Cerulean Sky

The Life of Jacquelyn Hamilton

from GalCiv2 Forums
Hey everyone, the creative juices are flowing again, and I'm back with my latest story/AAR.

Cerulean Sky
The Life of Jacquelyn Hamilton

Episode One: Cerulean Two

December 9th, 2225

"Do you know what I love about you?" she asked as she wrapped herself around him, and let her fingers slide through his thinning hair.

"No, please enlighten me." Henry responded as he gave her a light kiss on her parted lips.

"I love your complete confidence, your focus on an objective, never wavering, never letting any emotional or psychological barrier stop you. Your raw determination." as she kissed his lips, his neck, letting him caress her.

"Thank you my dear, and in a few weeks, I hope you love something else about me." Henry said as he pulled her closer.

"Your desire for power is exactly what drew me to you, but I love you already. But yes, I will love to see you finally get everything you've dreamed of, what you deserve, in a few weeks." and she looked at him longingly in the eyes.

"I couldn't do it without you, Laci. Everything is all set to go, all thanks to you." and he kissed her hard on the lips again.

"Yes...all thanks to me." and Laci and Henry fell back under the covers of his bed.



December 18th, 2225

"Madam Vice President, does the Administration feel slighted by the Secretary of Defense for announcing his own candidacy for the Presidency even though President Ashton is only in his first term?"

"Madam Vice President, what about the crisis on Rhea? Does the administration plan on sending troops?"

"Madam Vice President, can you comment on the rumors that your husband was caught having an affair with your lead aide?"

"Madam Vice President, is it true that the colonists on Ceres Station have rebelled against Union control?"

"Madam Vice President....Madam Vice President...Madam....."



....Markus, my new lead aide, knocked soflty on my office door and poked his head in, "Madam Vice President? The President is here."

Rubbing my temples, I pushed away the latest stack of reports, newspapers, and other paperwork I had received that day. "Thank you Markus, please send him in." and with that the small but athletic frame of President Ashton entered my office. I stood. "Welcome, Mr. President."

'Thank you. Markus, can you close the door behind you and don't let anyone disturb us unless its very important."

"Of course, Mr. President. I'll be right outside if you need anything at all."

The President turned toward me. "By the gods Jackie, you look like hell."

I laughed. "Well if I only look like hell, than thats better than how I feel. Can I get you something George? I think I have some Hermian Cabernet, 2217, a very good year."

George Ashton took a seat on the dark leather couch across from my desk. "Yes, that would be lovely Jackie. Thank you."

So as I went to my private stock, reaching for the dinstinctive blue Hermian bottle "So what brings you here George? I doubt its just to drink all my good wine."

Ashton laughed but that quickly turned into a sigh. "I wish. Its been a bad week, I don't need to tell you that. Of course, probably a tad worse for you than me. Have you talked to Michael this week at all?"

The bottle slipped in my hand as he mentioned Michael's name. "No, not really. He's staying with his sister on the outskirts of the city. I think Amee is there too." I quickly took a swig from the bottle.

"Ah, I see. Well, we'll have to say something eventually. Its going to get out that he's not staying here at the manor. But we'll cross that bridge later." I handed George his glass and he took a sip. "Westings's announcement came at a bad time. Why couldn't he have resigned first? Talk about gunning for my job."

"I warned you George, about making him Secretary of Defense."

"And he warned me about picking you as my Vice President. Thankfully, Jackie, I didn't listen to him or I wouldn't be in office." Raising his glass he toasted me. "To you Jackie, the gods keep giving you grief and yet you keep on ticking."

As I finished another sip from my already nearly empty glass "So what are we going to do about the Rhean and Ceres Station conflicts?"

"Well, I was hoping I could convince you to go to Rhea and get the colonial leaders to sit down at the table."

"Of course, anything I can do to help." and with that President Ashton got up, gave me a big hug.

"You'll be alright, Jackie, you're a strong woman." as I smiled back, he opened the door and left me with my empty glass, which I refilled.



December 31st, 2225

"This is Cerulean Two to Rhean Space Command. We are on bearing 180.2 by 94.1 by 65, please confirm that this is the correct orbital lane."

"Captain, I'm not getting a response from RSC."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Captain Morave hit the comm system again. "This is the Cerulean Union vessel 'Cerulean Two' on special envoy to Rhea contacting the Rhean Space Command. Please come in Command."

"Nothing sir."

"Alright. Go ahead and bring us to full stop. I don't want us going into blind to Rhea, its too volatile. I'll go back and ask the Vice President what she wants us to do."

"Yes sir."

...

"So you've recieved no response at all from Rhean Command, Captain?"

