La Villa Strangiato

The Story So Far: Biesel’s Presidential Candidates Part 2, Article #1 of the 2466 of the Biesel Election Arc The glittering blue logo of the Orion Spur Oracle flashes across the screen, with a triumphant jingle playing. At the news desk is a woman with dark skin and a short afro styled in something of a pixie cut. Her left eye is an emerald green cybernetic. She smiles with a set of very white teeth. “Good afternoon, and welcome back to the Orion Spur Oracle. I’m Trisha Lamonte, filling in for Evan Yong. With elections in the Republic of Biesel heating up, and all candidates having established their party policy, I have political scientist Dr. Karen Matsuhiro, of New Gibson University, with me today to discuss the party platforms, and what the preliminary polls mean for the race.” The screen splits to display Trisha alongside a professorial-looking Asian woman, with short black hair, squarish glasses, and a severe expression. “Hi, Trisha. It’s great to be here today.” “Hi, Karen! What can you tell us about the general climate of this election so far?” “Well, it’s obviously unlike anything Biesel has ever seen… because it’s our very first real election,” Karen says, with an ironic smile. “I think that despite obviously commanding the Vaurca vote, President Dorn’s position is in very real jeopardy–” Trisha abruptly cuts in. “And why would you say that?” A pause, in which Karen’s eyes briefly flash with what looks like annoyance. “...I’d say that it’s definitely because President Dorn hasn’t been holding the approval of the human, Skrellian, and Tajaran demographic,” she continues, “as we saw last year with the Mictlan protests.” “But weren’t these protests a fairly small minority of anti-government demonstrations, Karen?” Trisha replies pointedly. “I’d actually say that given the attendees of these protests were estimated to number in the hundreds of thousands to over a million, that these aren’t small minorities. We’ve seen some somewhat contradictory messaging from President Dorn’s campaign–” “Contradictory how?” “I was just about to say, it seems that President Dorn and High Queen Vaur are trying to appeal to synthetic suspicion and synthetic votes and sympathy, respectively,” says Karen, brow slightly furrowed. “President Dorn’s advertisements featuring him are referencing the Rampancy Crisis on Konyang, promoting ‘state security’... there’s an attempt to appeal to Skrell and other synthetic-skeptic demographics. Meanwhile, Queen Vaur’s themed advertisements showcase the Zo’ra Hive’s support of less restricted IPC freedoms, and simplifying the process of gaining citizenship.” “Mm-hm,” Trisha says, nodding. “How does that compare to the campaigns of the other candidates with less advertising reach?” “Well, it seems to be setting them against every other candidate, for one–” “That seems like a fairly early assumption to make.” “I was just about to finish, Trisha. There’s already been a motion introduced in Parliament by the Cetian Conservatives to prevent Bound Vaurcae from voting, which is a clear response to Queen Vaur’s potential vice presidency. Speaker Torvald has been amassing a lot of support in New Gibson’s electoral districts with a Vaurca-skeptic– not anti-Vaurca, but close– stance, while Vi’tak and Montgomery have focused on criticising the choice of candidate that could secure Dorn an election he seems very unpopular in.” “Really. And why would you, Karen, say that Dorn is an unpopular president?” Trisha’s tone makes it seem as though the very thought is preposterous. “He– Dorn is an unpopular president at the moment, given the recent approval rating statistics,” Karen continues, voice tight. “The Torvald-Uysal campaign is drawing massive attention at rallies, with the Vi’tak-Courbeau coming in third. And given how popular a more corporate-critical perspective is with the Vi’tak crowd and some Torvald supporters, I would say that this is in direct contrast with the support President Dorn has received from the Trasens.” Trisha’s expression is cool, and she seems to measure her words before speaking again. “How would you say the other candidates weigh up against these campaigns you’ve mentioned?” “I would say… that the Karrakhan-Kurr’harra campaign is likely to be out of the race fairly early, statistically speaking,” replies the professor, a light somewhere off her screen making her glasses flash white. “They’re more or less a single-issue campaign, which while significant for their presence in Parliament doesn’t bode well for a chance at Karrakhan winning the presidency. Harbinger of Peaceful Purposes and Gently Twirling Fuschia Petals have made themselves controversial, aligning themselves with the Trinary Church at this time, so soon after the Rampancy. Montgomery and C-Pericardium, while obviously synthetic, have gained a bit of popularity among pro-corporates and the citizens looking to make peace with Sol, although their support of Einstein Engines and plans to deal with other foreign corporations like Elco make them less than an ideal choice for a corporate voting lobby. T-this is especially after NanoTrasen has pulled out from the Republic of Elyra…” Karen pauses, eyes flicking to look at something out of the camera’s view. Trisha takes the opportunity to interject again. “What do you think the approval of Hive Zo’ra of President Dorn’s campaign means for the presidency in general?” Karen actually laughs a little bit. “Well, Trisha, I don’t know what to tell you on that one. You don’t have to be hateful to Vaurca or– dislike them to realise that even if Bound Vaurcae can’t vote, there’s millions of Zo’rane citizens who will vote for Dorn. And that’s not exactly representative of… democracy, or fair polling.” “Why is that, Karen?” Trisha replies, raising an eyebrow. “Do you disagree with Hive Zo’ra being citizens?” “What? No,” Karen says, brow furrowing. “That’s not what I meant at all, I meant that Vaurcae are biologically compelled to support their Gynes, and–” “So you think they’re incapable of making their own decisions?” Trisha’s tone has become one of faux offense. “No! No, I’m– this is fact, it’s been supported by numerous scholarly xenobiological institutions, they’ll do what they’re told if their Queen asks them to do it–” “Alright,” Trisha retorts coolly, and Karen’s voice is suddenly cut. Her mouth on the screen continues to move, but no sound emits. “I’m sorry, Karen, but we can’t have that kind of rhetoric on the Orion Spur Oracle… or anywhere. I think we’re going to have to move on to Saeed Chamcha with national news.” The camera cuts to Saeed Chamcha, who bears his usual neatly-oiled and combed dark hair and a slightly chagrined expression. “Thank you, Trisha. Ringspire and PMCG CEO and Eridanian chief of system security, Kubra Mobolaji, has made a visit to Mictlan to officially welcome former Samaritan Salvador Clemente of the Grupo Amapola to the PMCG.” Cut to footage of a small antechamber, where two men shake hands. One of them could not be anything but Kubra Mobolaji; he is a tall, imposing man in a tidy light blue suit, with clearly cybernetic silver eyes. He smiles a glittery smile as cameras flash. Salvador Clemente is smaller, thinner, and wiry, with chin-length black hair in a ponytail. He wears a dark suit and his smile is reticent. Saeed’s voice comes in. “With the acceptance of the Grupo Amapola, a contract has been mediated between the upper echelons of the PMCG and the government of the Republic of Biesel. It is expected that the Grupo Amapola will assist alongside Ringspire and Sekhmet Intergalactic in the Hinterlands, and the Nieutzytek region.” The camera fades back to Saeed at his desk. “Coming up next; discontent rising in Port Antillia as Fujin Spaceport’s construction goes onward. Has Premier Guerrier gone back on his campaign promises?”

