Despatches From Altaria

DESPATCHES FROM AN ALTARIAN WAR CORRESPONDENT

Foreward

I have been blessed with the good fortune to live at a time when we, as a star race, can reflect on the turbulent times that passed so many years before: you could say they were the fires that forged our Star Federation. We live in peace amongst our many allies now but it was not always thus. The wars that raged across the galaxy for many decades could have destroyed us: instead they gave birth to what we have become.

You have trusted me to bring to you the stories of the people that lived through those momentous times: it is a great honour. I have become, if you will, a collector-a gatherer of missives. I have put together countless despatches; a coming together of the tales of ordinary people, soldiers, sailors, politicians and scientists that far more eloquently tell the story of our beloved Altaria and the heroic resistance that we fought throughout those times.

Benis Mue III, Star Journalist and Writer, January 1st 2306

Soudns like a good story, hope you good luck with your story ideas. :CONGRAT: 

This story goes on my watch list as I hope to read more

I'll be a-watching this here post.

My dearest Fralla

It was with such delight that I was able to visit you on Ceasar III last week-how you have changed since last we met! Your city and your planet have changed too-almost beyond recognition-which I suppose is about right for one of the leading planets in our fledgling Star Federation.

We live in exciting times Fralla: who would have thought when we were growing up on backward Altaria 10 years ago that such adventures would beckon? You the Secondary Planetary Representative with a seat on the Senate and me 1st Officer on one of our newest Mark 7 Cruisers. Oh Fralla they are such things of wonder these spacecraft-the workhouse of our gathering fleet. You know Commander Thom was admonishing a young Engineer, yesterday, for cursing the ship as a 'bucket of rust' (or similar). Unbeknown to the witless youth Thom was right behind him : you've met old 'Thommy' so you can imagine the reaction: it was like Mount Salapa going off-haha! He reminded the hapless rating in thunderous tones that this 'bucket of rust' was part of a tradition of ships dating back 10 years to the Mark 1 (some of which are still around I am told-though all upgraded to Mark 5s at least) and that this Cruiser Class Warship was what had saved our planets from annihilation-many times over! It was brilliant Fralla-brilliant!

I am rambling anyway Fralla-forgive me. How are you? When do you attend the next sitting of the Senate? Will you get to meet our esteemed leader, Benis Mue? If you do you must write and tell me all about it. Some say that he is the most persuasive man alive: others that his star is on the wane. I must say that I find that hard to believe: he has, after all, delivered us from one war against the vicious Drengi and I know he will deliver us from this War of the Brothers against the Terrans. At the same time he has forged unbreakable alliances with 5 of the other Star races and he has helped us grow a robust economy through our Trade links and our Galactic Stock Exchanges-does this sound like the politics of someone on the way out? I mean I ask you-in only 10 years he has presided over our transition from an autocratic system where Altaria ruled to a Star Democracy and then our brand new Star Federation-Oh I am so proud! You'd still be a lowly Planetary Administrator if it wasn't for him and me a shuttle pilot probably-man on the wane my butt!

I do go on don't I Fralla? Darling Fralla. I will stop now and spare you any more prattle as the Ship's Claxon has just sounded to warn us of the impending jump to Warp speed. We are heading for the nearest Terran star systems my dearest; head of a Battle group of 6 Cruisers-wish me luck my dearest Fralla-we go to war.

Your Loving Sanda

Taken from The Personal Correspondence of Lt Commander Sanda Rejinken, 1st officer on Board Lead CruiserRajak's Claw to a childhood friend: circa Stardate June 6th 2206

Author's note: the stardate in the correspondence above should have read 2236 not 2206

Excerpt from Inauguration Speech of Benis Mue, 1st President of the Altarian Republic, Stardate 15th June 2236

My Fellow Altarians

It is with a great sense of pride that I stand here before you on this day, the birth of our fledgling Star Federation: the Republic of Altaria. As you know, we are building a mighty political capitol on Decius III but I hope you will forgive me making this historic speech on the steps of our old Capitol world of Altaria.

Whether you are native Altarians or brother Iconians or Korx from worlds who have joined our great enterprise I say to you that today we stand on the edge of greatness.