"No, I'm sorry, ma'am; all their channels are nothing but static."

"Hmmm, alright. I'll make contact with the Presi..." I stopped as I noticed the navigator rushing back toward us. "What's wrong Lieutenant?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt ma'am but well, I can't seem to raise anyone on the comm channels."

Over the intercom came a new voice to add to his. "Proximity Alert. Warning, proximity alert."

The captain and the lieutenant, exchanged a worried glance. "Excuse me, Madam Vice President, I need to return to the bridge."

"Go, Captain."

...

Captain Morave entered the bridge and immediately saw the frantic pace that his command crew was now under. "Report!"

From tactical, "We have three unidentified vessels on a direct approach with weapons powered up. They are not responding to hails. They are still well outside firing distance, about fifteen minutes sir."

From comm, "We have lost all contact with Command, Sir, but we are hearing radio traffic that there seems to be some massive attack under way."

The doors opened and Vice President Jacquelyn Hamilton strode out onto the bridge. After glancing back at her, Captain Morave turned back to tactical. "Raise shields, take evasive maneuvers and set a course back to Cerulean Prime."

From comm again, "Captain, we are receiving an automated message from Cerulea Prime. It states: Attack under way, all ships to retreat from sector. Cerulean Emergency Level One in effect. Inner colonies no longer safe. It repeats from there sir."

Vice President Hamilton spoke up. "Ensign, send the following back on that channel. Two, E as in eagle, Four, Seven, A as in apple, Three, Five, Dash, J as in June, H as in Home."

"Yes ma'am."

"We are receiving a message Madam Vice President."

"Go ahead, Ensign."

"Cerulean City destroyed. President dead. Articles to be followed. Planetary destruction imminent. As many civilian ships as possible launched once strike began."

Shock and gasps spread around the bridge.

"Captain, I want you to initiate an Inner System Jump to the orbit of Cerulean Prime."

"Ma'am, that's not..."

"It can be done right?"

"Yes, ma'am, but.."

"Then do it."

Morave gave a long look at Hamilton and then turned back away, "All hands, this is the Captain, prepare for Jump."

and time seemed to slow and everything seemed pulled...and then it snapped back into place

...

"Jump successful. We are in orbit of Cerulean Prime."

"Captain, we are reading over a thousand ships out there. All ours. We are also reading a fleet of unidentifieds on route from Rhea, about four hours out."

Jackie Hamilton turned to the captain, "Captain, send the following out please: This is Cerulean Two taking command of the fleet. Please bring ships within one kilometer of Cerulean Two, and prepare for Carry-Along Jump."

Captain Morave about stumbled at that. "Excuse me, ma'am, but exactly what are you planning on doing?"

"We, captain, are going to extend the Jump Bubble around the entire fleet and Jump out of here."

"Madam Vice President? We are receiving a Priority Message from the 'Victorious', its from Secretary Westings. We do have visual."

"On screen."

"Madam Vice President, good to see you alive. I hear you are planning for everyone to do a Carry-Along Jump?"

"Yes, Mr. Secretary, that is the plan."

Secretary Westings laughed. "Call me Henry."

"Well, Henry, as Secretary of Defense, why don't you help coordinate the ships into formation so we can pull this off."

"Yes ma'am." and with a smile the screen flicked off.

"Captain? Put all reserve tanks to powering the Jump Drive and have Navigation plot a course as far as the Jump drive will take us. We'll probably burn it out, but I don't want whoever this is coming after us."

"Yes ma'am."

...

"This is Captain Morave to all vessels. Prepare for Carry-Along Jump."

"Captain, the unidentified fleet is closing in, only ten minutes away. Also sir, I'm picking up massive seismic fluctuations from the planet. I think it could explode at any moment."

"Alright, start Jump Drive engines."

"Jump Drive engines initiated. Jump in five...four...three...two...one...Jump..."


Episode Two: In Memoriam can be found in Reply #8 on Pg 1

Episode Three: New Beginnings, Old Wounds can be found in Reply #12 on Pg 1

The 'Cerulean Sky' Race Setup Guide can be found in Reply #18 on Pg 1

aars
185,179 views 71 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Very nice. Do i detect a slight of influence from BSG in there....And by no means is that a bad thing. ;)
:CONGRAT:
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Very intersting beginning. :) One question, is Rhea a semi-autonomous part of the Cerulean Union, or an independent state?

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Since Rhea itself (though its political implications may appear throughout the story line) will not appear again... it was a semi-autonomous planet that was part of the eight primary worlds, and numerous moon and asteroid colonies/stations that made up the Cerulean Union.