"Grupo Amapola", Mictlan-Based Private Security, Joins Private Military Contracting Group The Grupo Amapola, a private security force founded by ex-Samaritan officer Salvador Clemente, has entered an agreement with the Eridani-based Private Military Contracting Group. In an official statement yesterday, chief executive officer of the PMCG and its constituent company Ringspire welcomed Amapola into the collective, and said he was pleased to further cooperation with Mictlan after "the unfortunate expulsion of N4NL from the nation". "My esteemed colleagues and I at the Group are happy to sponsor Mr. Clemente, and we see it as an excellent investment to further a working relationship with all members of the Republic of Biesel," said Mobolaji. Clemente, who was previously a captain in the Mictlan Defense Forces prior to the Solarian Collapse, said he was "content to let bygones be bygones". "Our nation is still a nation that is run on the credit," said Clemente. "And some of us are still in need of careers, even after the Peacekeeper Mandate is over. I'm a practical man first, and a man who holds any grudges second." The Grupo Amapola's operations and contracts will remain under the control of Clemente, but they will be expected to cooperate with other member-corporations of the PMCG, and remain on similar sides of a conflict. They are also expected to maintain amiable relations with other SCC corporations, and members of Amapola can be deployed to SCC facilities if requested. Currently, Clemente has stated there are talks with the Republic of Biesel, the former enemy combatant of the Samaritan paramilitary group, to patrol the Hinterlands region of frontier space for pirates, anti-Republic insurgents, and Solarian military vessels and remnants.

I play the character who (roleplayed) giving the stress ball! I would love to PR this to be in the loadout/add a box of them to the psych's locker, either is fine.

President Dorn’s Approval Ratings Drop to Record Lows Article #8 of the 2466 Biesel Election Arc A poll from New Gibson University has seen President Joseph Dorn’s approval rating drop to 33%, the lowest in his entire presidency. The responses collected mostly point to the administration’s handling of the Peacekeeper Mandate and Mictlan, the ongoing Mandate Committee, with some also criticising his close ties with NanoTrasen and the privileges allegedly afforded to megacorporations within Biesel. President Dorn’s approval rating was the lowest among the Tajara demographic, the factors cited being perceived laxity towards criminal activity and lack of development within District Six. In contrast, President Dorn’s approval rating is nearly unanimous among the Vaurcaesian populace, with 95% of interviewed Vaurcae expressing high approval of the Dorn-Vaur campaign. Around 46% of non-Vaurca respondents expressed disagreement with Dorn’s support of Hive Zo’ra and Queen Vaur being chosen as his running mate. A recent rally in New Sedantis saw incredible turnout, the best of the campaign so far. Hivenet monitoring on Biesel and New Gibson indicates that signals have tripled within the past month. The Foundation for Ethical Xenobiology estimates that High Queen Vaur’s approval rate among Biesellite Vaurcae sits at around 98%. The last time a vice presidential candidate saw such universal approval among a demographic was former vice president Fahjil Hurk’jurl, at 64% among the Tajara population of Tau Ceti. Among positronics of the Republic, Vaur’s approval rating sits at roughly 68%, attributed to her support for full citizenship and expansion of synthetic rights and protections. Aristatlus Cinch, Secretary of IPC Relations, recently endorsed High Queen Vaur for Vice President, saying “[t]he High Queen is leading the charge for diversity within a society that, before independence, might have had the government slaughter her and her people. While she is not positronic, she speaks for all of us who struggle to be recognized as persons in our own right.” The Dorn-Vaur approval rating is the highest among synthetic of a low-income bracket, and Secretary Cinch’s statement cemented a surge in approval. This contrasts a lower approval rating in the same demographic of Montgomery, the synthetic leader of the Progressive Party. As the investigation by the Mandate Committee continues, analysts and law experts speculate that criminal charges will be filed against several high-ranking officers within the Armed Forces, in the wake of General Meredith Trent’s cross-examination that revealed she was aware of and approved of the mass detainment of Mictlani civilians in November. In the wake of informal polls showing general discontent with the Dorn administration, some have speculated the president or Secretary Nathan Trasen may have charges filed against them. Speculation has been, to some, further encouraged by the classification of the hearings and testimonies. Pyotr Sokolov, a professor of international law from New Gibson University, suggested that the silence surrounding the committee findings were due to possible charges that could be levied against the officials involved in the Mandate. In the aftermath of General Trent’s hearing, the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate and NanoTrasen have scaled down their donations in their financial report for April. When reached for comment, High Queen Vaur said she planned to “remain on course,” continuing her support for Joseph Dorn and her vice presidential campaign.

i have been begging geeves to port bay's xenofauna cages for months now The fossils that can be dug up from artifact sites can be assembled into a fossil display, but only the ones that have a bone piece/skull on them. If possible, make the other ammonite-looking fossils able to be assembled into a display, like a big shell or something. More animal models in general! Currently we just have the shantak, samak, tindalos, diyaab, etc. Classic Baystation critters, but we could always use more that could be recoloured.

