Kintsugi

I think that clears up my concerns, thank you.

I hope this doesn’t come off the wrong way, but I feel like you misinterpreted Biesel’s lore if you ever read it as being a “genuine beacon of liberty”. For the duration of at least my time on this server, Biesel has always been a carefully tended asset for the megacorporations, and the facade of being a beacon of liberty is a key component of that artificially constructed state - sure, some characters in the lore have been true believers in Biesel and it’s not so cut-and-dry as “Biesel is solely a corporate puppet state” by any means, but the fundamental nature of the state is that it is a corporate cash-cow dressed up as a liberal democracy. Likewise, I’m concerned about how you framed the dynamic powering Biesel as a dichotomy of either being like Sol to being like a sort of True Free Biesel. Similarities have more to do with the nature of imperialism as opposed to the characteristics possessed by either state, and furthermore I can’t help but point out that I think the way that you describe Sol itself as being out of alignment with the actual lore of the state. Your desire to “De-Sol” Biesel begs the question of how you intend to do so, and if you’re framing the “Sol-like” traits as the evil parts of Biesel, don’t you run the risk of turning IW2 into a conflict between a “good” side and a “bad” side? Maybe I’m not communicating my feelings well, but in general the way you’ve framed this answer has me concerned about your goals with the position - whitewashing Biesel would be massively detrimental to the server, in my opinion, and I hope that’s not what you intend to do. To close off, the final sentence there almost reads as an ultimatum that you want to take Biesel in a specific direction and you will not pursue this application further if you’re not able to do so. It was part of the job description that megacorp writers are going to have to deal with deferring to other teams and the loremasters more commonly than the species teams would have to, and I don’t think this attitude meshes well with that need. I hope you can clear up these concerns for me; thank you!

I noticed that you didn’t really speak much about Biesel. Could you elaborate on what direction you feel you’d like to take the Republic of Biesel in, especially in the context of what you know about Anabasis? I would personally argue that Biesel is the far more important responsibility for this new team to handle, especially in light of how the megacorporations are changing to become a less dominant force. With regards to other lore teams, how well do you feel you’ll be able to accommodate their vision? Are you able to accept compromise and defer to other teams when necessary to do so? The changing nature of Biesel and the megacorporations is going to necessitate extensive cooperation with other lore teams, and with much already being worked on behind the scenes, do you feel you’ll be able to mesh in with an internal vision you might not like? I would also disagree to an extent with your characterization of Avarizia and other freelancer groups as resembling the megacorporations and having the potential to become new ones, but that’s a relatively minor point. I hate to bring this up because it was an incident that happened all the way back in 2024, but one major concern I have is how you are able to handle friction and disagreements. While we sorted this out and the matter is several years old, I recall a point in time where you blocked me over what I believe was a minor lore disagreement, if my memory serves me correctly. While obviously this is not reflective of how you might be in the present as there’s a significant time gap involved here, I still have my concerns about how you’ll be able to handle players and other lore writers disagreeing with you or saying things you find objectionable - do you feel you’ll be able to do so without having to cut off contact entirely?

Department of Defense Announces Rollout of Kyoto-class Battleship UNITY STATION (GST) - The Department of Defense today has announced the long-embattled Kyoto-class battleship project has met all DoD specifications, and procurement of the ship for all major combat fleets was now underway. This development comes after years of revision and back-and-forth negotiations between Secretary of Defense Lucien Courtois and his counterparts in the top ranks of the admiralty, as the Kyoto-class has been plagued by decades of development woes - with both political malfeasance from within the Navy and corruption among military and civilian administrators responsible for the project that had reached its peak under the Frost administration. By far the most modern craft to ever serve with the Navy, the Kyoto-class represents the cutting edge of naval warfare and design, with a suite of highly advanced weapons, automation systems, sensors, engines and bleeding-edge plasteel-polymer ceramic composite armor. While originally intended to replace the Navy’s aging Rome-class battleships completely, phoron supply shortfalls have made this decision effectively impossible - instead, the Rome-class will undergo modernization to use the most effective non-phoronic equipment at the Navy’s disposal, with some hulls scrapped, some assigned to second-line fleets and training formations, and the excess being either modernized and mothballed or mothballed outright. Another key change to the program is the decision to use a Suzuki-Hammer drive instead of a bluespace drive, which came as a consequence of the aforementioned phoron procurement and supply issues. SecD. Courtois gave this statement alongside the announcement: “The success of the Kyoto-class program has been a major demonstration to the rest of the Spur of our recovering strength, as well as our continued commitment to peace through deterrence. Sol has always stood as the foremost guardian of humanity throughout the Orion Spur, and the Kyoto-class shows that we are serious about maintaining that role - our Sovereign Alliance will always be ready to bring peace and prosperity by any means necessary. Further Reading: Priscilla Keeser Photographed Visiting First Moroz PAWELWURST Location Department of State Issues “Do Not Travel” Order for Serene Republic of Elyra, Citing Mounting Unrest and Violence Rumors of Phoron in the Lemurian Sea Puzzle Observers, Experts

