Tikal news and occurences

[Lynneth]

"Any American nation may join the NWO without a prior voting or approval process. No invitation is needed. However, we have not yet established an official forum, so we would like you to be patient for just a few more days, some weeks at most."

[OOC: No official thread yet, please hold for a day or two.]

[Lynneth]

[Internal]
 
"What's more important, the data or the jazz? Sure, sure, 'Information should be free' and all that—but anyone can set information free. The jazz is in how you do it, what you do it to, and in almost getting caught without getting caught. The data is 1s and 0s. Life is the jazz."
 
With Tikal now owning numerous islands and other locations around the Americas, the SOSUS was upgraded and expanded to its hopefully final extent, building on the previously established network. It would take a few months, perhaps some years, but once complete, it would allow Tikal and all American nations - because they would be informed of notable movements that the SOSUS found, thanks to NWO - to anticipate possible invasion forces. The network itself wasn't changed much from the previous iteration, other than the software getting some updates, the database on ships being improved and a few other, mostly small things that would permit the Whole to work better.
 
Meanwhile, with Baffin fallen, 3,000 men were sent there to keep the peace and help local governments with their work, as usual.
 
____________________
 

 
Chak stared out of the reinforced window at the large, blue marble, filling out much of his view. At the upper edge of the 'circle', really a sphere, he could spy Japan, only just experiencing the sunrise. On left side of the lower edge, he could just so make out Newfoundland and bits of Canada. A beautiful place. The cradle of humanity. And for most of it, the only place they had.
 
He shook his head and brought his attention elsewhere; that is, the running shower in the bathroom, the open door to which was to his back. He had finished his own shower just minutes ago, hair and skin still somewhat damp, waist covered by a towel. He didn't mind the water dripping onto the bed - the well-used sheets would be replaced the moment he and Shana'Kin left the orbital station for a trip to the Jovian colonies
 
Speaking of his beloved, she was taking suspiciously long with the shower. He stood and walked to the door, listening to the still-running water.
 
"Dear?" He stepped into the room, turning towards the shower. She had her back to him and was in the process of shampooing her beautiful, almost shimmering hair. She stopped for a moment upon registering his entrance, but soon continued her work.
 
However, she did speak, "I've been waiting for you to get curious. Now come on in already."

He raised an eyebrow, knowing well that she couldn't see it. "But I finished my shower earlier already."
 
She sighed and stopped, turning her head a little to look at him out of the corner of her eyes. "I don't care. Now come in and help me."

"Alright, alright, just give me a moment." He chuckled, closing the door and dropping the towel, then joining his beloved in the shower.
 
Jupiter could wait another day or two.

Edited August 25, 2014 by Lynneth

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

 

"Integrity is doing the right thing when nobody is watching."

 

Tikal was the protector of the Americas, that was nigh-indisputable. It had protected the continents ever since its inception, against Hawaiian incursion, French colonialism and more. However, to some, the nation didn't have a solid, permanent presence on the South American 'Mainland', despite Panama bordering the southern continent quite directly.

 

The timing was good, as recent surveys in Colombian provinces had shown that several were open to joining Tikal. Appropriate measures were taken, and troops dispatched to oversee integration.

 

[center][/center]

 

The [Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina (short 'Archipelago'), Chocó and Antioquia, 1/7] were the first and closest of the provinces for integration, shown in yellow on the map. They already were influenced by Tikal's culture, but now enough. The combined population was 6,865,380, though expected to grow in due time, and with a combined area of 110,194.5 km². The provinces would be merged into Chocó.

 

[Cordoba, Sucre and Bolivar, 1/7] all had a coastline in the Caribbean and so were influenced by the Principality, but less so. It would take more effort to integrate these, though the lower population - 4,542,100 - resulted in expectations of it being integrated around the same time as Chocó. The three provinces, their combined area 61,915 km², would be combined and referred to as Sucre, red on the map.

 

[Cauca and Valle del Cauca, 1/7] had the lowest area of the regions to be annexed, with a total of only 51,448 km², but the population was large, 5,914,940 people living there. With a coastline in the Pacific, they were far more exposed to Tikalian culture than the Caribbean regions, and so it was likely that lesser efforts to convert them would yield similar results as in Sucre. The region would be merged into Cauca, seen as green.

 

Lastly were a number of not necessarily smaller, but generally less populated provinces. [Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, Tolima, Huila, Caquetá, Amazonas, Putumayo and Narino, 1/7] massed an area of 314,108 square kilometres, rivalling Germany in size (357,168 km²), but not population: only 7,589,774 people lived in the provinces, which would after integration be merged into Narino. The sheer size would require more resources to bring them properly in, but even the rugged, Andean terrain couldn't stop Tikal's proselytising, only slow it some.

[Lynneth]

[Internal - Archipelago, Chocó and Antioquia, 2/7]

 

The first step for all provinces was to analyse how things were in general within them, in terms of infrastructure, civil services, and so on. What could be upgraded, what had to be replaced, was there something entirely missing? Chocó didn't have a reliable connection to the rest of Tikal. This means that the swamps in the northwest of the province would have to be removed in some regions, even if it meant hurting the environment a little.

 

[Internal - Cordoba, Sucre and Bolivar, 2/7]

 

The evaluation was ongoing in all provinces, though some were further ahead than others. Troops in Sucre had found out that some communities deeper inland were without regular electricity, something that had to be rectified. Coastal harbours weren't quite able to deal with the influx of goods they were getting from the rest of Tikal - expansion was needed.

 

[Internal - Cauca and Valle del Cauca, 2/7]

 

Cauca, on the other hand, was well-developed, as one of Colombia's largest harbours. However, it was a Pacific port, and so one of the ports that would soon receive trade from Tikal's allies in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Whether it would need expansion as well remained to be seen. Still, the larger cities throughout the province would see new technologies flow in as Tikalian companies established themselves.

 

[Internal - Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, Tolima, Huila, Caquetá, Amazonas, Putumayo and Narino, 2/7]

 

The for the most part scarcely populated province of Narino would be the most difficult to integrate. Mountains, rainforests and many other different terrains in such a small area made adaptability necessary, and even then it was difficult reaching all communities. Sometimes, roads seemed simply impossible to build. But, it was only another obstacle in bringing these people into Tikal and showing them the greatness of the Popol Vuh.