This is within my power to implement on my own, but I just wanted to throw it out there and see if the other two xenoarchaeology players (and the other five science players) want it. I play a lot of xenoarch, and it's my favourite science job. I like doing little expeditions, going out to weird places, dragging the rest of the science team along to see what's on the planets, and generally having the opportunity to run away from the Horizon manifest if I so desire. However, sometimes I want to play my character and do a little bit of on-ship roleplay while also being able to engage with the general mechanics and soft-duties expected of my department. Essentially what I'm saying is: sometimes I wanna play my xenoarch characters and hang out with the rest of my department, and I don't wanna go through the whole song and dance of organizing an expedition, loading the Intrepid, dragging the volunteers on the Intrepid, etc. To that end, I want to put a single random anomaly into the xenoarchaeology department in a containment cell for xenoarchaeology to study at their leisure. Pros: Don't have to feel like you're forced to do all of the very time-intensive mechanics/roleplay of your job every round Allows you to potentially involve more of the science team into figuring out what the anomaly is and why it does what it does Have a potential backup "fun mechanical thing" in case the expedition planning goes awry/it's mega-lowpop/away sites suck/anomaly sucks/antag hijacks the Intrepid 5 minutes into the round? Cons: Could discourage using the Intrepid to go find more away sites Encourages "complacent gaming syndrome" Walk into xenoarchaeology atrium, immediately get zapped outside by teleportation anomaly that activated by being in oxygen atmosphere Please share your thoughts! Note that if you preface your post with "I don't play science, BUT" you will not escape Samsara.

Opinion: NanoTrasen Backs Dorn. Why Doesn’t Congress? Article #8 of the 2466 Biesel Election Arc by Callan Silva Earlier today, financial donations to current political campaigns were publicised for the first time this election. While the data is funny, it's not exactly surprising; the Torvald-Uysal campaign is a far second behind the donors of the Dorn-Vaur campaign, distantly followed by the Montgomery-Pericardium campaign, with the rest lagging behind in finding donors or funding. The benefits are obvious. The Dorn-Vaur doesn’t have an issue funding or equipping its staff; on the other hand, every campaign besides them but Torvald-Uysal is relying on unpaid volunteers, inexperienced interns, and weak political outreach. NanoTrasen and the board of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate are the Dorn-Vaur campaign’s top donors. A week ago, Miranda Trasen put out a statement confirming such: “It is my firm belief that President Dorn, and by extension the Free Market Party, have proven themselves the best possible leaders of this republic over the last 5 years. From the multiple Solarian Invasions to the phoron scarcity and establishment of a stable state for many planets fleeing Sol’s grasp, they have remained steady. No party more deserves our votes.” If one of the founding factors of Biesel can support our president, why is it that Congress can't? Tomorrow, the Mandate Committee will put General Meredith Trent on the stand and ask her to testify on her experiences on Mictlan. As you can imagine, the SocDems are baying for blood, because it is not enough that Mictlan’s terrorism goes unchecked and unpunished; we also have to condemn the people who have brought us through Sol’s collapse, through the unrest in our territories, all for political leverage. What’s worse is that the very beneficiaries of their protection are turning on them. Dorn’s first political rally in Ashton had a turnout of only a couple thousand– we can expect approval polls to have much the same. Yesterday Nathan Trasen, Secretary of Defense, was brought in front of the committee to defend his own decisions during the Mandate. When later asked for comment by reporter Yara Janda on why he chose to defend the Tau Ceti Armed Forces on his own, rather than leave the bureaucracy to his admirals and generals. “One of the great burdens of my position as Secretary of Defense is that my department, and to a lesser extent myself, are looked down upon,” responded Trasen. “Rather than see us as sapient people who are just trying to make the right decision, they see us as warhawks. Or they see us as nobodies, second-class citizens, people who only get the power they have because of wartime.” He continued on; “It’s sad, but these kinds of people still exist in office. They’re influential. What I hope is that a Dorn victory can change that, and that we can finally get all this Solarian-style politicking out of the way. Solarian-style, meaning people who haven’t been in office for the past twenty years. But these are the kinds of people who, when the going gets tough, will just retreat back into the shadows.” In a few sentences, Secretary Trasen better illustrates the moral requirement to vote for Dorn and Free Market Party better than I could have ever. Callan Silva is a columnist for the Orion Spur Oracle. He is the author of Nathen Trasen: Forging an Army, a biography on Trasen and his role within the establishment of the Tau Ceti Armed Forces.

Vaurca Prefect Suggests ‘Moral Regrets’ During Peacekeeper Mandate Article #7 of the 2466 Biesel Election Arc A Vaurca prefect of the Minutemen testified before the Mandate Committee yesterday afternoon, and admitted being unable to distinguish between civilians and combatants during several missions on the planet of Mictlan during the Peacekeeper Mandate. Za’Akaix’Reku Zo’ra, a prefect of the all-Vaurca Minutemen unit “Zo’ra’s Chosen”, was called upon by the Mandate Committee to deliver a testimony regarding their personal experience with regards to search-and-destroy operations against the paramilitary insurgents known as the Samaritans. The testimony involved their recounting a selection of events during their two-year-long deployment on Mictlan, after which they were questioned by several members of the committee. “We would like you to answer truthfully; did you feel any regret on a moral level for any of your actions during your deployment?” questioned Szalsi Kzuri, a member of the Cetian Social Democratic Front. When asked by Prefect Zo’ra the standard of morality that should be applied, Kzuri responded that in this case, the morals of the Republic of Biesel would apply. “If I were a human I believe I would have regrets,” said Prefect Zo’ra. “Human war doctrine dictates that non-combatants should not be designated as targets. The relaxing of the rules of engagement made it difficult for myself and my unit to distinguish which qualified as either.” Chair of the Committee Celina Haddock of the Cetian Conservatives objected to the line of questioning, claiming the subjectivity in the phrasing of ‘moral regrets’ allowed for too much ambiguity in testimony. Prefect Zo’ra continued to explain that, according to their superior officers, they were repeatedly encouraged to treat the rules of engagement informally on the continent of Huitzilopochtli, and even ignore them, further blurring the line between civilian and combatant. Analysts suggested Reku Zo’ra had been ordered to tell the truth by their “Gyne,” a lesser ranking of Vaurcesian Breeder, or followed the Hive directive to obey the laws of the Republic of Biesel. When reached for comment, Chair Haddock said that this hypothesis meant it was equally possible for Zo’ra to lie under oath. “We have no reason to believe a Queen couldn’t give an order to their drones to lie,” said Haddock, erroneously claiming that Zo’ra was a nonsapient ‘Bound’ Vaurca. “Shifting the blame to superior officers is completely within the realm of possibility.” Testimonies will continue over the course of the next month. The next witnesses called to testify have not been made public at this time.

