[Brian Swartz]

I think I'm done screwing up the screenshots. Between that and accidentally erasing half of this post, had a bit of a rage-quit so I figured it was time to go do some errands. Anyway ...

Inquisitor's Briefing: Roe Laren

There are two high-level matters in need of attention, and they're a bit related: budget priorities and foreign policy. In terms of the budget there are basically three primary aspects right now, with the usual low/medium/high priorities:

** Interior Development -- Planetary buildings and orbital stations, continuing to expand the economy. With a healthy energy surplus this is primarily focused on minerals right now -- building more stuff that will allow us to build even more stuff faster. This has been on High since the beginning of your now half-way completed term.

** Colonization -- Expanding the number of systems and planets the Architreuthis actually live on. Right now we're at three. Low here basically means we'll only colonize occasionally, keeping the number of developed systems higher than the number of new worlds. Medium, which is where it's at right now, will strive to keep a balance. Under this approach we will soon be ready to colonize Leesak, since Bakangi is transitioning into being a low-level developed planet as we speak. If we go with a High priority on colonization, that would mean settling new worlds more quickly. It also would mean planetary investment would suck up more of our resources, since during the early years a colony can't produce much energy/minerals, leaving less for other matters such as orbital research/observation stations and the military.

** Military -- More spaceports, combat ships, and ground armies. This has been on Low, meaning they basically get investment only rarely unless there are minerals left over which usually isn't the case.


Question two is about foreign policy. It's worth noting that Inquisitor Laren asked for input here some while back and didn't get any, other than Dr. Coffee Warlord basically saying 'kill 'em all and let Boojie sort 'em out'(rough paraphrase). As mentioned it's related to the budget, since you can't really have an aggressive foreign policy without significant military spending -- well you can, but it would end very badly.

** Embassies or Rivalries? This is the 'carrot or stick' option. Embassies increase our relations, and lacking any real reason not to we have embassies with the Kroll and Djomar, two of our three alloted. This helps when we need a trade deal, such as the civilian access treaty that allowed us to complete a couple of alien specimen captures recently in Kroll space. The Rivalry option would make things like this more difficult as it will worsen relations, but due to the use of largely empty-rhetoric public statements about the dangers posed by our neighbors, we will gain influence. How much depends on the particular neighbor, the stronger they are relative to us the more influence we will gain. This influence can be used for more key buildings(power hubs, planetary center upgrades, etc.), frontier outposts, leader recruitment when we need it(no Architreuthis lives forever!), appointing a new Inquisitor rather than leaving it to chance when that comes up, and edicts of imperial and/or planetary scope.

Of course things like alliances, non-aggression pacts, research agreements are also possible -- but not with the empires we've met so far. Their ethics differ from ours too much and they are not willing to consider such arrangements. So at the moment it's very much a binary choice. Right now we need a specific decision here: should we keep our embassy with the Kroll or yank it and go with a rivalry(note that since we have a buffer between ourselves and the Djomar it's pretty much pointless to rival them)? It's also worth considering standing orders regarding how to handle future neighbors when that eventually comes up. Should the carrot(embassy) or the stick(rivalry) be our standard approach -- or perhaps the Collective should decide these on a case-by-case basis?

** Exploration vs. 'Forceful Expansion' -- Should we continue focusing our efforts on acquiring territory in the open directions that our science ships are surveying, or should we contemplate going to war with the Kroll?

** Primitive Species -- We will soon likely be building an observation post in Wexellia to monitor the progress of the Shantari. In keeping with our ethical standing(slavery + purging), the current approach is to exploit all such civilizations, but if a more benevolent approach is desired that could be done as well.


It would be good to hear, as previously requested, from various members of the Oncorhynchus Collective on these matters -- esp. foreign policy. Having said that the choice ultimately lies with Inquisitor Roe Laren. You know the drill.