Valley Hale Bilateral Settlement with Biesel Reached UTHMA, PERSEPOLIS (GST) - After weeks of intensive negotiations with officials from Biesel, good news has come from Mendell City today, as the diplomats assigned to talks with the Tau Cetians over the status of the Valley Hale and a number of other border areas have come to report that a settlement has been reached with their counterparts with Biesel. While not all conditions of the agreement have been revealed at this time, it is reported that the Serene Republic will recognize the space occupied by Biesel in the region as legally Tau Ceti’s, in exchange for finalizing the borders between our two nations and a commitment to strengthening bilateral security cooperation. The agreement comes as a profound relief to many domestic observers, as the border with Biesel has been a persistent issue for relations between our two countries ever since the Solarian collapse several years ago. Friction on the border began with the establishment of the Orchard Moon phoron mining and processing facility, an SCC industrial site established in territory previously claimed by both nations. A number of minor incidents involving corporate vessels and Elyran border guards further cooled ties, as Biesel began committing a significant quantity of TCAF squadrons to the Valley Hale region in order to enforce their claims. Nonetheless, as the spur grows more dangerous by the year, officials within both governments recognized that our two Republics are stronger together than apart, and diplomatic efforts to repair ties and resolve areas of contention beginning this year have finally come to produce meaningful results. It is expected that the solidification of the border will allow significant quantities of Naval forces to be relocated to the western border of the Serene Republic as Imperial encroachment continues there, providing a major boost in forces there alongside the arrival of NCP draftees to the frontline in several months. Further Reading: NCP Draft Riots Continue Across the Republic Rumors of Phoron in the Lemurian Sea, “Absurd,” says Finance Minister MP Gökay Slams NCP Draftees as “Unprofessional”, “Inept”, and “Detrimental to overall readiness” in Fiery Speech

I see absolutely no reason to compel people to play the game against their will. Succumb allows people to take their exit when they’ve lost all character agency or when it would be most suited for roleplay. If people are using it to avoid roleplay because they’re only here to frag, they should be dealt with by moderation.

Dave has been an immense help to human lore alone on multiple fronts and I think he would be an excellent addition to the wiki team

Visegradi Restaurant Chain to Expand to Empire of Dominia FELLEGVAR, VISEGRAD (GST) - In light of the success of Pan-Solarian’s Callisto-Visegrad-Moroz line and a remarkable degree of enthusiasm for the restaurant among Imperial visitors to the rainy world, the Visegradi currywurst chain PAWELWURST has recently announced plans to open several locations on Moroz in Q2 2468, with further aims to open restaurants on Novi Jadran if the Morozian ventures prove successful. A mainstay on Visegrad, PAWELWURST is most known for its vintage-styled restaurant kiosks, which are ubiquitous throughout the planet’s cities and designed to be highly efficient in space management. Imperial opinions are most positive towards the chain’s pork and beef sausages, with the Visegradi-native wollbiest sausages being more contentious; though few nobles surveyed reported enjoying them, the rich and fatty meat of the wollbiest is especially popular among Jadraners. Spokesperson for PAWELWURST, Anton Kasparek, gave this statement alongside the announcement: “The aim of PAWELWURST has always been twofold: to be the best taste of Fellegvar you can get anywhere in the spur, and to always have a meal ready for you when you need it most. Those were the goals of our founder, Pawel Popescu, and we’ve stayed true to them all these decades later. I know Pawel would have been honored to bring Visegradi cuisine to Moroz, and we will continue to make him proud as we grow and expand further in the coming years.” Further Reading: Cooking: Earth Classics with an Alien Twist Drugs For Every Vice: How Venus’ Criminal Underworld Works Fleet Admiral Klaudia Szalai to Hold Officers’ Symposium on Alliance-Imperial Cooperation in Fellegvar