Ever since we launched ourselves into the stars using the technology that our distant Terran cousins stole we have been considered by many Star Races as vulnerable, weak, insignificant. Many cast envious eyes upon our worlds and coveted them. So what was my plan? What our defence? It was to expand, ally and trade: those 3 pillars of my foreign and domestic policies have served us well over the last decade.

And when the peaceful galaxy exploded into war with the treacherous Drengi surprise attack on our fleet on March the 1st 2231, a date that will live in infamy, we could only rely on the friendships that we had forged to save us. Our allies did not abandon us: the Arceans, many parsecs to our North, were the 1st to answer, then our neighbours, the wise Iconians and the pleasure-loving Torians too. They gave us the space to regroup after our first apalling losses-they took on the might of the Imperial Drengin Navy and drew their fire.

You all know how that war ended in December 2234: with the utter destruction of the Drengi at our hands and 8 new worlds colonised.

So am I sad that we are once more engaged in conflict? No my fellow Citizens, no. In all the dark days of the war against the Drengi were any of our worlds ravaged by the malevolant hand of invasion and rapine? None. In this war against our erstwhile brothers, the Terrans, from whom we are supposed to descend, have any Terran fleets been sighted in any of our systems? In the 2 years since their cowardly declaration of war, no. We have once again been protected by the faith of our allies, the Torians, Arceans, Iconians and Thalans have all shown that The 2nd Altarian Compact still holds firm.

And so we grow as a star civilisation, our Trade Fleets thrive, protected, as they are by our Galactic Privateers. Productivity soars as only our new system of Government can enable it to; research continues apace, we continue to prosper.

I have authorised our Chief Engineers to refit our Magnificent Star Cruisers-equipping them with twin Advance Support modules that will allow our Battle Groups to range far and wide: our first Mark 8 Task Force under the leadership of Commander Thom has been instructed to set a course for the Terran advance system of Antares in Sector 06-06 and from there to locate the main Terran worlds many parsecs to the East. Even now we have many Deep Scouts searching for them-please pray for our brave Scout crews who have to work in such isolation for many months and years: they have been our eyes and ears in the farthest reaches of space.

And so, my fellow Altarians, my friends, my brethren, I stand here before you to anoint our new quest: to continue to thrive, to grow, to expand: to bring our peaceful and goodly ways to all in the Galaxy: to unite the races in amity and brotherhood. I say to you: each and every one of you has a part to play in our great enterprise: from the lowliest citizen, to the proudest general, the humblest scientist to the most decorated Starship Commander, from the most eager journalist to the most dedicated engineer.

And I say to you: Long Live the Altarian Republic. Long live us all!

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JANIA'S DEFENCE WEEKLY

July 2236 Edition

THE BRAND NEW MK8 CRUISER: WAR WINNER?

Mitrosoft Corporation's Cruiser Class Spaceship 1st rolled out from the Orbital Docks over 10 years ago: the brainchild of Dr Munop Hansa, Altaria's most beloved Astro Engineer. With it's multiple railguns and banks of Smart Chaff launchers, it was quickly credited with turning the tide of war against the missile technology-obsessed Drengi.

Last week the Lead Cruiser in the Rajak's Claw Battlegroup smoothly slipped her moorings and set course for a Fleet rendezvous in Sector 01-12 to the extreme South East of our territorial space. The 8 Mk8 Cruisers will then make for Sector 06-06 and the massive Class 21 Terran planet of Antares V: their mission to destroy in place any Terran Fleets and to remove any orbital defences in advance of a fleet of Troop Transports arriving from Drengi I and Xasica.

At 1133 metres in length, displacing 0.106 million metric tonnes and with a span of 493 metres, this is the sleekest incarnation yet of the so-called 'workhorse of the Fleet'. Rajak's Claw has a crew of 280 hardy souls and her twin Mark IV Warp Engines can propel her along at a speed of 7pc/week. Dr Hansa recently stated that he had been proud to modify the Mark 8 with extra Point Defence launchers and finally fit them with two Advanced life support modules that will allow the Cruiser to range right up to the edge of Terran space.

We asked a Mitrosoft spokesman how quickly the Cruisers could be retrofitted with a different class of ship defence and the answer was unequivocal: 'the technology to fit Photon Torpedoes is already in place and any Mark 9 may well include both mass driver and missile firepower depending on what the Terran Alliance can throw at us.'

