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MAY - OCTOBER 2090
The second and third quarters were filled with a lot of mostly routine developments which are detailed in the departmental summaries as usual. The first substantial news was the departure of the colonization group to New Genesis for the second time on July 3. Their load this time around was another 150k colonists, a deep space tracking station, two more factories, two automines, and a smattering of additional infrastructure. On August 30 the new prefabricated missile base for Titan was finally completed. This set off a flurry of activity as the nine construction brigades on Earth were sent there to get it assembled. The nearly 30 factories devoted to building the components for the base were also retasked. Small accelerations across the board mean that almost all significant industrial projects are now expected to see results and/or completion by early 2092.
In September, the current run of Forrestal 88i sensor vessels completed, leaving only the Guardian jump defense missile corvettes still being built. Otherwhise, the shipyards are quiet. When the construction teams arrived on Titan, early estimates indicated the base would be ready sometime in 2093. The day after this announcement, September 23, Director Burt Stonerock made the anticipated announcement that he would be retiring in a month's time.
In the first week of October, the Guardian phase officially began as the first squadron was deployed to the Epsilon Eridani jump point.
Earth
June 14 -- Forrestal III scrapped, Spruance 85i finished and the first one begins refitting.
June 28 -- Forrestal 88i finished.
July 3 -- Forrestal III scrapped: first Spruance refit finished.
Mid-July -- Forrestal III scrapped.
July 25 -- ESF Bravo arrives at Earth for it's overhaul. They'll finish some time next year as well, close behind Alpha but probably a month or two after the first flotilla is ready.
August 2 -- Forrestal 88i finished, only one left in production.
August 5 -- Two more Forrestal IIIs scrapped.
August 8 -- Guardian(x3) finished. There are now ten in service. A second squadron begins training exercises, the first is finished and undergoing overhaul: it will be ready to deploy after that.
September 9th -- The 14th and, for now, last of the Forrestal 88i are finished. The only ship construction going on now are the Guardian corvettes. The shipyards are eerily quiet on the whole.
October 17 -- Final, fourth slipway completed for the Niehuis SY. Starting with the next run, they will be able to build a full squadron of Guardians simultaneously. For the first time in memory, there are no ongoing shipyard expansions of any kind.
Colonial Developments
June 16 -- Sedna expands to 56.
July 5 -- Europa finishes it's new Ticonderoga 82 sensor base. Only Ganymede's remains.
August 11 -- Sedna expands to 57.
Mid-August -- Another shipment of automines departs for Herschel-Rigollet, expected to be the final one.
September 22nd -- Components for the Titan base arrive, and after an engineering assessment of needed materials, minerals are shipped the next day. Initial estimates put completion of the base sometime in 2093.
Personnel Notes
Mid-July -- Defensive Systems has two elite scientists for the first time ever as Eliot Monks(36) steps up to that level.
August 20 -- Dr. Brandon Leyrer, not at all a household name for good reason, made a surprising breakthrough. The 33-year-old Biology & Genetics scientist is up to Accomplished despite not having been given any projects to direct recently. This would normally merit a reassessment, but there's really nothing for him to work on. He's still behind Noble Stephson, and there's only room for one researcher in the field right now, in terraforming.
September 19th -- Timmy Sheerin, governor at Triton, is up to elite status in mining production. Nearly a 200-ton increase in annual duranium yield from the moon is expected to result. A drop in the bucket, but every little bit helps.
Research & Development
September 23rd -- Dr. Leonel Wessels completes blueprints for a larger, more powerful 20cm laser cannon.
Early October -- Dr. Adolfo Walth finishes work on minituarizing cloaks, a ship of 1.25kt or larger can now potentially be outfitted.
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