[Lynneth]

[Internal - Archipelago, Chocó and Antioquia, 3/7]

 

Work to improve infrastructure in the provinces started. Chocó needed improved roads, and a connection to Tikal proper. Electric infrastructure was in relatively good shape, and it should be able to handle the loads that came with becoming part of the Principality. There were some problems with water, but that could be rectified easily.

 

[Internal - Cordoba, Sucre and Bolivar, 3/7]

 

Sucre had problems in nearly all categories, and serious effort was required to repair or replace everything. Tens of thousands of workers were temporarily brought into the province to help in order to make things go faster while retaining high quality work. This didn't yet factor improvements to harbours in.

 

[Internal - Cauca and Valle del Cauca, 3/7]

 

Unsurprisingly, Cauca was in best shape. Only relatively minor improvements needed to be done in the larger cities, even if things further away deteriorated some. The province was low priority for the time being.

 

[Internal - Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, Tolima, Huila, Caquetá, Amazonas, Putumayo and Narino, 3/7]

 

Narino, meanwhile, was bordering on catastrophe, if reports from analysts were to be believed. True, much of the province was 'adequate' for the people living in it, but for Tikalians, the standards of living were atrocious. Everywhere needed improvements, upgrades, replacements and so on. Much like Sucre, tens of thousands of temporary workers were sent to help repair roads, build maglev rails, improve the infrastructure and so on. It was a massive effort disproportionate to the relatively low population, even more so when compared to the other, generally more populous provinces.

[Lynneth]

[Internal - Archipelago, Chocó and Antioquia, 4/7]

 

Work in the provinces to improve infrastructure was ongoing. While this was happening, proselytisers travelled to and through the cities, trying to spread the Popol Vuh and its greatness to the people.

 

[Internal - Cordoba, Sucre and Bolivar, 4/7]

 

After all, had the Principality not brought its people into an era of unprecedented prosperity and peace? Had it not prevented warfare throughout the Americas?

 

[Internal - Cauca and Valle del Cauca, 4/7]

 

And had it not been the Prince and the Princess who had made all this possible, they who were the great Builders who created Tikal's foundations? Had it not been them who made it all as it was?

 

[Internal - Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, Tolima, Huila, Caquetá, Amazonas, Putumayo and Narino, 4/7]

 

"Vigilance is our shield, that protects us from our squalid past. Knowledge is our weapon, with which we carve a path to an enlightened future," so speak they who follow the Popol Vuh. As the men speaking of Tikal's religion walked these lands, they spread zealously their influence, converting many, and some of those in turn converting friends or family. Soon, like Tikal proper, the spread and dominance of the Popol Vuh was inevitable.

[Lynneth]

[Public]

"The Principality of Tikal hereby declares under its formal protection - not merely under the Monroe Doctrine - all of Ecuador, as well as the following regions of Peru:

Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Caja Marca, Ancash, Amazonas, Loreto, San MArtin, Huánuco, Pasco, Ucayali, Junín, Callao, and all of Lima.

 

Should any nation desire to voice their disapproval, please send a missive to the Directorate of Diplomacy of Tikal."

 

______________

 

[Classified]

 

Following up on the declaration was the deployment of 120,000 soldiers as well as supporting armoured and Walker elements, in addition to the 40,000 already stationed in the mentioned regions. It wasn't expected that anyone would complain much - Tikal always had a good reason for doing what it did, no?

[Lynneth]

[Internal - Archipelago, Chocó and Antioquia, 5/7]

 

While bringing the various provinces and regions to be integrated up to par in regards to infrastructure and civilian technologies, as well as religious beliefs was going quite well, that wasn't enough to truly protect them. Military bases had to be built or repaired, radars and defence systems established. The region that would become the state of Chocó would have two major naval bases established, one bordering the Caribbean, the other the Pacific Ocean. Further, an airbase would be constructed as well, in the east of the region.

 

[Internal - Cordoba, Sucre and Bolivar, 5/7]

 

Sucre would find itself host to a combined naval/airbase near the northernmost border, though it would have to be built first. Radar stations and various AA and anti-ship defences were soon in the process of being built wherever deemed necessary. Sucre likely was somewhat more difficult to defend than the other states, due to its geography and position relative to the rest of Tikal.

 

[Internal - Cauca and Valle del Cauca, 5/7]

 

Cauca on the other hand would be quite easily defended - the Pacific Ocean was a Japanese and Tikalian lake, after all. Only a relatively minor naval base would be built, though it would host a reasonably-sized airforce. Standard radar and other installations as used in the rest of Tikal were in the works, as well.

 

[Internal - Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, Tolima, Huila, Caquetá, Amazonas, Putumayo and Narino, 5/7]

 

Large but sparsely populated, Narino would mostly be dotted with small outposts and early warning equipment rather than any proper military base, other than one close to Cauca's southern border. Defences and detection systems would be built, yes, but the military presence would be relatively low, once everything was said and done.

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

 

"Violets are Red
and Roses are Blue
when Metamaterials alter their Hue"

 

With access to the Cave of the Crystals, the Principality once again had access to what had originally kick-started its entire culture and technology. the crystals within the cave were unique, and the mission of the team sent to the cave was to try and find other, new structures that might be useful in some way. Luckily, recent advanced in material technologies resulted in a suit that could keep its user at liveable temperatures for far longer than previous attempts, projected to be up to 90 minutes. This was an incredible improvement over the 30 to 35 minutes of previous arrangements. As the researchers explored the caves, they would also try to improve the suit in various ways.

 

Just how much it could be improved remained to be seen.

 

[center][/center]

 

Regardless, the first expedition was launched nearly 2 weeks after arrival, as the camp had to be set up first. The suit used was heavy duty, easily comparable in sturdiness to military exoskeletons. it had an integrated power supply and a cooling system capable of keeping the interior around 20 degrees Celsius for prolonged spans of time, though heavily dependent on the environment. The vacuum of space was of no issue for it, but atmospheric environments were quite more difficult. Extreme cold was easier to work with, however, as the internal generator could generate excess heat with which to keep the suit above 15 degrees Celsius, even if it took considerably more fuel.

 

Extreme heat, however, coupled with high humidity as found in the Cave of the Crystals, tested the suit's capabilities significantly. Even more so because, to preserve the crystals, the Cave had been allowed to be submerged in water once more. The first expedition thus was mostly a test to ascertain the suit's capabilities, as they'd never before been used for this sort of environment.

