2398: Two years after a saboteur serving one of RBO's innumerable enemies blew up six of hapless Tao's few factories, a Sakkra colony ship reached Jinga, the last world that such ships could reach. Colonialus Poetate expressed the collective sentiments of the populace with a deeply sorrowful haiku:
Is this the Jinga2399: The people's expansion hangover contrasted sharply with the wild celebrations in the capital on Sssla, - celebration partly of the fact that the blue star in the far southwest corner of the galaxy was still out of range as expected. Every other star in the galaxy was toxic, radiated, Orion, an inferno, or someone's colony.
I sought with ardent passion?
Just a barren rock!
Expansion efforts were still underway, with numerous transports en route to enemy stars, but for the first time in ages, it was joined to research efforts, with massive spending in every field but planetology. Dr. Bluescales Iguanaius explained his reasoning in a press conference:
Look, we know very well that the moment we can build Toxic bases or Dotomite Crystals, all our work on the other project - and everything else - will cease immediately. My plan is, get as much other critical tech in as we can while we work on the Dotomite Crystals, and then get started on the toxic labs once we've explored the whole galaxy.2400: Transports sent to Incedius years before, when it was believed that the eastern fleet could bomb the world down to the point where the incoming soldiers could take it even from Bulrathi were mostly shot down in space by the large fleet that had just moved into orbt and the missile base the poor planet had somehow managed to build in spite of the bombardment of its population and destruction of all its factories. The bears on the surface killed off the remaining Sakkra invaders easily. This left Obsessivus in a sour mood as the Galactic Council began, and it was only going to get worse.
Here follows RBO XVIII's official speech before the Galactic Council on learning that the Sakkra had just enough votes to elect themselves rulers of the galaxy:
This is a travesty! You expect me to vote for myself when you filth - Alkari and Bulrathi alike - have voted for me? When the miserable Psilons abstained from voting against me? With the vile apes opposing me and the mighty Meklar people in my camp, I knew perfectly well that this whole exercise was pointless, but to try saving your worthless hides by handing victory to me? You disgust me! You aren't worth the spit it takes to curse you. I refuse to vote; I refuse to participate in these worthless elections! Begone, and beware my fleets!2401: Admiral Vipersian's typically succinct report on the Battle of Kakata:
Orbital superiority uncontested. Invasion failed. Ten million Human survivors.2402: The first GNN Report of the latest development on the Human front, this time at the most important Sakkra point world in the region:
2405: Dr. Iguanaius on the research situation:
By now, you have all seen the GNN report on Ryoun, less than 700 research points from a solar rejuvenator with six years before the star is due to go nova. With new shields and jammers for our bases and laser rifles for our troops all completed in the past two years, we have every intenton of pressing forward in the same vein, with a Personal Deflector Shield to protect our ground forces and ECM Jammer Mark II to make our defenses even stronger - the more so as it will help us hurry faster toward actually useful technology. Additional deflector shields and improved battle computer technology may look attractive, but we don't have the time to spare for any projects of those kinds. At the same time, research will proceed as rapidly as possible on Ion Cannon technology, desperately needed for our fighters as Human shield technology increases. Fusion Bombs will be needed someday, and advanced rockets have their uses, but right now, with two ultra-poor worlds on the front, Obsessivus has declared defense fleets a priority. The acquisition of a Deep Space Scanner from one of those worlds, thanks to the winning second wave of our Kakata invasion, will only make fleet-based defense easier to arrange.2406: The ultra-rich world of Gienah completed its 60th factory.
Standing right in the middle of Bulrathi space, it went right to work on defenses even though it was already protected by the entire eastern fleet. Meanwhile, once the main western defense fleet shot down the human reinforcement transports just arriving at Kakata a day late and a credit short (well, two years late and a space superiority fleet short actually) Lasitus came along and asked for peace, and RBO's official response was recorded for posterity:
ARE YOU KIDDDING ME?!?!?! You think I'd make peace with a weakling like you just for begging me?! You're the only one of my enemies who'll even acknowledge we're at war, and now you think I'm just going to throw that away?! PEACE?!?! Only when you're ready to rest in it, Lassy!2408: We end this section with GNN's official report on Ryoun's private technological creation:
Of course, it would still have to deal with enormous numbers of incoming Human fleets.
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Next: Ruthlessness at Large
