Progress Report

Intraship Transmission
Coding Yellow (=/<O-3 permissions)
ASV Cutter, Helia System, Helia, Standard Low Orbit
Lt.Commander Burgess Castro & Lt. Commander Lee Hueng-sil
Shipboard Time: 1317 UTC, June 12, 2614

/BEGIN/

Castro: Situational Report of the operations downside are going just as well as we could have hoped for given the deterioration of the political environment.

Hueng-sil: You haven't been reading the same reports I have then.

Castro: Oh? Do tell.

Hueng-sil: Our groundside advisers in the vicinity of Emberbrook are content with the stability of the government especially since senior command staff have assumed leadership of the surrounding area, but we are facing resistance.

Castro: Well, that seems obvious. The last thing these people want is martial law.

Hueng-sil: Doesn't matter what they want. Statistics say that if an impact is imminent, then we're looking at only a 17 percent chance that the area will be directly influenced by the immediate effects of the event. Captain Gardener still wants the go-ahead to establish permanent groundside garrisons and begin recruiting practices.

Castro: So we take over and tell the people they're working for us now? Isn't that conscription? Isn't that what the Soviets do?

Hueng-sil: This is not conscription, Burgess. There is still choice, but need I remind you of the obvious: there is no chance of reinforcements, even if they're heading here at lightspeed. It'll be years before we can even get a progress report. We are operating in a vacuum, so to speak.

Castro: How far along into preparations are we?

Hueng-sil: Psychological Warfare division has been tasked to PR.

Castro: Fitting.

Hueng-sil: It should be. I assigned them. Not too far out of their comfort zone.

Castro: What about on the other parts of the planet? Are we in contact with the other nations?

Hueng-sil: Is that what we're calling them now? They're barely more than small settlements. They're a Stage 1 colony for Chrissakes. They're nowhere near the level of even being considered micronations, much less superpowers.

Castro: Going off what you were saying, those don't apply in this situation now that we're cut off. We assume Helia is now the center of the universe until we receive new orders.

Hueng-sil: Hmm. Point taken.

Castro: Porthos has been of note lately.

Hueng-sil: The ocean 'nation'?

Castro: Yes. I was going to report it earlier, but our drones are starting to report construction.

Hueng-sil: Construction? What sort of construction?

Castro: Well, this is technically espionage, but we're covering it up by saying we're monitoring the planet's environment and sea levels.

Hueng-sil: I get it; now what did you mean about construction?

Castro: They're building ships. All kinds of ships.

Hueng-sil: They're a trading center. Of course they're going to have ships.

Castro: Not trading. Mining activities jumped two hundred percent in the last month and their refineries have gone into overdrive. They're just skeleton right now, but we're hypothesizing that they're warships.

Hueng-sil: Oh crap.

Castro: And what's worse, it looks like they're reaching out to Highwater and Copernica settlements. They're all in the same general gulf. Looks like they're trying to create a coalition of some sort.

Hueng-sil: And they're planning to go after Emberbook?

Castro: No. Emberbrook is farther in-land. They're not going after them, but if they extend their reach, then they may try to head further north at some point in time.

Hueng-sil: Can't we intervene?

Castro: Legally no. We can't do anything until we have a clear sign that there's hostile intent without cause. As of right now, we're just guessing here.

Hueng-sil: Can we engage in an orbital strike once there is cause?

Castro: I sincerely hope you're shitting me.

Hueng-sil: if what you're saying is true, then they're looking for world domination here. From there, they can control resources. They know nobody's going to come knocking.

Castro: No physical intervention at least until the crisis is over.

Hueng-sil: Which crisis exactly?

Castro: All the same, we're to send in envoys if we do see that there is hostile intent, but we're opening another can of worms there too. Some of the locals may see our intent as picking a side.

Hueng-sil: But we *have* chosen a side.

Castro: That's true, but we need to present the idea that we are truly neutral in this conflict.

Hueng-sil: Jesus, even all alone we're trying to get over one another.

Castro: We don't do anything, we're screwed. We get involved and diffuse a threat, we'll be slightly less screwed. Speaking of which, have we gotten any news back from the California?

Hueng-sil. Nothing. Projections say she should be near the outer planet now.

Castro: Fantastic.

Hueng-sil: Until then, we keep our eyes open. We let those people down there make the first move. Until then, we do everything we can to make it seem as if we're as neutral as possible.

Castro: Agreed. I'll stay in contact with Waller and Rigelli as often as possible. Oh, and before I forget, what's the situation in Morley?

Hueng-sil: Black hole. Something's not right there either. We're keeping our distance but we're watching that too.

Castro: Alright. Keep on doing what you're doing pal.

Hueng-sil: All the same to you. Take it easy.


/END/