 

Luckily, it was a success. Further missions could be planned without issue.

[Lynneth]

[Internal - Archipelago, Chocó and Antioquia, 6/7]

 

Soon enough, the various bases and defences were built throughout the region. The populace had been cooperative, allowing the project to be completed more quickly than projected.

 

[Internal - Cordoba, Sucre and Bolivar, 6/7]

 

Though there were some differences in how much the people worked with the Tikalians to integrate the four states, there was one constant. Missionaries spread the faith and public education the culture. Even if the people of today didn't like Tikal much, tomorrow their children would at least be alright with it.

 

[Internal - Cauca and Valle del Cauca, 6/7]

 

In time, they would come to live life as Tikalians did. Though projected to last just over a hundred years on average, life was short. Too short not to enjoy it, and so combined with how people are aided in specialising in things they truly excel at, leading to one of the happiest populations on the planet.

 

[Internal - Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, Tolima, Huila, Caquetá, Amazonas, Putumayo and Narino, 6/7]

 

All this despite what outsiders might call a dystopian society were they allowed to take a closer look at it instead of fleeting glances. But then again, enough fleeting glances might allow for a reasonable picture to emerge.

But in the end, Tikalians are happy. And the people of the four new states would be happy, too.

 

_____________________

 

[Internal]

 

"The tragedy of the Cataclysm is not that so many died. Death is an inevitable part of life. The tragedy is that so many died as victims. When the crisis came, they were helpless, unable to use their deaths to buy anything of value. Millions of otherwise intelligent people had been tricked into ignoring a fundamental truth: that no man has any rights if he is unable to personally defend them."

 

The next expeditions into the depths of the Cave were largely to see if the maps gathered from decades-old archives were in any way still accurate. The caves were quite extensive after all, and it was believed that they went even deeper than currently known. So for the next days, several teams of scientists and researchers went down for just under one and a half hours at a time, trying to find the boundaries of the various known caves. It wasn't something that went by fast, but thanks to multiple teams, each group could take a break of several hours before going down again. Even during the night-hours, two to three teams were working almost tirelessly, later having to rest for a full day before being allowed to go into the caves again. Exhaustion was a tangible danger, and the greatest right after being cooked alive in your suit if it was faulty in any way. 

 

Being cooked alive isn't a fun affair. Luckily, it hadn't happened yet to any of the participants in the exploratory missions.

 

Once the caves had been mapped more accurately than ever before, several experts in geology and related disciplines pored over those maps and sonic mapping records that had been made from the surface while the expeditions were ongoing. Their current duty was to find possible locations for caves underneath or near the known ones, be they submerged or not. Later, once the full extent of the caves was known, they would be needed to analyse crystal, rock and water samples in detail. But that time had not yet come.

 

Perhaps two weeks after the test run of the suits - a month after arrival - they were sure that there were at least three anomalies that could be reached without drilling or excessive damage to crystal structures. Some of the magnificent crystals would unfortunately have to be removed to permit humans to get into certain passages, but it was deemed a necessary sacrifice, and they weren't really of importance to any local ecosystem. They were beautiful, yes, but so were the hundreds and thousands of other crystals in the caves.

 

So the way was opened over the course of half a day, allowing the Tikalians to go deeper.

[Lynneth]

[Internal - Archipelago, Chocó and Antioquia, 7/7]
 
Finally, the integration was complete. The people in the various, newly created states had started to accept not only Tikalian government, but also its religion.
 
[Internal - Cordoba, Sucre and Bolivar, 7/7]
 
And slowly, the new culture, this amalgamation of Maya, Aztec and original thought began seeping into the people's thoughts, as well. After all, if they thought like Tikalians, were they anything but?
 
[Internal - Cauca and Valle del Cauca, 7/7]
 
Foremost was also the government's ability to enforce its claims. Military bases had been completed all throughout the states, allowing projection of power into the local region.
 
[Internal - Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, Tolima, Huila, Caquetá, Amazonas, Putumayo and Narino, 7/7]
 
Chocó, Sucre, Cauca and Narino all could be considered properly part of Tikal by now. And Tikal did consider them such. The announcement of successful integration was short and to the point, informing those who deemed it necessary to listen to Tikal's relatively rare public announcements of the expansion.
 
_____________________
 
[Internal]
 
"I loved my chosen. How then to face the day when she left me? So I took from her body a single cell, perhaps to love her again."
 
Efforts to map the deeper caves were organised practically the moment the path was opened. Teams were doubled in number - from one to two active at any time - to explore them as quickly as possible. These efforts bore fruit when some weeks later, in a newly discovered cave reaching almost 600 metres beneath the surface, a new type of crystal was discovered - one never previously seen.
 

 

Discovered by the researcher Ernesto Alejandro Aléndra, it was named [i]Alenium[/i] in his honour despite not being one of the fundamental atomic elements. It was a translucent material, yellow in colour and generally resembling amber in appearance. Its unique appearance prompted immediate gathering of samples and subsequent analysis.

 

Detailed analysis of its molecular structure revealed an atomic arrangement of incredible density that was previously thought impossible in nature outside of stars or other environments with extreme pressures. Its unique structure also allowed the material to store energy in quantities far exceeding those of any known material. Despite this, it remained inert and its half-life turned out to be nearly 45 billion years, longer than the universe's age.

 

However, it could be cracked if enough mechanical force was applied, though this would not cause an energy discharge. This could be explained through the exceptionally stable arrangement of atomic chains, which interestingly also contain a clue as to how one may [i]unlock[/i] the energy trapped within the crystal: each chain regularly contains weaker bonds that can be broken through precise application of energy. By specifically targeting and breaking those bonds with for example a laser, a controlled energy release of virtually any size could be generated with incredible ease.

 

 

In essence, Alenium was no more than an incredibly powerful battery. One with a molecular structure thought unlikely to occur naturally nor contain any inherent energy of its own, but a perfect method to store the output from a far greater power source. Though currently there was no known way of 'recharging' the material, analysing it and the environment it came from thoroughly would surely yield an explanation for how it came to be and how more may be created.

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

"Without our work, nothing is built. Without our work, no wealth is gathered. Without our work, no secrets are discovered. Without our work, no base can be defended. Now you tell me: why should our work be taken for the benefit of others?"

Further study revealed two or three other new types of crystals and crystal arrangements, though none so surprising as Alenium. However, taking Alenium's unique structure as inspiration, it didn't take long for Tikalian material scientists to develop new kinds of alloys.