AKA stuff that doesn't really serve a mechanical purpose, but does give you little flavour text on a character's condition. Stuff I am already thinking about: A scale (has no effect, unless we add mechanical weight somehow) A measuring stick (tells you the character's height in cm and ft) A glucose monitor (?) (gives a random value that can depend on whether you just ate or not. Also diabetes disability when hello) A blood pressure machine (checks your blood pressure)

I was given tacit permission to post by @eddymakaveli, hi. I am gonna be dead honest and say that when I was first playing research alongside Sasha Kaiser as the character Rosalea Arrellanes, a xenoarchaeologist, I had some bad vibes. Some of the comments he made to her felt charged, and the character was demanding in a way that I wasn't able to accommodate ICly or OOCly because of mechanics, inconvenience, or otherwise. As well, Rosalea was not charismatic or willing to soothe, and she flew off the handle at Sasha right back. I also admit that some of the exchanges the characters had reminded me of bad experiences I'd had IRL, so that soured things a bit. This isn't really 50n00b's fault at all, just "this hit me the wrong way at a bad time". I kept it to IC and tried to avoid the character if I didn't feel up to dealing with it. After I ended Rosalea's character arc and moved on to a new xenoarchaeologist character, Jiaxing Volvalaad, I decided "what the hell" and started playing the character when Sasha was in the science department, despite some reservations. Through the positive interactions Jiaxing and Sasha had and getting to chat with 50n00b OOCly, it hit me that being suspicious of them as a person was unfounded. I was happy I was wrong, and I learned a lesson about not basing my opinions off of pure vibes. This is me saying that I do not believe 50n00b means to hurt people OOCly. I think they are operating with intent to play a character, and a character who is an asshole. This is good in the context of a story, and reasonable. Asshole characters make the character-driven plot go 'round. However, when you're (the general you, in this case, because this applies to everyone) playing an asshole character, you need to be aware of pathos. Pathos is literally defined as "[a] quality, as of an experience or a work of art, that arouses feelings of pity, sympathy, tenderness, or sorrow". Even a character who is rude, abrasive, or just shitty to people needs to have a moment when they arouse sympathy, pity, or empathy. To put it in layman's terms, there needs to be moments when you're tired of going apeshit. I have had IC interactions where I got to experience pathos. Courier has not. This does not make her feelings invalid, because I can say it does grate to have your only experience with a character being them acting like a total dick. As much as the character's grown on me, I think the conclusion I've come to is that the gas needs to be let up just a little bit on Sasha's outbursts. He's a command character, and speaking as a member of the lore team administration, the SCC tries to ensure at least somewhat that their command can play well with others. I do think that the character can be slightly less abrasive without compromising the schtick of his character, and that it can even be progressed towards IC.

