WOTW are celebrating their incredible win in their traditional style - heavy drinking and -

In the background, a woman spits a spray through a sparking welder. A huge blue cloud of flame explodes to resounding cheers and applause

Speaker[shouting] Quiet… Quiet! SHUT UP YOU CLANGERS!

In one hand he holds a lead pipe which he strikes against his artificial leg, the repeated metallic ring slowly quieting the crowd

Speaker [swaying slightly]: We have won! United we stand against the tyrant called Capital! From this day forward, we will interdict the building of:

  • Auto mines
  • Shuttle ports
  • Telescopes
  • Infrastructure
  • Any installation that does not employ workers

If it doesn’t employ a friend of mine -

Crowd [in unison]: - we refuse to give them factory time!

Speaker [if there ever was a script, he’s going off it now] Not only will we slash unemployment but we’re gonna show those plutocrats who is boss - new, more successful cooperative colonies to dwarf the private ones They’ll defect from their overlords as soon as they see our majesty!

Raucous cheering fills the room. Somewhere, a pinata in a monnocle and top hat is smashed with bats, spraying half-melted chocolates over the concrete floor, to be crushed by steel topped work boots

Lilith [shouting up at the speaker]: What is your plan for the jump point?

There’s a strange moment of silence - you can almost head the primal part of her brain asking “why is the forest suddenly so quiet?”

Speaker: What do I care about the universe out there when we have children starving down here? When the worksrscry out for work, purpose, joy, life who cares about -


“Turn it off.”

A gentle click shuts the screen off in the minimalist office. As it sinks silently into the wall, it leaves the two viewers in the dim light. A low wooden table holds two delicate glasses of amber liquid between them

Man : How did they win so much of the electorate? We are living in the time of aliens, of interstellar travel… These luddites are dragging us down into the mud!

Woman [sipping from drink]: I can only agree, my friend. But what can we do? What the voters as they are…

Man [anxious]: If only there was some way to get a bit of research time… Some minerals…I could make the first interstellar vehicle. I could show them how wrong they are, find the future!

Woman [smiling]: Professor, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship…

Given the recent events and poor showing at the elections, Ad Astra and Abundance Inc. have merged into one new party Ad Astra per Aurum

Gameplay Concequences

Taboos:

50% of research at all times must be committed to military tech

Can not build anything that does not employ workers (unless all workers are already employed)

Mandate:

STOs with at least 200k range, 12 shots per min and 2 DMG on every colony

Police units on every inhabited colony

Halve “unemployment” (Available workers) from 119.75m (9.2%) to less than 59.88m (4.6%)

Bonus:

STO and / or ground troops stationed beyond Sol

Establish new restricted military colonies (no private sector) which have higher population than current private colonies

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Report 2: 15 Jan 0015

There has been a great deal of social and political change since my last report. While less than 2 months have passed for me in the dreamless sleep of cryo, thanks to relativistic time dilation, 4 busy years have passed for the StarBorn.

Culture

With the combined influences of worker’s cooperatives and military machismo, a rugged, industrial aesthetic is ascendant.

As part of my studies I have created replicas of their food and clothing, in an effort to integrate myself remotely. I find the heavy boots and no-nonsense overalls comforting in the void of space; the echo of metal on metal with every footfall gives one a sense of forward momentum. The military rations by contrast, like all military rations throughout history, are universally disgusting.

These changes have brought problems beyond he culinary. Anything that is not a “hard science” in physics or engineering has taken a back seat - both in terms of funding and cultural prestige. Breakthroughs in visible spectrum lasers and new engines are impressive, of course, but progress seems to have come at the expense of plurality and diversity of thought.

Similarly, I have observed a creeping bias against anybody considered “a working man”. Technology has long since rendered physical bulk and essential component in building, but there are clear biases in hiring and promotion developing. In media, women and those with physical disabilities are 4.2x more likely to be shown as villains or victims than during my last report. Let us hope this trend doesn’t progress.

Planets and their names have simplified over time. Old Earth is known as Garden, orbited by Ape. Those who leave the homeworld to seek their fortunes in the financial centres and speculative banks are said to have “Gone Ape”, while those who leave for Morrigan are subject to few taunts - military earns respect you can’t buy with money.

Economics

Citizens are significantly more productive thanks to organisational and logistic breakthroughs, generating 120w/m. This has freed industrial and workforce capacity up for more research.

This budget headroom is giving the military-industrial complex space to expand and deliver wage and pension growth for the armed services. Police units sit on Morrigan awaiting postings across the system.

Despite the unionisation drives and economic growth, employment prospects have barely improved, with unemployment staying stubbornly at 9.1% - It looks like Workers of the World may not meet their electoral promises if this trend continues

Infrastructure wars

As readers are aware, the coalition Workers of the Worlds have forbidden the manufacturing of new infrastructure, significantly limiting the growth of colonies.