 

The new alloy technology was founded on a number of exotic materials, every last one of which had their own remarkable properties. Some of the newly developed materials had tensile strength or heat resistance an order of magnitude greater than anything previously known, while some - unfortunately exceedingly expensive ones for now - even had more exotic properties such as room-temperature superconductivity.

Nearly all of them were advanced ceramics with a chemical structure alien enough that one might think it hadn't originated on Earth in the first place, let alone a cave filled with crystals of all sorts. Some of the new materials sported properties previously thought impossible with current physics, yet here they were, all fundamental elements previously known to science. One could compare it to the difference between coal and diamond - fundamentally the same stuff, but radically different in practice.

Given the exceptional heat resistance, the most obvious application would be to augment existing armour layered armour with the new materials. However, the efficiency in dissipating heat was so great that new methods had to be developed to re-melt and shape the materials in order to fabricate plates of armour - or panels to bleed heat off into space.
 

Methods to shape the new alloys were developed in record time, however. To make it short, using the vast energy delivered in short periods of time by Alenium, specialised lasers could be built that blasted the material until it began melting. Practically any military and civilian construction could potentially be improved by incorporating the Alenium Alloys into them.

Further study of the alloys and Alenium was expected to reveal even greater benefits in the long run.

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

 

"There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full."

 

Infantry-sized laser weapons previously were at worst considered only in the realm of science fiction, at best 'weapons' that could blind opponents temporarily. Any laser powerful enough to be a useful weapon in combat would require a battery the size of a car - calling this impractical would be quite the understatement.

 

The arrival of Alenium changed this entirely. The incredible energy content of its crystalline structure allowed a battery no larger than a standard ammunition magazine to generate up to a dozen laser beams, each capable of burning through almost an inch of solid steel. Superconducting ceramics and Alenium alloys could be used to cool the weapon, storing waste heat from each shot and dissipating relatively slowly enough to avoid injury - if one was careful where they placed their hands. This removed the need for bulky refrigeration units, in turn reducing both size and weight of the weapons considerably.

 

 

 

 

To keep adjustment time for troops at a minimum, the laser weapons were designed to operate as closely as possible to conventional firearms, with only slightly enhanced range and mediocre accuracy improvements compared to their predecessors. There were some obvious differences, for example the greater damage that thermal shock weapons inflicted upon their targets. Less favourably, a laser weapon would have a lesser ammunition capacity for the same magazine size.

 

In order to streamline the integration of the new weapons into the armed forces, a single standardised battery would be used for all laser weapons. The design was far from complex: a cylindrical steel container with an Alenium crystal within, locking into the weapon with a simple twist. These power cells were trivial to build compared to the weapons and as such were available as long as there were more crystals to be had.

 

There was of course the possibility of a rapid-fire laser weapon. The ideal approach for this would be to generate a continuous beam of energy that could be swept across a battlefield, but even superconductors based on new alloys were incapable of dissipating the amount of heat generated by such sustained continuous fire. The solution borrowed from gatling guns - several rotating barrels. Instead of using a rotating barrel arrangement to permit high-speed loading of ammunition, it could be used to vastly reduce the amount of heat continual fire would generate in each individual barrel.

 

 

 

 

The scatter laser was a rapid-fire infantry weapon designed to replace ballistic machineguns. It had increased damage capacity and could suppress hostiles more efficiently, at the cost of reduced ammunition capacity. Unfortunately it still suffered 'recoil' of a sort, though in this case caused by the spinning of heavy cooling arrays rather than projectile recoil. Full accuracy could thus only be achieved by mounting it somewhere, or an exceptionally strong soldier using the weapon.

 

The gatling laser was scaled up to fit the cannon hardpoint of Tikal's combat airplanes, using a triangular arrangement of three powerful lasers that collectively would inflict much greater damage than conventional autocannons. The increased size and weight of the weapon of course permitted the use of more conventional materials than their smaller cousins, interestingly making construction of it and its power cell far easier and faster. Thus, it would take only a short time to upgrade fighter plane weaponry to the new design - the only difference would be increased combat effectiveness in dogfights.

 

Unfortunately, Zakus were at the time not able to put the new weaponry to full use and as such had to continue using their standard weapons. Lasers were simply not suitable for replacing 105 mm autocannons yet.

Edited September 6, 2014 by Lynneth

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

"The soul of a single virtuous man hath the worth of ten evil men, for canst not the virtuous man both slay the wicked and preserve his own?"

Bolivia's government had fallen. Not too unexpected, considering how irrational its ruler had been. The rest of Peru was placed into an official Tikalian protectorate. A short announcement regarding this was made public.

Next, a message would be sent to Parthia.

"My esteemed Friends of Parthia,

It is with great sadness that we must announce to you that Tikal will invoke Article V of our treaty, the cancellation clause. Hopefully, you understand that this is needed."

With great regards,
His Eternal Highness Chak Tok Ich'aak,
Ajaw ichil Tikal, Huatlatoani Tlahtoloyan, Embodiment of Kinich Ahau

_________________

[Internal - 'Pichincha' 1/7]

This complete, Tikal began integrating two more regions. Together, these two regions constituted all of Ecuador, the first made up of the provinces of Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Esmeraldas, Imbabura, Manabí, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Sucumbíos and Tungurahua. They would all be united into Pichincha, encompassing an area of 178,321 square kilometres and estimated to house for now 7,377,231 people.

[Internal - 'Guayas' 1/7]

The second province would consist of Azuay, Bolivar, Cañar, El Oro, Guayas, Loja, Los Ríos, Santa Elena and Zamora-Chinchipe. Combined, the state's area would be 70,528 km² with a preliminary population of 6,875,153 people. Both provinces had considerable coastal areas, something that would have to be considered in the future.

_________________

[Internal]

The I-37 Ku'Yookol [Corsair] was the first aircraft designed specifically for not just engaging hostile planes, but even low-flying satellites and orbital craft. Extensive use of Alenium alloy-derived materials when designing the airframe combined with materials known to be suitable for high-speed airplanes resulted in an aircraft capable of going more than toe-to-toe with any contemporary plane. It would easily be able to replace any non-stealth, non-carrier fighter craft used by the Principality at the time.