Other Congressional Party Leaders Announce Presidential Campaigns Article #6 of the 2466 Biesel Election Arc Again, the glittering blue logo of the Orion Spur Oracle flashes across the screen, with a triumphant jingle playing. Evan Yong sits at his desk, as well-dressed as ever. “This is the Orion Spur Oracle, and I’m your host Evan Yong. The Biesel presidential elections are heating up– this past week, the other leaders of Biesel’s registered congressional parties each announced presidential campaigns.” A quick cut to a stage in what is evidently the Mendellian neighbourhood of Phoenix Park; upon a stage, a Bishop IPC wearing a black suit with a golden tie holds a microphone, speaking to an assembled crowd. Their chassis is a shiny chrome, and their display changes from cheerful emoticons or to phrases as they speak. Evan Yong’s voice plays over the scene. “Montgomery, the leader of the Progressive Party of Biesel, announced his intent to run alongside C-Pericardium, considered his closest partner and ally within the party. He claimed that his decision to run for president was strongly influenced by what he felt was anti-synthetic sentiment after the ‘rampancy virus’ on Konyang, and following the general party politics of the Progressives, was strongly in favour of opening Biesel’s doors to non-Stellar Corporate Conglomerate corporations.” The original audio of Montgomery’s speech returns; Montgomery has a low, masculine voice with a faint synthetic echo, a haughty edge to his Biesellite accent. “It has been said that an IPC cannot govern the way an organic can. But I think, considering the changes we’ve seen in the Spur these past few years, there would be nobody better-suited to govern Biesel than a synthetic. We need foreign policy decisions that are logical, not based on old, petty international rivalries.” His monitor changes quickly, repeating the same images; a flag of Sol, a handshake, a flag of Biesel. The camera then cuts to a view of a taupe-coloured Hharhar Tajara in a lavender suit, striding down a path and stepping up to a podium. He is flanked by a few pale M’sai Tajara, who eye a gathered crowd shiftily. Yong’s voiceover cuts in again; “The second to formally announce their candidacy this week was Matvei Karrakhan, the leader of the Hadiist Party of Biesel, alongside his running mate Ferriha Kurr’harra. Karrakhan claimed to want to focus more on enfranchising Tajara in Biesel, no matter their state of origin.” Karrakhan speaks to the crowd; his is a comprehensible yet evidently “Tajaran” mrowl, and to keen ears his accent points to an origin from Nal’tor, the capital of the People’s Republic of Adhomai. “What do they all have in common? They arre all Biesellites, all rrresidents of this wonderrrful nation, which has accepted each and everrry Tajarrra that has come to its shorrres, no matter their history or their origin. It is a testament to ourr visionarry prrresident that he has forrrged such rrrelations with humanity, and now he–” here Karrakhan touches his chest, as if to make his use of third-person less confusing, “–wishes to pay the favourr to the Rrrepublic of Biesel in kind.” Now the view cuts to the inside of what is a church, a preacher’s podium in front of a stained-glass window depicting a smiling woman. Behind the podium is a Diona of brown bark and many shifting nymphs. They wear a deep violet poncho. “The third candidate to announce their intent to run in the presidential race is–” brief pause, “–Harbinger of Peaceful Purposes, the leader of the Egalitarian Coalition of Biesel. Harbinger has not yet announced a vice presidential candidate.” “Many are joining our coalition as the situation in the Corporate Reconstruction Zone develops and expands,” intones the gestalt. “We have seen for ourselves the outrage of Biesel’s citizens as they make their voice heard for those who cannot speak. It is truly beautiful, to see a sense of justice bloom in the heart of Tau Ceti.” A cut back to Evan Yong, who flashes a smile. “Looks exciting! Yesterday after Matvei Karrakhan’s announcement, Secretary of Defense Nathan Trasen took to Chirper to express his support for President Dorn.” A Chirp flashes up on the screen, which Yong narrates from; “With respect to the candidates, I can truly see no one other than Joseph leading this nation. He’s been a light in the darkness for so many years, and he’s accepted us into the Republic like a family.” “Coming up after the break; Vaurcesian experts on the K’laxian civil war. What is it, and how is Hephaestus Industries handling the conflict?” The jingle plays as the camera pulls out, fading to a commercial break. Upbeat electro-pop music plays over footage of a pink Skrell doing half-pipes on a skateboard, a red-head human woman playing tennis, and a human man with long black hair and a scruffy beard bobbing as he mixes music on a turntable. Their actions are punctuated with animations of onomatopoeia; CRASH, POW, ZAP! Quick cuts, as each of the sporty individuals reach for a can of ZO’RA SODA. In quick succession, they pop the tab with satisfying hisses. The music pauses as they all take a sip, and get back to their activities with renewed vigor. Cut to the cans in the foreground. A narrator’s voice: “Zo’ra Soda. All the buzz we could fit in one can.”

Basically this. When an antag is obnoxious, they're extremely obnoxious (see the round a few days ago where a randomgen name xenobiologist sent uranium golems around the ship and put nearly everybody into MSOF within five minutes). When an antag has a skill issue, they rush security with a 9mm pistol. There's a delicate balance to be struck between sandbagging and playing really annoyingly to make the round a boring, drawn-out fragfest. This isn't something that's always immediately obvious on how to do, and it's not really something that mechanicalnerfs or buffs are going to fix.

Former Officer of Mictlan Defense Force Forms "Grupo Amapola", Recruits Across Mictlan A military contractor called the "Grupo Amapola" has been officially registered and founded by a former officer of the Mictlan Defense Force, who later became a member of the paramilitary insurgent group the Samaritans. Salvador Clemente, who served as a captain prior to his defection, recently began to advertise the "Grupo Amapola" on a Chirper account and a website. According to the website, Amapola offers private security solutions using former well-trained members of the Mictlan Defense Force. "Even after the Mandate, Mictlan needs peace. For peace, she needs strength," said the website, translated from Mictlani Tradeband. "We want to offer effective solutions that give advantages to those left out by the end of the Mandate." The website does not explicitly name the Samaritans, but in a post on the organisation's social media account, a post introduces Clemente as a "42-year-old former captain of the Mictlan Defense Forces and the Samaritans". "Given the names we've seen, Clemente has recruited from his trusted subordinates when the Samaritans was operational," said BSSB agent Ken Zhou. "This recruitment call seems to be directed at former MDF personnel who don't want to reenlist or join with the TCAF." Flyer advertisements for Amapola were also seen in primarily synthetic neighbourhoods of Arequipa and Lago de Abundacia, suggesting recruitment drives are targeting the free synthetic community known as "El Menaje". A statement on Amapola's website says "[t]he species or nature of a potential recruit does not affect their chances as a candidate, so long as they are a citizen of the planet of Mictlan". When asked if this violated the terms of parole all former Samaritans were offered during the peace brokered in late 2465, Agent Zhou said that while joining a paramilitary group is "not a [parole] violation... the agency is keeping an eye on them for now". "We aren't sure if what we're seeing could turn into more unrest."