As this article was being written Advance Scouts near the Antares system report a small Terran fleet of 2 Battleships and a Frigate heading for Antares. Commander Thom, the Battlegroup Lead Officer, has responded with a terse 'we'll eat them for breakfast'....



In next month's edition we report on what a likely Battlecruiser might look like in the future

Sorry guys-having trouble with the Image hosting: here is the image that was supposed to accompany above article

Thanks for the earlier messages guys   though I am wondering if anyone is actually reading this story?

We are

Hehe-thanks LordZarth-good to know   

Ma

I have embarked onto my Troop Transport and our great journey begins. If you could see the size of these spaceships you would simply not believe it! Myself and the rest of my Company are just one of some 1 million-yes Ma-1 million others that were loaded on at the bustling Orbital Spaceport at Xasica. That's 1 billion men and women Ma, in case you were struggling with the Maths. Scarcely believable, I hear you say and I would agree but for the intensive Transport Training that we have been put through these last few weeks.

I know you didn't want me to join the Altarian Marine Corps Ma-wanted something more 'substantial' for me but I wonder if you'd understand the sense of belonging and togetherness that Combined Combat drill on the the simulation range gives you. Or how the crack of our fusion rifles gives me such a thrill. I cannot describe, Ma, how the rumble of our Mah'Pa Assault Tanks goes right through me-and me only a lowly driver. It's all beyond words really but words are all I have.

How are you and Da? Tell him not to worry too much about me. I know he thinks that I am too young and too green to be joining the Corps but you both know how stubborn I can be. Maybe it was the scorn that he poured on me that drove me on. The daily beatings that I had to endure at his hands stood me in good stead for the brutal basic Training on Decius III-I have much to thank him for so tell him that I hold no bitterness in my heart for him: he has his methods and I have mine. I will not let those things he let his perverted friend do to me, many years ago in that dark cellar, overcome my strong young mind-those things that sometimes haunt me when I couple with Sansa in the pleasure simulator. I am beyond the anguish and shame of that abuse Ma-I really am.

But enough of that. How is young Janna? Tell my little brother that I will bring him back some trophies of war. What would he want do you think? Maybe a Terran Pilot's helmet or similar or maybe a Korx cheek plate? They say the Terrans are not so unlike us-we are descended from them after all. I will stay alive even though our Commanders say that our life expectancy is no more than about 10%-those in the 1st wave even less apparently. Don't worry though Ma, we are going in on the 2nd wave-part of the Simonssah Armoured Assault Regiment-watch out for us! I believe that our great lord Saraha will protect me: 'a load of mumbo jumbo' my Troop Commander always says, but what would he know the Godless heathen?

We are soon to be put into cryogenic freeze so we dont get bored in the 15 weeks that the journey will take-the Advanced Transport is quick but having 1 billion restless soldiers rattling around these tin cans is probably not a good idea so I will wrap up this e-letter Ma. When I awake we will be in Terran space and approaching Antares V Ma-Oh the excitement! And you know what? We have just been told that our Transport Fleet will be joined by the Rajak's Claw Battlegroup-the famous Commander Thom will be fighting to clear the space for us-can you believe that? We are destined for glory Ma-it's a certainty!

Right I have been told to wrap up as I need to go do some prelim jump prep for my tank-then sleep.

I love you Ma-I will write again as soon as I can

Much love, your dutiful son

Bensa

This Letter vetted by Xasica Interior Commsec

Taken from the personal e-correspondence of Private 1st Class Bensa M'ponsah, Tank Driver, 2 Troop, Sada Company, Simonssah Armoured Assault Regiment, to his Mother, dated circa Stardate August 2236.

I'm watching too. I'm expecially enjoying that the story is being told from various different points of view.

Sentient species taste better...

:HOT: Hey thanks Kzinti-all comments appreciated

THE TECHNOLOGIST

E-Journal for Technophiles

June 2236 2nd Quarter Edition

ARE THE MERCANTILISTS SECRET WARMONGERS?

We ask a question that must be on the lips of all freedom-loving Altarians everywhere: just what is our Government up to? A strange question you might think but consider the following facts: we live in a mighty federation of planets spread over a distance of many parsecs. In just 11 years we have grown from a single humble planet to 28. Most of our worlds have been colonised, some have been acquired through conquest and a few have come over from our brother star races, influenced as they are by the strength of our culture.

