Neptune's Pride

[Berkut]

6th Imperial Lackey Berkut examined the scribbled map on the rough paper gloomily. 14th Royal Peasant Smith was pointing out the hopelessness of the situation with something approaching, but certainly not reaching, abject despondency. Such expressions of hope were simply not acceptable, even with the situation as patently hopeless as this clearly was becoming.

"As expected, our position is simply not tenable. With massive forces crushing out outward holdings at will, we really cannot expect to hold out for much longer, your patheticness. We are losing every battle, and only inflicting trivial losses to the enemy. Our admittedly pointless offensive at Azaleh has already been made irrelevant, and we have lost two prime stars to the Ulmotians, and 2 more to the Firebladian Overlords. Our fleeets are smaller, slower, and cannot match their potent offensive weapons".

Berkut sighed, and removed one oven mitt to rub his aching forehead with a clear note of despair. There was nothing for it - this war was as doomed as he had known it would be from the start.

"It makes no matter, Smith. The result is pre-ordained, as we both know. All we can do is make our pointless gestures of defiance and wait for the inevitable end. Send in Smith, there are orders to write. Pointless orders, to be sure, but we might as well send them anyway. Probably won't be any ships left to get them by the time we write them."

[Kleves]

 

If there's a spot open, I want in next game.

[Grey Fox]

I wish this game would go faster. Urg.

[szmik]

I wish this game would go faster. Urg.

Then those with no life would kill us.

[Berkut]

Since the latest disasters, 6th Imperial Lackey berkut had demoted himself to 7th Imperial Lackey. Such gross incompetence as has been shown throughout this war could hardly be countenanced.

However, since there wasn't anyone in the 8th through 26th rankings either, nor the 1st through 6th the point was somewhat moot - just another example of how doomed their nation was, led by incompetence and ignorance.

As he gently weeped into his mittens, Smith, the 45th Royal Illiterate approached. More bad news, of course.

"Sir, the situation is getting worse. There has been even more assaults from the unstoppable hordes of Fireblat, and they continue to destroy our ships at an incredible rate! At Algorab, they slammed into our pathetic defenses with 5 ships of a design we cannot even really quantify, much less understand. And at Maia, our entire defensive force was destroyed without any survivors. Maia has fallen, and Algorab only barely held on - we think their ships might have cloaked or something, since they appear to have dissappeared there."

"Cloaking technology you say? Outstanding. Typical of our fate. Continue feeding our domed ships into the grinder. Wake me if something really bad happens..."

Berkut knew there was no point in even begging for mercy, or surrendering. Who would ever give mercy to such a useless and pathetic race? Fighting on until inevitable extermination was clearly the only choice - and really, isn't that just?

[Agelastus]

Star System: Unknown
Date: ??.??.???? ??.??.?? UTC
Location: Imperium GHQ

The emergency briefing began when the Imperator arrived, the officers present not allowing the least sign of discomfort at his tardiness to show.

"Well", he said, "what is the problem, Admiral? I was enjoying a good game of Europa Universalis 226 when your emergency code came through."

The Admiral in question coughed, looking worried. Then he coughed again, significantly, at a junior commander holding a file. The commander blinked, took a deep breath, and began his report.

"My Imperator, I regret to inform you that the Ulmontines are adamant regarding our withdrawal from Deneb, despite the past agreements we have had with them regarding acceptable expansion. They have informed that they will go to war unless we withdraw immediately." The officer paled slightly. "It is the...consensus...of the Intelligence Department that they are not bluffing."

The Imperator seemed taken aback at this. "Not bluffing, you say? I find that hard to believe given the reports we have received of the expanding conflict to the Galactic North-East."

The commander swallowed, then answered. "No, my Imperator, we do not believe they are bluffing. Although one of the carrier battlegroups has dropped off its reinforcements at La Superba, the other is currently lingering at Grafias despite the reservations we have expressed in private to the Ulmontine ambassador."

Another officer spoke up. "Deneb is a most valuable possession, my Imperator, we should not give it up for nothing."

The Imperator waved for silence. He sat in quiet contemplation for some minutes.

Finally, he made his decision. "We will not be giving it up for nothing, Admiral, we shall be giving it up for peace. Send the signal to the Albion battlegroup to withdraw to Alkalurops." He turned to the commander from Intelligence. "However, please extend to the Ulmontine Ambassador our continued concern at the presence of the extra battlegroup at Grafias. As we discussed in our regular briefing, the maintenance of the peace relies on both sides limiting their striking capability at the frontier."

The attending officers relaxed as the decision was made.

"Now", the Imperator said, "I must get back to my game. Sweden were taking over the world, and they must be stopped!"

[Barrister]

Although I can, I have decided it would not be wise for me to play this game from work.

I half expect to see numerous Jaronite fleets in my systems when I log in tonight.

[ulmont]

"We will not be giving it up for nothing, Admiral, we shall be giving it up for peace. Send the signal to the Albion battlegroup to withdraw to Alkalurops." He turned to the commander from Intelligence. "However, please extend to the Ulmontine Ambassador our continued concern at the presence of the extra battlegroup at Grafias. As we discussed in our regular briefing, the maintenance of the peace relies on both sides limiting their striking capability at the frontier."

"Emperor?"

"Yes, Prince Ul'qar?"

"We intercepted the foregoing from Agelastine sources earlier today.  We find its contents...interesting."

"And what does the Intelligence Vizier say?"

"He says...permission to speak freely?"

"Granted."

"He says 'I'm sure the lizard-fuckers are lying bastards, but we'll know more in 20 hours when their main fleet hits Albireo.'"

"Very well.  Stay alert, but we may back down from the previous Red Alert status to the more normal C&C."

"Yes, Emperor."

[Agelastus]

Hey, what's happened to LaCroix? His Empire's just been put under AI control.

[FunkMonk]

After three or four days of not logging in the empire gets put under AI control. He can still log back in and take over I think.

[FunkMonk]

If there's a spot open, I want in next game.

I'm expecting to start another game either tomorrow or Thursday. I'll mark you in. Anyone else who wants in just say so. I can take up to 12 players.

[katmai]

i'll kick your  collective butt

[Agelastus]

If there's a spot open, I want in next game.

I'm expecting to start another game either tomorrow or Thursday. I'll mark you in. Anyone else who wants in just say so. I can take up to 12 players.

If there's space for a player from the existing game, I'd like in, please.

[Jaron]

Me too, this is a lot of fun.

[Berkut]

I would play another, even though this one is going horribly wrong.