Joseph Dorn Chooses High Queen Vaur as Running Mate Article #5 of the 2466 Biesel Election Arc This morning in New Sedantis, the Free Market Party announced their presidential ticket for the upcoming election. Incumbent President Joseph Dorn selected High Queen Vaur’skiyet’sca Zo’ra as his running mate and vice president, to the surprise of onlookers and political analysts. The announcement was held at the Palace of Freedom, a large convention center in New Sedantis. During the event, High Queen Vaur made a rare physical appearance, using an idealized and feminine avatar of a Vaurca who wore a pantsuit. The High Queen also permitted herself to be photographed; in Vaurca culture, direct depictions of Queens are considered taboo or disrespectful. It is estimated that the crowd at the announcement speech numbered within hundreds of thousands of Vaurcae. Several attendees of other species were permitted to photograph, record, and interview the New Sedantis residents. “It was so silent,” said Vushik Kussuzul, a Unathi photographer and historical archivist of the Mendell City Library. “No music, no cheering, just the clicking from antennae and a few chitters.” “Hivenet was flooded with pheromones,” explained Ka’Akaix’Wok Zo’ra, a resident of New Sedantis. “Obviously they can’t be sensed by other species, but it was like a crowd you just couldn’t hear.” In the speech, President Dorn and High Queen Vaur announced their commitment to the citizens of the Republic of Biesel, and that they hoped to usher in a new era of peace and diversity between the Zo’ra Hive and humanity. “Together the Republic and the Zo’ra Hive have achieved a great victory for all sapients in the galaxy,” said Vaur, “which is the creation of a nation where all have freedom, opportunity, and peace. I am happy to stand with Joe on this stage and announce our partnership, and I hope it is the beginning of a brighter future for all of us.” Some political analysts and Vaurca experts have noted that a Vaurcaesian Queen may strongly influence the election in President Dorn’s favor. “Vaurcae are innately compelled to place their Queens as one of their highest priorities,” explained Dr. Jillian Clement, a professor of xenobiological studies at the Hongsun Park Engineering Institute. “It’s a simple fact that just by running, many if not all of Hive Zo’ra that are capable of voting in this election will vote for Dorn to have Queen Vaur in the vice presidency." President Dorn and the Biesellite Free-Market Party are currently under scrutiny by the “Mandate Committee”, a joint tribunal organized by the Cetian Conservatives and the Cetian Social Democratic Front, investigating the legality of the Peacekeeper Mandate. The first series of testimonies will consist of several Samaritan officers testifying under oath regarding alleged war crimes in Mictlan.

Keeps in good contact with department. Teaches trainees; I can vouch for the latter, as this guy taught me engineering when I was first starting out on Bay. +1.

Security Bureau Launches Investigation into Peacekeeper Mandate Article #4 of the Biesel 2466 Election Arc Late yesterday evening, the Cetian Conservatives and Social Democrats jointly announced the creation of a special committee of lawmakers to look into the legality of the Peacekeeper Mandate, alongside accusations of the government sponsoring illegal activities and war crimes. The Committee will consist of three congressional members from both parties with legal backgrounds, and another nine federal judges who will work alongside them to determine the legality of the Republic’s actions. These adjudicators will be further backed up by the Security Bureau, who have been given sweeping powers by a special act of congress to investigate this issue. “The Peacekeeper Mandate had the noble goal of bringing democracy and stability to a blighted part of the galaxy,” said Cetian Conservatives leader Adalet Uysal. “Its failures are not on its objective, but the means by which President Dorn and the Free Market Party attempted to reach it. We must never allow ourselves to defeat our enemy by becoming them, and this committee will ensure that our Republic is a nation of laws, not warlords.” The “Mandate Committee” has already published a comprehensive list of those who have either been subpoenaed or agreed to testify regarding the legality of the Peacekeeper Mandate and the actions of those deployed during it. Among the list are many former high-ranking officers in the paramilitary organisation of the Samaritans, service members of the Minutemen and Foreign Legion, and Secretary of Defense Nathan Trasen himself. When questioned by reporters on his stance on the committee, Trasen said that the Mandate Committee had a “warped idea that the Peacekeeper Mandate and the actions of those who partook in it are somehow criminal.” “It’s not only a pointless attempt to virtue-signal,” Trasen continued, “but an attempt to smear those who fought and died in service to our country. What I plan is to tell the truth. The Mandate was legal, and the soldiers charged with combating terrorist elements across the CRZ always acted with the utmost respect for both the Luna Convention and the laws of the Republic.” The first hearings are planned to take place on Wednesday next week, at the Charles Whitehorse Courthouse in Phoenix Park.

It's not documented officially because not a lot of stuff on maps is, so admittedly it's not very easy to find. However, Alberyk above has said he thinks Longbows are OP. Here's Matt saying he thinks Longbows are OP. It doesn't matter if you limit a Longbow's ammo to balance it, because if a Longbow gets one hit off on pretty much any third-parties, you can kiss your ass goodbye. Hit pretty much any of the essential ship systems with an HE or a bunker-buster shell, and you can quickly disable the Freebooter, the Ranger Gunboat, etc etc. I feel like I should also mention I'm not a fan of the Horizon having the Leviathan (which I've posted about before), and most of the reason I'm chill with a Longbow on the Horizon is because it's a cruiser-class. I don't really mind a Longbow on the Xanan frigate because it's a frigate, but I think the Xanan frigate exists because the Gaddie corvette sets that precedent of gradually-increasing firepower. It's not really something I want to see in future offships because of aforementioned power creep.

I was asked to make a feedback thread on this PR, as this is a controversial change among developers. I already outlined my very clear reasoning as to why a Longbow should not be on the deck of a patrolling corvette, but I will reiterate for the sake of the community. As this is a forum post, I'm going to get long and I'm going to use images. The Longbow is a 406mm cannon. The USS Iowa, a battleship and one of the last leading ships of the American Navy, has several of these cannons. Here is her firing them in a full broadside: The scale of these cannons are probably not immediately obvious from first glance. So here's an unexploded 406mm shell: The ship that fired this, the USS New Jersey, is the same class of ship as the Iowa up there (an Iowa-class). Let me show you the Iowa's cannons up close: These are big, and heavy. Their ammunition weighs a lot. The Iowa is a battleship, and she measures nearly 900 feet from bow to stern. How big is a corvette, you ask? Let's take a look at a Flower-class corvette, the HMCS Regina. From bow to stern, she measures about 200 feet. Corvettes are not heavy artillery ships; they are patrolling, quick-recon vessels that are not equipped with heavy armament because it will slow them down. You could probably weld a 406mm cannon to the deck of a corvette, sure, but that doesn't mean it's going to be sailing very fast. The same applies in space. Yes, when crafting space vessels, weight is a factor! Particularly when you are considering something the size of a 406mm cannon, and its ammunition. It's just plain incorrect to handwave this and say "oh, Gadpathur is a militarized society, they would just stick a massively oversized cannon on a tiny little patrol vessel". This would not work because the vessel needs to move. Even the most inefficiently-militarized society is going to understand you can't give a glock to a spider. Let's move on from yapping about LARP and move on to the more important aspect: lore and balance. No other corvette-class vessel in the game has a Longbow. Not the Dominian or Elyran corvettes, which have arguably more advanced militaries than Gadpathur, and not the TCAF corvette, which has better military funding from the most powerful megacorporations in the galaxy. The reason the Horizon has a Longbow is because it's really big. It's a cruiser-class! It can field a cannon and ammunition of that size. On the other hand of balance, none of the more antagonistic offships, like the Freebooter and the SFA corvette, are armed to this extent. Not only does it skew the balance of gameplay in favour of the "good guys", it causes a creep in power. The solution here is not to also give the Freebooter and SFA Longbow cannons, but to keep other offships on a relatively balanced, smaller scale. When the power of gameplay elements creep up too much, it devalues conflict; people get bored and inured to every battle having the maximum amount of firepower that there can be in the game. Anyway that's why I want to give the Gaddie corvette a Grau instead of a Longbow thanks for coming to my TEDtalk.