The avowed intentions of our 'beloved' President and his party, is to spread the Altarian way of peace and goodness to the whole galaxy but the facts do not tally with the ideals and so we ask the question: is our President and the party he professes to lead a secret ally of the War Party? The Mercantilists are supposed to be dedicated to all things Trade but again the facts just do not add up. Consider this: Our source in the Federal Treasury has revealed that the Government rakes in a whopping 3404bc/week but of that amount only 355bc is down to Trade! That's about 10% for those not good at Maths. Now if we look at expenditure an even more disturbing picture emerges: a paltry 16% of our budget goes to research, not a high proportion, as our friends in the Technologist Party keep pointing out in the Federal Senate. However-and here's the rub: over half the budget-some 56%- is being blown on the Military: that's 1493bc/week of which 1192bc is being pumped into Fleet maintenance.

This is a shocking figure. Where are all our Freighters? At the last count we had 9 of them (of which 8 are active) plying various trade routes to the Iconians, Thalans and Vegans. You would think that these craft should be the life-blood of a party that calls itself the Mercantilists but there are 5 times as many Cruisers in our Fedaral Fleet.

Where is the high-falutin talk of social enterprises and soaring research establishments that we have been fed for so many years by Mue? The only building going on anywhere in our part of the galaxy seems to be yet another Multimedia Centre on Altaria. Maybe this is a second cynical attempt to boost the party's flagging approval ratings there?

This publication finds it hard to believe that our Government is determined to promote peace when instead it seems we are hell-bent on pursuing policies that would find a better home with Federal Senator Salak'ta and her War Party. We are, after all, still digesting the news that our response to an attempt to sue for peace by President Bradley of the Terran Alliance has been met by the despatch of not just 1 Battlegroup, led by none other than the war-hero Commander Thom, but also a following invasion Fleet.

Yes Benis Mue, our 'esteemed' President is popular-he has kept war from all our worlds as he never tires of reminding us. But we have been at war for a whole decade. Is this to be the perpetual state of the 'peace-loving' Altarians? This journal challenges the President and the Senate that he and his party controls to meet with representatives of the Technologist Party and the other political groups that genuinely want peace. Will he take up the challenge? I think not. Not whilst he and his corrupt cronies remain in hock to the real power behind the throne: Salak'ta and his coterie of warmongers. Not ever.



Sinduha Merlin (Decius III's Journalist of the Year 2236)

Captain's Log: Stardate 2 September 2236

Battlegroup Commander: Cmdr Serjuan Thom

AWS Rajan's Claw, Lead Cruiser Rajan's Claw Battlegroup

We have been ordered by Admiral Sinsa to make best speed to Antares V, which has annoyed me as it has meant cutting short 2 weeks of planned combat drills and battle maneouvres in Vegan Space. This crew (and this Battlegroup)is green...very green indeed. 272 souls there are on this ship: 8 short of our proper disposition. Quite how my 1st Officer, Lieutenant Commander Per Thuisi allowed an administrative oversight to allow us to depart the Orbital Spaceport minus 8 of our Engineers only he will know but my admonishment is nothing as compared to the wrath of our Engineering 1st Officer, Daranga Kan. She is Korx and Altarian good naturedness and humour is as alien to them as the Drengin mating kill-ritual is to us. What Kan excels at, however, being Korx, is scavenging, trading and wheeling and dealing-all skills which will serve her very well as our Engineering Officer: something tells me that this mission will go well beyond the limited parameters set by Fleet Command in my Mission orders.

I have high hopes for her. And for Per Thuisi: his enthusiasm is infectious and inspires the whole crew. He is a good foil for me, the gruff Commander to his bright young thing. He is one of the youngest Officers ever to be promoted to Lieutenant Commander so great things are expected of him.