Ape is now almost perfectly teraformed, freeing thousands of infrastructure units that are now a finite resource.

Private enterprise is trying to buy this up even as the publicly owned freight fleets commandeer the infrastructure for use on Morrigan and the newly established Concordance base orbiting Jupiter.

The private fleets have been distracted by the lucrative trade between Garden and Ape, loosing focus on supporting their distant colonies. Concordance, singificantly easier to teraform than either of the private colonies, may give Workers of the World the chance to complete their bonus objective. Time will tell - but the fact that they control the taxes on private freight mean they can simply tax them into failure to pursue success.

Politics

Politics is becoming increasingly geographically distributed:

Here we see how the Workers of the Worlds (blue) are competing with the newly assembled and financially capable Ad Astra Per Aurum (yellow) over the colonies in Jupiter’s moons.

Brightwind, which remains dotted with automated mines, is the economic support line to the military Morrigan. In this way, despite not being coalition partners, the plutocrats have significant political influence over the ruling military party. “Unexpected maintenance” on the mass drivers always seems to begin when wealth tax is on the political agenda, and service is always restored whenever the inheritance tax votes fail.

Political responses to alien incursion

The political parties have begun to express clear political positions on the subject of aliens. Indeed, thanks to their (harmless) incursion, a xenophobic strain of protectionism has sprung up - Reclaim your future!. A fusion of futurism and fear, it deems any and all alien life a threat.

Naturally, I am personally deeply opposed to this movement as an ‘alien’ myself. This responses is, however, understandable given the sudden and unexpected arrival of an alien vessel. Who can say when more will arrive?

Political positions

While the political positions are still crystallising, my ship’s ability to intercept and decode supposedly secure communications has given me the inside line on as-yet-unanounced policy positions.

The incumbents are being forced to up the ante on their current positions, adding new mandates to stay relevant. This is unsurprising - the man willing to kill to feed his family will probably stay home rather than campaign for a marginally better dental plan. As militancy in the successful parties reduces, their appeals have to get louder.

Workers of the Worlds

Even as they struggle to meet their old mandate to halve unemployment, they are already planning to roll automation back and replace it with human jobs across colonies Naturally, their old taboo against automation is well established.

Controversially, they seem to be planning a policy of forced labour for criminals, particularly those of a political variety. Should this come to pass, it may mitigate some of the efficiency losses that such an anti-automation position mandates, but at what cost?

Their response to the aliens is surprisingly moderate - they are content to repel them from their systems, but do not seek to drive them out of existing territories. Should they capture them, they have no concerns over forced alien labour, but are not seeking conflict out.

Morrigan’s Children

As military research and capacity expands rapidly, it seems likely that they will meet their existing mandate, and so have extended their position for the next election - all inhabited systems must be surrounded by militarised buffer zones with STOs and surveillance for early warning against incursion.

The success of the current military research boom is hard to argue with, and will continue. Their strategy appears to be one of offence when it comes to the aliens, who they have no problem enslaving when required. StarBorn must remain free, however.

Ad Astrum per Aurum

This new coalition of plutocrats and futurists have a clear mandate - throw off the Luddite yolk and industrialise space with mining stations and fuel production across the home system. While the specifics are yet to be locked in, they want at least 10% of resources to be generated from these new technologies.

They have a strong free market doctrine, and absolutely forbid the taxation of the private sector, which can never be idle and must be supported by government contracts if there is no natural demand. Furthermore, the scientists are experimenting with a hybrid design doctrine which mandates that every station and ship must be dual purpose - a survey ship with missile launchers for defence, a colony transport that is also a troop transport.

They are against forced labour of any kind and want to reconcile with the aliens - they will not fire upon aliens that have not fired upon them before to try and open new markets and opportunities.

Reclaim your future!

This party has one purpose - exterminate any aliens they can get their hands on. They promise they will take a system or colony from the ‘other’, and cannot tolerate their presence whatsoever. They enslave them only as an alternative to their extermination.

Single minded and single-issue, they hare a polarising party that can bring support with their clear message.

Summary table

Workers of the Worlds Morrigan’s Children Ad Astra per Aurum Reclaim your future!
Mandate Halve unemployment & eliminate automation from all mining colonies while increasing output Defend every colony & create buffer system Industrialise space Take a colony or system from the alien menace
Taboo Automation >50% Mil Research Reaganomics & Hybrid doctrine Tolerating xenos
StarBorn forced labour? Yes No No No
Alien forced labour? Yes No No Yes
Alien Civilisations Repel Attack Reconcile Exterminate
Who are you supporting in the upcoming vote?
  • Workers of the Worlds
  • Morrigan’s Children
  • Ad Astra per Aurum
  • Reclaim your future
0 voters

Bonus:

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