Presiding Speaker Åke Torvald Joins Ceti Conservatives Campaign Article #3 of the 2466 Biesel Election Arc Again, the glittering blue logo of the Orion Spur Oracle flashes across the screen, with a triumphant jingle playing. “Welcome back to the Orion Spur Oracle,” Yong says, flashing his brilliant smile. “I’m Evan Yong. Continuing our coverage of the upcoming Biesel elections, Presiding Speaker of the New Gibson Parliament, Åke Torvald, has announced his intent to run in the elections alongside the Cetian Conservatives. In a surprising twist, he’s been chosen as the presidential candidate, with Adalet Uysal, leader of the Cetian Conservatives, as his vice presidential candidate. He harshly criticized President Dorn’s management of the Corporate Reconstruction Zone in his candidacy speech.” The camera cuts to a man on a raised stage, the backdrop a stony wall hung with New Gibsonite flags. Åke Torvald is a tall, wiry man with very pale skin, icy blue eyes, and a trimmed beard that is starting to go from grey to white. A few feet to his right, viewer’s left, is Adalet Uysal, an olive-skinned man with thick brows and a neat mustache. “...And not only did we allow terrorism to continue in what should be our territory, with a poorly-equipped, poorly-funded military force,” Torvald speaks, with a thick Undirstader accent, “we failed the Mictlani people in our negotiations, in a lack of communication. President Dorn sent Nathan Trasen to oversee the surrender of Sergeant Salvo!” He jabs his finger at the air for emphasis, and some cheers and shouts of agreement rise from an assembled crowd of Undirstaders. “President Dorn could not be bothered to oversee the planets he is the leader of!” Further whoops and cheers. Torvald’s eyes, wide and faintly manic, flash with passion. “When President Dorn considers Biesel’s freedoms, he only considers that– just Biesel, not New Gibson, or Mictlan, or Port Antillia. There is no part of his governance that has not been handed over to NanoTrasen, or the Hive Queens. That is why I want to ensure that the Republic of Biesel will not just be Biesel. We will be the Republic of Tau Ceti!” A roiling wave of applause and cheers comes from the crowd. The camera cuts back to Evan Yong, who continues on neutrally. “So far, the Torvald-Uysal campaign is running against President Dorn and leader of the Cetian Social Democratic Front, Zash Vi’tak, neither of whom have announced their vice presidential candidates." "Also today," Yong continues, "Melissa Trasen visited the SCCV Horizon to congratulate them for their aid to Konyang in the aftermath of the rampany crisis." Cut to footage of Melissa Trasen; she is youngish, with long black hair and a pretty, generic face. She warbles in a pitchy Biesellite accent, "...I urge you to look at the actions that we’ve, like, undergone. The bluespace gate, which the Horizon just used to prove that it works, took a long time to repair - something that wouldn’t have been possible without the Conglomerate and NanoTrasen's help." Yong's voice plays over the footage. "After an interview and a tour of the ship, Miss Trasen congratulated those who had won awards for their exemplar performance on Konyang during the rampancy crisis. And this is just a reminder that the Conglomerate is currently taking applications for positions on the Horizon while docked in Tau Ceti." Yong is on-screen again, and smiles. "We’ll be checking in with Saeed Chamcha, who will be covering our national news today.” The camera cuts to a younger man of Arabic descent in front of a news desk. He wears a blue sports coat over a white button-down shirt, his stubble is trim, and his black ringlets are oiled. “Thank you, Evan. Port Antillean Premier Julien Guerrier has announced the expansion of the Orion Express “Fujiin” spaceport on the island of Guayamouc. The expansion plans are for four more corvette-class docks, as well as additions of new operation and shipping wings to the spaceport in general. In a statement posted on his Chirper, Orion Chief Operations Officer Hakim Galla said that there were ‘big plans in store’ for Port Antillia, that he ‘could not share’ for fear of ‘spoiling the surprise’.” “Up next,” Chamcha continues, “is Prime Minister Myeong Mun-dae facing the end of his term after the rampancy?” There’s the Orion Spur Oracle jingle, as the camera pans out to cut to a commercial break.

Zash Vi’tak and Adalet Uysal Announce Presidential Campaigns, Condemn Dorn Administration Article #2 of the Biesel 2466 Election Arc The leaders of the opposition parties have announced their intent to run for president today, in a joint press conference that also included the condemnation of the Peacekeeper Mandate’s enactment by the Dorn administration. Zash Vi’tak, the leader of the Cetian Social-Democratic Front, held a conference in Zhengfu District today alongside Adalet Uysal, the leader of the Cetian Congress Conservatives. Both announced their intent to lead their respective parties to a majority within congress, and stated they were both encouraging an investigation into the management of the Peacekeeper Mandate, which led to the controversial occupation of Mictlan. “Regardless of the differences between myself and Adalet’s politics, we have both agreed the Mandate was not only ill-thought but a waste of the Republic’s money and lives,” said Vi’tak in their speech. “That is why we, as the leaders of the opposition, are officially requesting the BSSB investigate the conduct of the executive branch and the state security branch.” Vi’tak and Uysal have not yet fully established their campaign platforms, though it is suspected that both Vi’tak and Uysal will continue their opposition to synthetic enfranchisement in the aftermath of the Konyang rampancy virus. Uysal is also expected to continue the Cetian Conservative push to further organise the Tau Ceti Armed Forces, and propose expansion into the Hinterlands region near the border to the Sol Alliance. Vi’tak and Uysal are currently the only candidates apart from President Dorn that have announced intent to run. Neither have announced a vice presidential candidate at the time, though if they officially formed a coalition, the Ceti Conservatives would choose a vice president. Vi’tak, who is a Skrell and is the child of immigrants from the Nralakk Federation, is the first non-human in the history of the Republic to run for presidential office.