 

[center][/center]

In many respects, the design of the craft was evolutionary rather than revolutionary - it was an immense undertaking to design an entire aircraft in as short a time as it happened with the Ku'Yookol, even for the great minds of Tikal that had done this. Many of the gains were made by reproducing existing systems using more efficient materials and manufacturing techniques gained thanks to Alenium alloys, and incorporating those into existing manufacturing. However, two main innovations had been made - introduction of a variable-sweep wing design, and a new ER-3 Alenium impulse reactor/turbine system. The latter produced nearly twice as much thrust as a conventional jet turbine, the former increasing manoeuvrability at low speeds while at the same time increasing performance at greater speeds. As a result, the Ku'Yookol was capable of top speeds approaching Mach 2.25 despite a greater mass than previous airplanes.

Statistics

• Top Speed - 2,750 km/h (Mach 2.25)
• Range - 5,900 km (Combat: 2,400-2,900 km depending on mission); +6,000 km with external fuel supply (ferry)
• Mass - 21,800 kg (empty); 37,900 kg (loaded); 46,200 (max. take-off)
• Service Ceiling - 21,800 m
• Rate of Climb - 410 m/s
• Hardpoints - 14 (8 external, 6 internal) + 1 gatling laser (replacing 30mm cannon)

Edited September 12, 2014 by Lynneth

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

 

"And the word went before him on a breeze carrying our salvation. Here at least is a man with a mind of a general and the heart of a poet, yet also with the hands of a builder. He will lift us up from the earth."

 

The Alenium Reactor was the size of a small car, consisting of a horizontal cylinder mounted in a curved shell of Alenium alloys. Despite some visual similarities with previous Alenium-based power sources, the reactor was a far more intricate creation and generated nearly ten times more energy than its smaller cousins.

 

[center][URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/media/AE/CNRP/Corp/Crystals/Crystal08.jpg.html][/URL][/center]

 

It did this by using a very similarly-arranged Alenium core as the power sources, without any extra method of power generation. The reactor was simply more efficient at harvesting the energy already being emitted - it appeared that previous designs were the least intricate method of utilising Alenium, easy to construct but not particularly space-efficient. The Alenium Reactor would be used in situations where extra power was needed, but scaling older designs up by a factor of ten would not be viable. The utility became obvious when one remembered that drag increased exponentially with size, while the reactor allowed for more compact designs.

 

The reactor was able to capture all this additional energy by harnessing the power of gamma rays through interacting with Harmony technology. The breakdown of chemical bonds in Alenium released a burst of gamma radiation in addition to the heat that fuelled older reactor models. This gamma burst was incredibly energetic but also highly focused - an unfocused burst of this magnitude would be extremely dangerous - and angled towards six narrow cylindrical tubes of a super-dense Alenium alloy that radiate out from the core like spokes on a bicycle wheel, surrounded by Harmony fields. This arrangement absorbed the gamma radiation and was thus rapidly heated by the bombardment of high-energy particles, generating an immense amount of useful energy in the form of heat. Overall, it was a simple but effective design, easier to use on a greater scale than Harmony Cores.

 

 

Recent advances in Alenium and Alenium-Harmony-hybrid technology permitted the creation of superior communications systems that didn't rely on entangled particles, yet would be difficult if not nearly impossible to intercept.

 

[center][URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/media/AE/CNRP/Corp/Crystals/Crystal09.jpg.html][/URL][/center]

 

The new system, though still using radio signals, allowed transmissions to be compressed to a remarkable degree - short bursts lasting mere nanoseconds could carry all the data needed to give commands.

 

The short duration of these transmissions would make it extremely difficult to capture any higher-level communications, even if the sheer quantity of radio receivers on the planet meant that a few examples might be recorded purely by chance. Still, Tikal had been using quantum-level cryptology for a long time in the military, making it highly unlikely that cracking the transmissions' codes in the lifetime of the galaxy would happen. 

 

_________________

[Internal - 'Pichincha' 2/7]

As usual, the first thing to be done was to evaluate what the provinces had in terms of infrastructure, food supply, civil services, et al. Information about what needed replacement or upgrades had to be gathered, as well as what things were missing that were standard in Tikal proper. Luckily, most of Ecuador was in reasonably good shape.

[Internal - 'Guayas' 2/7]

 

Both Pichincha and Guayas had good roads and electric infrastructure, but rails were lacking considerably, and the airports were embarrassing. The harbours in the provinces were in reasonable shape at least, but even they needed additions to cope with future influx of materials. And of course, all existing power plants would be replaced with Harmony Cores.

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

 

"Fossils fuels in the last century reached their extreme prices because of their inherent utility: they pack a great deal of potential energy into an extremely efficient package. If we can but sidestep the 100-million-year production process, we can corner this market once again."

 

Fictional craft are fascinating for many reasons, not least their often extraordinary manoeuvring ability. Fighters dance through the air like graceful ballerinas and even ponderous capital ships may hover in place and turn far more quickly than their size should allow. To this, Tikal finally developed an answer, hopefully permitting it to achieve similar feats: the Directional Thruster array.

 

 

The device consisted of a central electronic cluster nicknamed the brain and a series of rotatable thrusters mounted outside of a flying object's hull. These thrusters were of course primarily designed for manoeuvring in a vacuum, but during atmospheric flight may take on the combined role of wings, stabilisers and elevators. An outer shell of miniscule flaps, each capable of providing almost miniscule amounts of vectored thrust, allowed an incredible amount of control over the output of each individual thruster. Collectively, a network of a dozen or even more of such thrusters would give a craft the ability to perform acrobatics testing the limits of human pilots. And though this system hardly was energy efficient compared to more conventional flight control systems, new craft may be designed to generate enough power that this was a negligible problem, if at all.

 

The brain itself was an oval structure, for ether craft intended to be roughly the size of a car engine. It would contain a rather crowded arrangement of sensors and a dense mass of advanced electronics that would stabilise the flight of a craft based on incoming sensor data. Luckily, the design of the interior was exceedingly complex, with a programming language unique to Tikal, which meant that if stolen by others, they would have to substitute the brain with older control systems, such as those used in space shuttles.

 

 

 

The Alenium fusion reactor was a large circular construction  with numerous applications where Harmony Cores or hybrid power plants may be inefficient. It consisted of a central Alenium core and a toroidal outer ring that generated a powerful magnetic field and hard light shielding to contain the fusion reaction and the immense temperatures - hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius.