Not all is sweetness and light, however. Things are not so smooth in Weapons. With only 3 Nano-Rippers to control and plot you would think that things would be simple: everything is so much easier now with the new firing system and triple the firepower for each gun. And yet Lieutenant Boon Binjop seems to be struggling. Only yesterday, during Battlegroup firing practise, he almost managed to plot a firing solution that would have engulfed one of our own Cruisers! It was only eagle-eyed checking by Per that averted disaster as I had my hands full coordinating the Group formation with the other Cruiser Commanders-I suppose that's what a 1st Officer is for but I feel ashamed that such a man could be promoted to that position. The whole thing is doubly galling as I can so distinctly remember my last Weapons Officer, Daag D'remptic-what an Officer! He was a credit to the Fleet and accompanied me in all my actions on board AWS Dahron's Talon. I will never forget how his sacrifice in plotting a final destructive salvo of our remaining bank of railguns during the Battle of Decius III, where the Imperial Drengin Navy made its final stand, allowed me to extricate our mortally wounded ship from the Battlegroup formation and retreat to safety. Daag could do with 6 old RailGun Mk1s what Lt Boon cannot with 3 of the much more advanced Nano-Rippers. I owe it to my old friend to get this rookie Weapons Officer up to speed: his slackness sullies Daag's memory.

So what do people think? I am quite into the different perspectives but am unsure what you guys reckon as there's not much feedback to go on. Shout and let me know guys... :NOTSURE: 

I'm finding it to be one of the most intersting AARs in a while. As I commented above, I really like that it is told from multiple viewpoints. That is very different from the huge majority of the other stories in this forum. Also, each different viewpoint is written very well, and I can really hear the distinct voices of the various people. Keep it up!

Sentient species taste better...

Keep it up! Fantastic work :CONGRAT:

I'm enjoying this a lot too. I just found this thread yesterday and it's been keeping me entertained in class ever since.

I really like the up close, personal interest perspective on the story. I've been tempted to post something similar before (Epic tale from the perspective of speeches, journal entries, correspondence, etc) but now I feel like I'd just be a huge copycat. Luckily for me I don't have the time.

If you don't mind a little bit of commentary. I wonder sometimes about the appropriateness of the topics to some of the characters discussing them. I understand the need to tell the story to the reader, but would the soldier in the transport know he is headed to Antares V? And if he did, would a letter containing that information ever make it past a military mail censor? Would a politician talk about the past so much in his inaugural address? Perhaps he could have been highlighting his achievements in a campaign speech, but inaugural addresses tend to look more forward than backward.

Very good work overall. Keep it coming.

/god I sound like one of my professors

This is a fantastic AAR mambaman!

You've got me completely hooked on the different stories and the credits in italics at the end of some of them are a nice touch.

Thanks.

Some excellent feedback here guys and thankyou all very much.  :CONGRAT: 



Thanks very much Kerubim for this too-very useful. One thing I would point out though: the British Task Force sailing to the Falkland Islands in 1982 were well known to be heading there by the whole world so this particular piece of locational information would not have been censored and wasn't. Really nice feedback though-thanks.

Towards the end of the Altarian Campaign a secret meeting was held to discuss the potential use of a "Death Station" as a final resort should the Terrans open the worm hole discovered that lead to the Dread Lords existing universe. After heated discussions between the various factions it was determined that such a measure was too impractical and untested to be of use, it was however leaked to the Terrans as a propaganda measure to further their desire to capitulate.
Taken from the personal journal of Ambassador G'thli of the Thalian Hive, dated 2240.



Hope you like and maybe it is usable

Ahh I hadn't thought of that. What I had in mind when I brought that up was the extreme measures the Allies took to disguise their invasion point before D-Day during WWII. Sure the Germans knew the invasion was coming, but they didn't know where. The British Task Force to the Falklands didn't have a lot of options regarding their eventual destination, so there was less need to keep it secret.

But in the end, this is your Galaxy. Who am I to question these things?

It's great feedback though Kerubim so thanks-I will flesh out the whole Antares V angle but suffice it to say that this world is many parsecs away from Terran Space-a frontier world if you will-hence the rush by myself and my allies to conquer it and hence the lack of secrecy about it.

I'll flesh it out though and thanks again   

Spdtristram thanks for your piece: I am not going to be including other excerpts in this story as I want it to be completely original. Also I am playing an incarnation of GalCiv where Death Stations don't exist. Thanks anyway.

Have really loved all the feedback though guys and it will spur me on to continued writing  :HOT: I aim to play the game some more tonight to move the timeline on and then post some more chapters later on in the weekend and during the week. Watch this space.....