Sorry fuys

Ministry of Tourism and External Affairs Revokes Diplomatic Recognition of Empire of Dominia UTHMA, PERSEPOLIS (GST) - In the continuing aftermath of the Zhu Yu border incident, the Ministry of Tourism and External Affairs has moved to revoke diplomatic recognition of the Empire of Dominia following the passage of the “Republic Border Defense Act”, which denounces the Empire’s ongoing expansionism in the Sparring Sea and throughout the spur and bolsters spending on defense by a further 25% increase. The act, floored by MP (EPP) Gökay, is meant to set a red line in the sand for the Imperials that further border incursions will not be tolerated, and directs the government to avoid diplomatic contact with the Imperials until such a time that their aggressive posture has ceased. Already all diplomatic staff within the Empire have been recalled to the Republic, and the Imperial facilities on Persepolis have been shuttered, with their staff awaiting transportation back to Moroz. MP Gökay had this to say to ENN reporters: “It is fundamentally clear to all those who are conscious of the actions undertaken by the Imperials that their intention is to conquer us. These constant surveillance missions and violations of our sanitary cordon serve one end: to wear down our readiness and to determine our weaknesses. What the Imperials do not know, however, is that we are an unbroken people, who have thrown off the shackles of the Sol Alliance and repelled the invasion of the Lii’dra; we are not afraid of their bellicosity. We stand united and ready to defeat any aggressor. This act sends the Empire a powerful message: we will not capitulate to tyranny.” The Morozian government has yet to respond at this time. Further Reading: Reservist Training Call Ups Doubled by Border Defense Act: What Reservists Need to Know Damascene Alcohol Industry Reports Revenue Decline Due to Diminished Domestic Market Diplomatic Mission Reportedly to Meet With Biesel

Navy Issues Statement on Escalating Imperial Salami-Slicing Tactics UTHMA, PERSEPOLIS (GST) - In response to false claims issued by the Imperial government on Moroz regarding a border incursion that took place last week, the Navy has held a press conference with ENN and a number of independent citizen-journalists in order to dispel the allegations of the Dominian media and its diplomats. Key details revealed by the Navy include that contrary to Imperial claims, the vessel known as “Zhu Yu” was operating in a Navy-imposed sanitary cordon where Imperial vessels were explicitly disallowed, and that it was engaged in active surveillance of Elyran border space. Proof of those allegations come in the form of survey data recovered from the wreckage of the Zhu Yu prior to its scuttling, after Morozian forces had abandoned it in response to severe asteroid damage. Attached is a partial recording of the press conference, with the questions and answers segment omitted: The recording depicts a scene that those who follow ENN closely would recognize: a Naval officer with a neat buzzcut stands at a podium at the front of a sterile conference room, with a gaggle of various reporters and cameramen visible throughout the space. After a few moments of silence, the officer begins to address the small crowd. “Good afternoon, my fellow citizens. The purpose of this press conference is two-fold; to report on the escalation of Imperial salami-slicing in our border space, and to provide an after-action report regarding the pursuit of the Zhu Yu, an Imperial spy ship. For those unaware, salami-slicing is a tactic in which gradual, small actions are taken to achieve a greater overall goal. At this point in time, the Imperials have engaged in such actions over the past several years, with the rate of such actions greatly accelerating over the last year. Dominian outposts have been constructed throughout space to the Serene Republic’s galactic southwest, and Imperial patrols have increasingly come closer and closer to our sanitary cordon. Last week, a naval border patrol responsible for maintaining the cordon detected an Imperial surveillance vessel later identified as the “Zhu Yu” active within it. This ship gave chase, and the Zhu Yu refused to comply with our security action, fleeing into a large asteroid belt within the system in an effort to avoid detection. Due to navigational errors on the part of the Morozian crew, the ship took substantial damage, and its crew fled to a third party corporate vessel. Naval Infantry teams promptly boarded the wreck of the Zhu Yu to gather evidence, and recovered the ship’s survey database. Review by naval intelligence analysts found that the data within contained scans of Naval outposts and civilian industrial sites throughout Republican border space and the sanitary cordon, along with those of unclaimed worlds in the region that we believe the Imperials intend to establish outposts upon. After proper documentation of the wreckage and the necessary search and rescue efforts were completed, the Zhu Yu was scuttled in order to deny the Imperials an opportunity to recover it.” This newest escalation of efforts to undermine our border security has prompted intense discussion within analyst circles, with debate raging about the best way to stop the Imperial encroachment without further inflaming tensions. Hawks within the national security establishment have advocated for naval infantry to board any craft that violates the anti-Imperial cordon, whereas more moderate voices instead advocate for an expansion of the cordon and for the reassignment of patrols in the Valley Hale to be rerouted to the Sparring Sea. The entire press conference can be viewed at the navy’s extranet site. Further Reading: Heartwarming: Patriotic Doner Shop Owner Gives Free Meals to Veterans and Servicemen Medina Unrest Among NCPs Continues Following Substance Control Act What’s Next For The Phoron Industry? Pathways to Recovery and Growth