 

 

The reactor itself was not actually fuelled by Alenium - the material was used to power the energy fields needed to smash together deuterium nuclei and generate fusion, a process that itself emitted a vast amount of energy. The Alenium merely acted as starter motor of sorts for the process. Seeing as deuterium was freely available and not required in large quantities, this allowed a weight of Alenium to release vastly more energy than it itself contained. The limiting factor was the intricacy of the design, however - the fusion reactor was far more advanced and would take far longer to build than a pure-Alenium reactor. It therefore would be ideal for larger vessels or even stations, all of which have vast power demands but are sufficiently important to warrant use of such a valuable device.

 

Miniaturising the fusion reactor using new techniques and technologies was very possible, as well. Though shrinking it caused some loss of efficiency, relative to its size - no larger than a car engine - it was capable of generating enough energy to power a Zaku and then some. This was a significant improvement over Harmony-fusion hybrid engines that were currently used, which had a similar power output yet bigger in volume. The general improvements that came from further miniaturisation of fusion reactors would in time undoubtedly lead to other advances.

 

_________________

[Internal - 'Pichincha' 3/7]

The work to improve the two new states-to-be was on its way rather quickly, with roads being repaired, connections to Tikal Proper being established and so on. The electric infrastructure needed quite some refurbishing as well, requiring considerable improvements to handle the new power plants that were being built at the same time. Water supplies were excellent however, and few improvement were needed in that regard.

 

[Internal - 'Guayas' 3/7]

 

Guayas was only mildly different from the situation in Pichincha. Both had vast differences in their 'stability', highest at the coasts, lowest when going far inland - but still far greater than what Brazil had dealt with. Tikal didn't face militias or private armies. The people living here knew that everything was better in the northern neighbour.

 

Though sometimes, they didn't know the price that had to be paid. Then again, a few decades of consistent indoctrination would solve the problem of dissidents while keeping most of the local culture intact. Tikal took pride in every state's local and unique cultures being cultivated - around the regimented basic tenets of the Popol Vuh and whatnot.

Edited September 14, 2014 by Lynneth

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

 

"Each individual pipe contains a hot slurry of minerals drawn from the world's very crust and makes a sound like rain falling on a tin roof. When they converge on the trunk line the sound is a terrifying thunder, a thunder of untold wealth, and power."

 

Current armours utilising Alenium alloys with pre-alenium armours were excellent in many ways, superior to the basic composites that had been used up to that point. However, recent research suggested that even that could be improved significantly, while at the same time saving on mass. Laboratory tests suggested new manufacturing techniques may bring about a material nearly fifty percent more effective at absorbing damage than previous armour plate of similar size and weight. As the fundamental composition of the two types of plating was not dramatically different, the additional strength obviously arose from the production process - just like the difference that separates diamond from lumps of coal.

 

[center][URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/media/AE/CNRP/Corp/Crystals/Crystal03.jpg.html][/URL][/center]

 

The atomic structure of the alloy yielded the explanation. Like contemporary metals, Alenium alloys tended to have a crystalline form when solid, a compact and orderly arrangement of atoms. However, the various alloys newly found appeared to be amorphous rather than crystalline. Amorphous materials instead had an irregular and disorderly atom arrangement that prevented the formation of microscopic lines of weakness that can exist in crystalline structures, giving armour using this hardened plate enhanced heat and impact resistance.

 

This phenomenon was hardly unknown to science - exactly the same thing occurred when hot steel was quenched in cold water. However, applying the process to Alenium materials in mass-production turned out to be significantly more difficult - preventing the formation of a crystalline structure in some alloys could require cooling of million of degrees per second depending on the alloy. Truly prohibitive without access to the technological wonders Tikal had developed and built. But, even though the cheapest processes consumed large amounts of Alenium, producing these hardened materials was soon possible on a large enough scale to incorporate them into most designs, improving armours of all kinds significantly.

 

_________________

[Internal - 'Pichincha' 4/7]

While civilian projects were well underway, missionaries and proselytizers travelled into the new states, as they had previously, and as they likely would in the future. They would bring the light of the Popol Vuh to the people, whether they liked it or not. By now, access to the internet had been removed after all, and contact with the outside world was made impossible until the integration was complete.

 

[Internal - 'Guayas' 4/7]

 

But as it were, with the wonders that Tikal brought, with the improvements in every way and sense, resistance to its ways was lesser than one might expect. After all, if the people were content, what reason did they have to protest things that existed to help them be comfortable? What reason did they have to change things if the status quo was one of virtual post-scarcity, even more so after embracing the Popol Vuh?

 

As far as Tikal was concerned, none. So everything that could be done to make it so was done.

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

 

"The managers always talked about having the view from 30,000 feet. The only problem with having the view from 30,000 feet, is that at that height, everyone looks like ants."

 

Applications of Alenium beyond fuelling laser weapons had been studied every since it was discovered, but certain technologies lacked sufficient understanding to use it properly. However, in recent times new advances allowed for certain techniques to emerge that allowed for very local manipulation of gravitons - gravity itself. This allowed for the creation of 'graviton emitters', which could at the time only be very small (about as big as a golf ball in radius at most), though quite efficient. This in turn allowed for a prototype plasma weapon to be built.

 

 

 

 

Firstly, the weapon drew power from an Alenium cell and used that to fuel a powerful array of particle accelerators. Secondly, these accelerators then superheated a great number of atoms until they were ionised gas within the heat-proofed 'chamber'. Thirdly, two helical spirals of electromagnets in the barrel of the weapon pulsed simultaneously, bringing the plasma out of the chamber and both spinning it into a bolt as well as accelerating it to muzzle velocity. Finally, the graviton emitter in the muzzle of the weapon launched a graviton particle into the plasma bolt as it left the barrel.

 

This single particle was incredibly important, at least in the laboratory conditions that the weapon was tested in. It had been observed to possess a surprisingly strong gravitational pull that prevented the bolt from dissipating into a useless cloud of hot gases. The exact science behind it wasn't entirely clear - gravitons were newly observed particles. Without the emitter, however, the useful range of a plasma generator would be only a few inches to a foot.

 

 

In time, knowledge would be refined and added to. In time, knowledge of gravitons was improved, allowing for the emitter to be changed, optimised, in turn allowing progress to proper weaponry, and from there perhaps other applications.

