"Yes, yes, I hear our second Horizon is on the move, not to mention another pair of Discoveries out of Primodius Station, with a twelfth due out next year. I'm well aware of the RBO-28's love for these shiny, wasteful star ships. But what of our future? What of the research that alone can propel us forward? My colleagues have improved our industrial technology across the entire empire and are now devising means to improve it still further; engineers at the Hydrogen Propulsion Lab on Primodius are continuing their work on nuclear engines that will double the effective warp speed of the RBO's precious starships, so of course they're still receiving funding, but what of our planetologists? So we'll never use Death Spores. Does that mean we must abandon the field forever? On the contrary! Consider that the fastest way to begin colonizing worlds beyond our present four parsec range is to complete both our IIT8 project and their Death Spores, for miniaturization purposes alone! Think, people of Sol! With these two techs, we'll be able to build ships combining the best aspects of Colony Ships and Scouts! We'll call them Scolony Shouts! Errr ... well, Scoulony Shi ... ummm ... well, alright, someone else can come up with the name. I'm just a researcher, okay?"
2340
"At long last, the silence is broken! The new communications center at Collassa has managed to get through to the Bulrathi!"
"For years, we couldn't make sense of anything they were transmitting, but soon after the Collassa colony was founded, Senior Communications Officer Risa Kerr finally started making headway by testing an ingenius hypothesis: That the Bulrathi couldn't make sense of their own transmissions either! When their emperor responded to her trade proposal by goggling his eyes, pulling at the collar of his uniform, and distinctly pronouncing, 'Snork! Snork! Snork!' Officer Kerr replied, 'I'm glad you agree, Bullux. Our trade ships will be entering Bulrathi space shortly.' He proceded to hop around his communications chamber on one foot with both arms stretched out ahead and waving in wild, rapid circles, periodically bumping into walls, so Officer Kerr cut the connection and sent the trade ships in - and for whatever reason, they're being accepted! Peaceful economic exchange - on a very small scale - is at last underway!"
2343
"Collassa station? Are you reading me? I hear Berel was founded last year, but I don't know if they can receive my signal. This is Discovery Gamma reporting from the green star just rimward of your position. I'm picking up incredible energy readings from the surface of the system's primary world - like nothing we've ever encountered. Ensign Smidley's read too many comic books and thinks it could be the legendary 'Orion' system - that should give you an idea of how the place is lighting up our sensor arrays. We've got a..." [static] "...kind of interference..." [static] "...gigantic super-dreadn..." [static] "...callsign Guardian! It's..." [static]
[static]
[static]
2354
"The first Voyager scouts have made their way to the outer reaches of known space, fitted with the nuclear engines we developed nine years ago. It is hoped that our new dotomite crystal project will expand those outer reaches even further, and to that end, we are finally beginning work on them - as well as our age-old computer, force field, and weapon projects - now that scientists are reporting a chance of a breakthrough at any moment in both fields that will lead to Scolony Shouts! ... Errr ... we still need a better name for that though...."
2360
"The rumors are true: All our outmoded Discoveries will be decomissioned by year's end. You who have crewed them have served us well, and may rest assured that more of our advanced Voyagers will be ready before long, with still more advanced starships to follow: We had a construction breakthrough earlier this year, and the eggheads are working on cutting down factory waste by two fifths and increasing ship component miniaturization at the same time. Go forth, be proud, and - while you're waiting for your next assignment - party down!"
2369
"Voyager Beta reporting from the nebula world of Helos. It looks like the Bulrathi are trying to claim this planet too. I'll try and warn them off - this system's closer to Sol, and our colony ship's already en route, and..."
"...it ... uh ... looks like they brought a fleet. I have the captain of the Warbear cruiser on the line now. Captain Growlyface ... uh ... is that your nickname or ... anyway, please understand that Humankind claims this ... um ... ... Okay, so Sol base? The Bulrathi command officers have formed a conga line on their bridge and are singing, 'Combat, combat, com-BAT!' I'm, um, thinking of withdrawing from the system. That okay?"
2371
"Following the action at Helos, we're more wary than ever of our Bulrathi neighbors. Nevertheless, there is no need to fear! I repeat, there is no cause for concern! Our Primodius and Collossa colonies completed their infrastructure development last year, and are prepared to work on defenses should it ever become necessary. We've just completed our Hand Laser project, bringing us slightly closer to ground combat parity, and are now developing Hyper-X rockets so our defensive bases will have teeth. The reality is however, the concerns are overblown. There is still plenty of room for both of our peoples to expand, and our excellent trade relations have been lucrative for Humans and Bulrathi alike. Aggressive tactics to acquire unclaimed systems are one thing, but no sane emperor would even consider war with our established colonies.
2373
"Good morning, Bullux! How are you on this fine..."
"I see. The ... um, conjunction of the planets, eh? Well, I'm going to call this progress: You managed to speak a complete sentence! And it's a comprehensible sentence at that ... even if the sentiment doesn't make a lick of sense...."
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Next: War! (And Other Forms of Madness)