I think the volume of replies to this thread shows that it goes without saying that Joe is one of Aurora’s best players, and at the very least I personally have met few better than him in the long period of my time playing here. Give him a command WL lol

Anti-Corporate League Asylum-Seekers on Himeo HORNER STATION, HIMEO (GST) - With the third anniversary of the Solarian Civil War’s end taking place this year, there will doubtlessly be much attention on veterans of the conflict in interstellar media; there is one group of combatants who have lived a quiet life since the end of the war, however, and that is the community of Solarians now living on Himeo who fought for the anti-corporate League of Corporate-Free Systems. With the League decisively defeated by the Solarian Restoration Front towards the end of the war, it stood no chance at resisting the Federal Solarian intervention when the Alliance finally came to the aid of the forces of the Middle-Ring Shield Pact. Those fleets and soldiers that remained largely surrendered to government forces, but many attempted to flee into the Coalition’s territory. While most were interned and eventually repatriated to the Alliance by various member-state border forces, one key government accommodated some of them: the United Syndicates of Himeo. This community, numbering in the thousands, largely consists of the ideologically-motivated camp of the League. Many are outspoken socialists or syndicalists, and their continued presence in the world is largely owing to their ties to the Himean syndicates. Alongside Gadpathur, Himeo faced a substantial amount of pushback from within the Coalition for providing clandestine aid to the League. Unlike Gadpathur, however, where the motivation was largely pragmatic anti-Solarian grand strategy, Himean ties to the League were more grounded in shared values and ideological similarities - though conflicts did arise with those who were more motivated by their own ambitions within the multi-layered hierarchy of the League, various syndicates and figures within them maintained contacts with those “true believers” who now form the bulk of the community on Himeo. When the military situation for the League collapsed, it was through these contacts that the lucky few who managed to escape did so. The highest ranking figure to have done so is Commodore Chau Tuan Duc, a New Hai Phonger who largely remains as the de facto head of the community to this day. Highly private and with a reputation for deep rumination, the Commodore rarely makes public appearances or statements, but some things are known about the ex-Solarian officer: an ardent New Hai Phongese socialist, the Commodore long had a reputation even within the Solarian military for his beliefs, which brought him into conflict with the Frost administration. Though career assessments had often credited him with being highly competent, he was nonetheless repeatedly passed over throughout his period of service for promotions and given second-rate postings, which is precisely how he came to find himself in New Atlantica at the time of the Solarian collapse. From there, he took up a place as the head of the “true believer” faction within the League, and is rumored to have been a vital point of contact for pro-League figures on Himeo. Today, the ex-League community on Himeo is something of a relic - often too small to be noticed, they nonetheless have made an outsized impact on intellectual discourse within the United Syndicates, and the Himeans have been totally reticent to continued requests for repatriation by the Solarian government. In the eyes of the Solarian public, Front veterans often attract far more antipathy, and so there has been little pressure on the Alliance to make meaningful efforts to bring them before a military tribunal - and so it seems that these final holdouts may well be fated to be forgotten by their government, the last fighters of a war the spur has moved on from. Further Reading: OPINION: Lycoris - Sol’s Problem Child What is New Hai Phonger “Evilrhyme”? A Burgeoning Musical Genre Galatean Food Organisms Coming to Interstellar Market in 2468.

Non-Citizen Substance Control Act Passes Parliament UTHMA, PERSEPOLIS (GST) - Having been proposed weeks ago by MP (EPP) Gökay and finally floored today after several rounds of revision, the Elyran People’s Party’s Non-Citizen Substance Control Act has passed with a vote mostly along party lines. The EPP, Muslim Democratic Conference, and Republican Revolutionary Party have all unanimously backed the proposal, with only the League of United Republicans voting against it, though several members of the LUR broke from party ranks with votes of abstention or support. The bill, which restricts Non-Citizen Persons from purchasing alcohol, other legal recreational substances, and certain precursors to commonly abused illicit drugs, is meant to decrease the rates of NCP-caused workplace incidents and to suppress crime, which has skyrocketed among Non-Citizens over the past two years. It also includes penalties for those citizens found to be selling banned substances to NCPs, including fines and even jail time. When pressed for comment about the success of the motion to codify the act into law, Representative Gökay had this to say to ENN reporters: “This act is a huge victory for all Elyran citizens, who for far too long have had to tolerate absolutely unacceptable behavior from the Non-Citizen populace. Hooliganism, petty crime, rioting, pure laziness – we invite these people into our country, give them work, and this is what they give us in return. Now that’s changing; they come here for employment, not to party, and that’s what they should be doing. If they lack the self control to manage their vices, the Republic will have to do what is necessary to correct this.” Enforcement of the act is set to begin effective immediately, with the government ordering all licensed liquor vendors in the nation to immediately cease sales to NCPs and for the police to begin actively monitoring NCP communities for illicit substance use or manufacture. Further Reading: 2467 Sees Record Number of Dominian Incursions into Republic Border Space Recipes from Biesel: Cuisine from Around the Spur NCP Interests Organization Protests Substance Control Act’s Passage