 

 

 

 

That was what some would have the people with the money believe. In truth, trial and error were used liberally. Understanding of the plasma accelerator that converted the energy into a proper bolt and the electromagnet spiral that shaped it was sufficient that the scientists could use trial and error until they stumbled upon a working configuration of the three components. Small adjustments to the relative scale and distance between them then allowed to generate plasma bolts with subtly different properties, so producing different weapons. These plasma weapons could be considered a straightforward upgrade for existing laser weapons, inflicting heavier damage while maintaining similar range and accuracy, but the expense of making them would keep them to more specialised applications.

 

 

 

Soon enough plasma variants of heavy weapons with a higher rate of fire could be introduced, as well. For infantry, the machine-gun-equivalent called the 'Plasma Caster' was developed, while aircraft could now have the 'Plasma Blaster' mounted on them instead of autocannons or a gatling laser.

 

 

 

 

They worked on very similar principles. Both expelled large amounts of plasma in the form of a sustained stream, utilising a large generation array that continually discharged superheated plasma. In ordinary conditions it would be difficult to focus the stream and it would dissipate quickly, giving them short range and poor armour penetration - though permitting use as a sort of flame thrower. However, the 'problem' was solved by employing a ring of five graviton generators around the muzzle of the weapon. They fired sequentially, regularly injecting gravitons into the plasma and breaking the stream into a string of individual projectiles.

 

This effect replicated the high RoF of conventional automatic weapons and combined it with the extra damage of a plasma weapon. Both would make useful upgrades in the future. As for the flamer-version, it was deemed too unstable and fuel-demanding for regular use.

 

_________________

[Internal - 'Pichincha' 5/7]

Though bringing infrastructure up to par and spreading the religion of Tikal in the new states was good work, it wasn't sufficient to truly protect them. To change this, existing military bases would be repaired and expanded, radars and defence systems established. Pichincha would find a new naval base being built, as well as one major and one minor air base. 

 

[Internal - 'Guayas' 5/7]

 

Guayas too would receive a naval base, planned to be somewhat larger than the one in Pichincha. It would be combined with a large airbase while radar stations and various AA and anti-ship defences were in the process of being built wherever deemed necessary. The two new states would be defended more than adequately, sufficient to dissuade radical militias or the like from neighbouring regions trying to raid them.

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

 

"Will we next create false gods to rule over us? How proud we have become, and how blind."

 

The T-23 Awat [Shrike] was a VTOL aircraft combining the functionality of a helicopter with the performance and speed of a conventional plane. It was a major upgrade to previous dropships and transport helos, being easily twice as fast and able to carry more troops or material. It also was better-equipped for operating in urban areas, Tikal being so densely populated as it was.

 

 

The Awat was a rugged, boxy creation as effective as it was ugly. It used a pair of tilting TF-19 turbofan engines to cruise through the air at supersonic speeds and then perform a vertical landing at the target site. The monstrous turbines themselves were driven by two sizeable ER-12 Alenium reactors, providing sufficient power to keep even a fully-loaded craft airborne for up to 24 hours. In fact, the range limitation was rather due to pilot fatigue than fuel capacity.

 

However, the most important result was the greater carrying capacity than previous dropships. The Awat could easily carry loads a CH-47 Chinook might struggle with, and up to 80 troops or up to 30 tons in vehicles. One of the very few transport helicopters able to carry more was the Mil V-12, and it was ageing, and lacked the Awat's speed.

 

Statistics

• Top Speed - 1,350 km/h (Mach 1.1)
• Range - 26,900 km
• Empty weight - 38,700 kg
• Gross weight - 70,100 kg
• Max takeoff weight - 75,300 kg
• Service Ceiling - 5,300 m
• Armament - 1 autocannon equiv. under nose; 1 autocannon equiv., optl., on loading ramp

Note: Armaments can be replaced with laser/plasma weapons.

 

_________________

 

[Internal - 'Pichincha' 6/7]

In time, the bases and defence systems were completed throughout the states. Luckily, the population had been highly cooperative, permitting the project to be completed with minimal delays. And though there were differences in the states and even individual regions in how well the people worked with Tikal to integrate the states, one constant was that missionaries spread the new faith and public education, with teachers flown in from the core lands, spread the culture. Today's resentment would slowly change into tomorrow's acceptance.

 

[Internal - 'Guayas' 6/7]

 

In time, Ecuador's people wouldn't see themselves as Ecuadorian anymore, but as Tikalians. Life was too short to not enjoy if after all, and so it was practically assured that even the most stubborn would eventually come to accept their new lives. Sure, it was a case of mass-Stockholm syndrome, but when it happened on a state-level, it was deemed acceptable. The people would be happy in the end. Happy, protected and without the need to make the hard choices on their own.

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

 

"Preliminary analysis indicates that our rivals have developed a safe and reliable method to simulate conditions existing on the interior of a stellar mass. The fabrication and transmutation of materials possible in such an environment guarantees significant industrial and military applications."

 

The M-59 Okol [Marauder] was a highly advanced multi-role aircraft designed to be capable of engaging any known aircraft in the world while outnumbered, and win. It was fast, durable and well-armed, making it just as adept at dealing with fighters at it was engaging bombers or interceptors.

 

 

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/media/AE/CNRP/Corp/Crystals/Crystal15.jpg.html][/URL]

 

 

The greatest advances in performance came from setting aside old conventions of aircraft design. The fuselage of the Okol contained a network of powerful integrated thrusters that provided lift and propulsion, with the stubby forward-swept wings mostly being used for fine manoeuvring. Though the wings contributed heavily to the overall agility of the craft, it was in fact entirely capable of flying without them. The same could be said for the tail and vertical stabilisers, where the traditional vertical arrangement had also been replaced with a forked design.

 

With so few aerodynamic concerns, attention could be focused on combat performance instead. The armour-plated shell of the aircraft was fabricated entirely from hardened Alenium materials and was nearly two inches thick in some areas, making it more akin to a flying tank than a normal aircraft. It also was the first plane to employ hard-light shielding, with two generators providing excellent protection. The extra engine thrust allowed it to carry more armaments than most planes, making it a well-rounded, if non-stealthy combatant. The resulting aircraft was squat, ugly and capable of completely destroying practically anything it encountered.

 

Statistics

• Top Speed - 4,290 km/h (Mach 3.5)
• Range - 9,000 km (Combat: 4,000-4,400 km depending on mission); +9,000 km with external fuel supply (ferry)
• Mass - 34,500 kg (empty); 50,000 kg (loaded); 53,700 (max. take-off)
• Service Ceiling - 27,400 m
• Rate of Climb - 530 m/s
• Hardpoints - 16 (10 external, 6 internal) + 2 autocannon equiv.