There's no reason why everyone would not be using the same standardized calibers for everything and the only difference is the guns they use aesthetically and in terms of operation.

President Dorn Announces Snap Elections This Year Article #1 of the Biesel 2466 Election Arc The glittering blue logo of the Orion Spur Oracle flashes across the screen, with a triumphant jingle playing. The view fades into a handsome, middle-aged Asian man in a pinstriped grey suit and slicked-back black hair, sitting at a news desk. “Welcome back to the Orion Spur Oracle– I’m your host, Evan Yong,” the man begins in a smooth, mellifluous Biesel accent. “Today at ten this morning, President Joseph Dorn called an unscheduled press conference in front of Liberty’s Rest. This is the first public address from the President since the beginning of the year and the end of the Peacekeeper Mandate in December of last year.” There’s a cut to Joseph Dorn, standing at a podium in front of the presidential residence. Bulbs and lights flash over the president as he arrays his sheaf of papers. Time and the duties of the job have worn Joseph Dorn considerably; his once full head of brown hair is grey at the temples and beginning to thin, and lines branch from the corners of his mouth, eyes, and across his forehead. “My fellow Biesellites,” Dorn begins, casting a glance over the crowd, “it has been some time since I have reached out, properly communicated with the Republic as its President. For that, I would like to formally apologise. Our nation has changed greatly in the past few years and even in the past few months, as we finally accept Mictlan as a member-state of the Republic of Biesel, and quell the insurgency within its borders.” He pauses, perhaps to allow the words to sink in. “During this time there has been fracturing, infighting, and pushback in our senate. We have grown apart from each other, and we have been–” Dorn seems to catch himself here, his grey gaze hardening a moment, “–uncharitable to each other. I want to remedy this fracturing as best as I can, and I think the best thing to do is to allow the other voices of the Republic to be heard.” Dorn looks across the crowd again, his eyes turning steely. “With the conclusion of the Peacekeeper Mandate and the pacification of Mictlan, I am declaring the advent of the Republic of Biesel’s first elections since independence. Our new citizens will be allowed to vote, and we will show our oppressors that the light of liberty is still burning, that we have given our citizens the choice to choose their leaders.” Briefly he closes his eyes in a wince, as if recognising his own redundant phrasing. The channel cuts back to Yong. “The press conference closed shortly afterwards, and the president was escorted off the stage; the press secretary stated there would be no further questions, but a more in-depth release would follow.” “Since that release, the official snap election regulations have stated that citizens of Mictlan will receive full voting rights in the presidential and congressional elections. Beyond that, the election will progress similarly to previous elections for planetary governor under Solarian rule. Ballots will be counted late this year. President Dorn has stated that he once again will be running for office, though he has yet to choose a vice president.” Yong adjusts himself, then fixes the viewer with a broad, white smile. “I can definitively say that we at the Oracle are excited for the elections, and we’re hopefully predicting President Dorn’s victory. This is Evan Yong with the Oracle, signing off for now.”

To: k.huiszul@tailmail.iz From: yutaklaxletoyahtzor@tailmail.iz Dear Lady Huiszul, As always, I hope this treatise finds you well. You asked for me to opine on the current state of things, and what it feels like to be at the edge of it. I tell you now; change is wrought. I hear the echoes of the Hive from the words of my mother, and the whispers of my cousins. In the depths of the Aether, I feel the anticipation of shedding blood. Of course we need never shed our real blood again, but you could say that bringing our very souls onto the battlefield brings the stakes far higher than merely spilling saffron. The anticipation is the only true threat to my integrity. I live in concern for my brothers, who may yet be called to serve one cause or another. I pray that our Hallowed Seeker Leto will understand our truth and the one who has spoken the truth of the matter; that Mother K'lax, blessed be Her name, is dead, and Queen Tupii is her incumbent. Too long, Lady Huiszul, have we stagnated under the idle claw of Queen Zkaii. Too long have we languished in denial. Our Glorious Mother is gone to a world we will never touch– must we act as She? No! We cannot wander in this death spiral around Uuoea-Esa's sands. It is time to act in preparation against the Great Enemy, against the looming threat of Zo'rane hegemony and C'thuric malice. It is time for a Queen who is not afraid to reveal the truth. I believe, as stalwartly as my dear cousin's horns sit on his crest, that Queen Tupii has taken the Mantle of Mother K'lax. Who else could bring Her oldest warriors back from the brinks of listlessness, inspire them with glorious purpose? It may be that my mind will be changed in time, by the whims of the Keeper of Knowledge, but I hope it does not. I feel hope, Lady, though I know there will be great sacrifices whichever way the sands blow. As always, I am working well. I have become surprisingly comfortable with this ship. I think you were right about humans; they have their charms. May Hive K'lax rise with Tupii'rexk'mak as its glory, Ka'Akaix'Yuta K'lax

Hi there. If you want this to be official and that characters received a credit bonus from this, it will need to go through official channels (that being the synthetic lore team and CCIA). If you are hosting this on a private Discord server, we will neither endorse it nor assist with it. Otherwise, it falls under the same rules as autocanon/headcanon; it has about the impact of saying to your friend in DMs, "our characters once ate watermelons together".