An Interview With Phoronics Industry Foreman HARBA, MEDINA (GST) - With reports beginning to indicate that 2467 may have been one of the worst years for the phoronics industry in the Republic’s history, ENN has recently held an interview with Mehdi Adanir, one of the foremen responsible for overseeing the refining of the planet’s raw phoron and its transport off-world. According to Mr. Adanir, many causes can be attributed to the 2467 retraction of phoron yields - but first and foremost, it appears that an insufficient workforce, combined with NCP absenteeism and criminal deviance, has made it increasingly difficult to locate, harvest, and refine the substance responsible for Medina’s vast wealth and prosperity. The interview in full follows: The clip reveals a modest office, decorated with abstract art and a number of photographs of Medina’s surface from both the ground and from orbit. The man being interviewed is a thin, short individual with pinched, weaselly features. Across from him sits a woman in a mauve hijab and a smart-looking skirtsuit. She smiles warmly at the camera before she begins speaking, her expression inviting and reassuring. “Hello, my fellow citizens, and welcome to our interview with Mehdi Adanir, a refinery foreman who previously worked at the Mahammad Aydamir facility on Aemaq. Thank you for being with us, Mister Adanir.” The slight man responds with a smile of his own, though without the confidence or warmth of the reporter. In general, his behavior suggests timidity, or a distinct sense of unease. “Thank you for having me, Aisha. I’ve always wanted to be on the news,” he says, with a nervous chuckle. The reporter - evidently Aisha - nods, mirth evident on her features. “Well, we’re happy to make your wish come true. Now, a lot of our Republic’s citizens are concerned, with good reason - phoron forms a substantial part of our economy, and a decline in yields is always a cause for concern. What can you tell us about the state of the industry, and why might we be experiencing this retraction in returns?” “It is ultimately a rather straightforward problem, I’m afraid we simply do not have enough workers.”, Mehdi begins, gesticulating vaguely. “Phoronics is a dangerous field, and most citizens are not suited for the risks it entails. As such, most of our workers are non-citizens…” “And while Medina is rich in phoron, most of the best surface veins are already exploited. What remains at the surface is low-yield, sand phoron. It takes significant refining to be made into a useful product.”, he continues. “But there are subsurface reserves, correct?” Aisha asks. With a nod, Mehdi begins to answer her question. “Yes, the richest in the spur that we know of. But to access the subsurface veins, there are significant resource investments required. Workers must find the pockets of high-grade phoron, and then they must set up the infrastructure to extract it, and then transport it back to the refinery. Without enough workers, this process can take a very long time, and work fatigue sets in very quickly.” With a thoughtful look and a nod, the reporter begins a new line of questioning, “And what would you attribute this workforce shortage to?”, she asks. The foreman frowns almost instantly and says simply, “The non-citizens are becoming too lazy, and too few in number. I know there have been fewer arrivals in recent years, but the bigger problems are, well - personal failures, you see.” “Could you elaborate?” Aisha replies. “Yes, of course. Many are simply no longer showing up to work. Some are showing up intoxicated, high on whatever junk they can get their hands on. Plus there’s overwork - with so few workers, the ones we have need to pull more shifts, or nobody gets paid. It is becoming impossible to rely on them, at this point. Too much criminality, too much entitlement, too many complaints…” For once the reporter’s smile fades, and a serious look comes across her features. “Deeply concerning. Well, thank you for your time, Mister Adanir. You’ve been a tremendous help for our fellow citizens.” “Thank you for having me, thank you.” The weaselly man says, nodding vigorously. Reports indicate that NCP immigration is expected to continue falling in 2468, and it isn’t clear how the phoronics industry will accommodate further workforce shortfalls. While in the past it has been believed that most illicit drugs in use by the NCP population were smuggled into the country, government officials have confirmed that the majority are now being manufactured by NCP criminal syndicates within the Republic. Further Reading: Bill Introduced to Parliament Will Ban Alcohol, Certain OTC Drug Sales to NCPs Imperial “Salami-Slicing” Tactics Continue in the Sparring Sea, Navy Reports “On Purple Dunes” Experiences Box-Office Bust for Opening Weekend Showings