 

_____________________

 

[Internal - 'Pichincha' 7/7]

In the end, integrating the states could be considered completed, even though it had really just begun. But the foundation had been lain, and so the people of the new states would in time come to accept all these new things that were practically flooding their senses. With the passing years and decades, they would not just accept the Tikalian culture, but become part of it.

 

[Internal - 'Guayas' 7/7]

 

Military bases were completed throughout the states, defence systems were fully operational. Services were running at optimal capacity and capability. Pichincha and Guayas were now officially part of the Principality. An appropriate, short announcement was made, and maps changed.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Lynneth

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

 

"Never make a sober decision that you have not considered while drunk."

 

With some recent scientific exploits covered in previous reports, this will give a short summary of improvements to general facilities thanks to the new technologies. The greatest improvements have been seen in Laboratories, research institutes and factories - in some places reaching efficiency improvements of up to 50%, be it faster construction or making work on new projects easier. New semi-intelligent computers, virtual intelligences, lessen the need for a scientist to apply their own brainpower to tedious or otherwise time-consuming tasks, for example.

 

[center][URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Lynneth_del_Serpentas/media/AE/CNRP/Corp/Crystals/Crystal16.jpg.html][/URL][/center]

 

There have also been a considerable number of less obvious improvements, which may eventually permeate the civilian market. Laser-based ovens capable of cooking food in mere seconds, or upgraded recreational activities with superior holographic entertainment capabilities, for example. However, a cleaning 'gel' that had been developed proved quite unpopular, despite it being far more efficient than soap and water - even leaving beneficial bacteria on the skin alive, only removing or destroying detrimental ones.

 

Finally, improvements in quantum communication technologies have been made. Future ansibles may lose up to 60% of their current bulk, shrinking from car-sized monoliths down to a good desk's volume. This will in turn permit their use in areas where their application was previously difficult to impossible. Unfortunately, however, transmission speeds are not affected by these improvements. They still are the equivalent of a dial-up modem in terms of speed of information transfer.

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

"Ah. This is obviously some strange usage of the word 'safe' that I wasn't previously aware of."
 

 

"Sooo..." She shuffled a little under the covers. It was a long trip to the Saturn colonies, with more free time than most people could feasibly use before getting bored. Just about 45 days there, another 45 days back - three full months of pure transit.

"Yes, dear?" He was curled up, his back to her. He just wanted to sleep, sleep the time away. But it was not to be, for his beloved wife kept him awake one way or another.

"I want a massage. Go on, work on my back."

"Eurgh." He grunted, curling up tighter. "Tell the bed to do that. It can do that."

He could practically hear her pouting, "But I want you to give me that massage, not a stupid robot."

"No." He placed the pillow on his head, a gross misuse of sleeping implements.

"But Chaa~k!"

"I said no, and it's gonna stay that way."

"You're no fun!" She turned away from him, surely pouting even more.

Finally, blessed silence. Sweet, sweet silence, the greatest sound to which he could fall asleep.

It was not to be. "I'm bored."

"Yes, Shana'kin, my love. I know that." He sighed inwardly.

"Can I massage you?"

"Good heavens. If you truly must, fine." He shuffled, stretching a little and moments later laying on his front. He felt her remove the blanket and kneel, her knees besides his hips. Through his eyelids, he noted the light levels receding, making a nap all that much easier.
 

 

Then her magnificent, soft hands began to knead and caress his muscles. Yes, it was going to be a long journey. But he could bear it, like this. If only barely.

Edited September 25, 2014 by Lynneth

[Lynneth]

[Highly Classified]

 

With naval manoeuvres to occur in conjunction with the EAI and several of its allies, Belize Command and Trinidad Command had been sent to participate. To make up for the momentary weakness, fleets would be shuffled around some.

 

Panama Command would be stationed in Bermuda, patrolling around the island.

Hawaii Command would be brought to Trinidad Base.

In turn, Michoacán Command would be moved to Hawaii.

 

Some forces would be moved and shuffled around on the ground and in the air, as well. Two air squadrons would be added to Bermuda, Thule and Trinidad Bases each, three to Hawaii. With the exercises, the attack submarines would be moved to patrol throughout the Atlantic to secure the rendezvous point and observe shipping, though the Tikalian SOSUS would afford an excellent view of naval movements in the ocean. One of the 'boomer' subs in the Pacific would be re-stationed with Trinidad as home base.

Furthermore, a division of infantry would be sent to each major Atlantic base, supported by two tank brigades each, and two MS battalions each. Munitions stockpiles in both Atlantic and Pacific bases were scoured for anything missing, and then ordered to be filled to 150% standard allotment, filling them near 75% capacity.

 

All observational capacities that could be spared were moved to watch European and African actors, mostly in space.

Edited October 1, 2014 by Lynneth

[Lynneth]

[Highly Classified]

 

All forces of the Principality were put on medium alert, equal to Defcon 3 in the old US system. Fleets in the Atlantic would be brought to high alert, Defcon 2 equivalent. Production in armament factories and facilities would be ramped up to produce sufficient materiel for prolonged conflict, building on the large stockpiles that Tikal already possessed. Nearly 4,000 new ASMs would be ordered, while dozens and hundreds of satellites in various configurations would be built with great efficiency, two for each that Tikal already had in orbit - which likely was more than any two other nations, considering Tikal's incredible investment into the aether.

 

Tikal's SOSUS followed various nation's fleet deployments in the Atlantic where possible. Some satellites were redirected slightly to watch Europe and Africa more closely, giving greater observational capacities than previously. While the manoeuvres were going on in the Atlantic with Tikal's allies and friends, forces all over Tikal were preparing for deployment, ground troops, airplanes, and ships.

[Lynneth]

[Internal]

 

With tensions rising, some troops were deployed back to Greenland, retaking it as protectorate. Further the Kujalleq military base was manned again. This time around, there wouldn't me much in the way of annexing territory, only the area of the base and its direct surroundings coming into Tikal's possession again.

 

Three fighter squadrons and two bomber squadrons would be stationed there, along with 5,000 ground troops, supported by 30 tanks. Radar, OTH and other defence systems would need between a few hours to two days to be brought back online.