Rhea is Earth-like but more similar to the Western United States than the vast green forests and fertile plains found on Cerulean Prime. As such, Rhea, grossly overpopulated, often needed food, water, and other supplies shipped in from the other worlds. Similarly, the various mining stations and smaller colonies, such as Ceres Station, often felt slighted by the government, considering themselves to be only second-class citizens in the eyes of the Eight Primaries.

Important things to know:

The Cerulean Union was all within two neighboring star systems; Cerulean and Vermilion. They actual formed a binary cluster since the two stars, about 2.6LY apart, orbited each other. The majority of the population lived in the Cerulean system, which contained Cerulean Prime, Rhea, Hermes, and smaller stations like Ceres. Vermilion had fewer people but had the very lush world of Gaia.

Please note that the Cerulean language is actually not Standard English but translated into names, words, and phrases of similar sound and/or meaning. They are named after the color of their star, a bluish tone, and likewise Vermilion was named for its reddish tone. These words in English have been used to best describe, for the reader, how the Ceruleans viewed the world around them.

Finally, transportation for the Ceruleans. More will be on this in the upcoming episode, but already you have seen mention of a Jump Drive which is not present in the Galactic Civilizations Universe. The Ceruleans possessed three forms of interplanetary and intergalactic travel. First, is normal propulsion, such as rocket fuel and thrusters for maneuvering. Second, is Hyperdrive, the most common form used in the Union. Hyperdrive is the same for the Ceruleans as it is in GalCivII. Finally, is the Jump Drive. In most cases, found only on military and specialist vessels, the Jump Drive allowed for a ship to instantly travel from one point in the galaxy to the other by manipulating the subatomic structure of space itself. Due to the massive power requirements and inherent instability it is rarely used. It creates a bubble of energy around the ship the literally pulls it into itself and then expand again at its new point. Because of this bubble effect, this is why "Cerulean Two" is able to expand the bubble to 'pull' in all the other ships to the focal point only to (hopefully) reconstitute at a new location.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Wow! There aren’t many AARs that have hooked me up from the first chapter, but this is one of the few! Excellent work, keep it up! :CONGRAT:
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thats a lot of detailed, very well thought-out background information Silver. It seems that you have a very clear and complete vision of the story and setting. Nice job! :D

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
thanks Eidolon and KP.

It took me about the weekend to flesh out the basic history and character connections, of which obviously only a very small portion has been shown. What gets a little harder is playing the game concurrently and letting the story unfold before me and then going back and writing those events into the overall storyline.

The nice thing about that, is that it allows a certain freshness and uncertainty...tension if you will, to be infused into the story and plot, which keeps it unpredictable and interesting.

I have also made the conscious literary decision not to describe the physical characteristics of any my main characters unless its truly important. The reason for this is that to me, its better for the reader to get their own visualization of a person in their head from their words and actions, it allows them to connect more deeply.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
So when do the Kzinti show up and start eating people? ;)

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Episode Two: In Memoriam

"Close that valve off! Get those fire crews over here! And get the injured down to the medical bay!" shouted Captain Morave as he ran across his bridge to where the Vice President had collapsed. "Madam Vice President, can you hear me? Are you alright?" he said as he checked her for serious injury.

Stirring slightly, Jacquelyn Hamilton, Vice President of the Cerulean Union, grunted and propped herself up on her left arm. "I think my right arm is broken, but otherwise I think I'm okay. Did we make the Jump? What's the status of the fleet?'

Helping her to her feet, Morave spoke "We successfully made the Jump ma'am, to our very limit, over fifteen thousand light years. The fleet made it too but the strain caused a lot of damage, both internal and external. We have over eighty ships either venting atmosphere, drifting, or with hulls that can depressurize at any moment."

From the comm, Ensign DeSoto, covered in soot from the smoking console next to her's where the Navigation officer once was, turned to Morave "Captain, the 'Illustrious' has lost all engine control, its drifting sir, right toward the fuel tanker 'Veritan'. I don't think the 'Veritan' can maneuver out of the way fast enough."

"Get those ships nearby out of there Ensign!"

And as DeSoto shouted out orders to the ships in the fleet, a huge fireball erupted as the cruise liner 'Illustrious' rammed broadside into the fuel tanker 'Veritan' causing a massive explosion that sent nearby vessels hurtling out of control and some into each other, causing even more explosions and damage.

"Brace for impact!" as the shock wave hit the Cerulean Two head on. More sparks and smoke erupted on the bridge as the ship was rocked by the blast.

"Captain, the mining vessel 'Iron Hammer' has sent us a message stating its going to use its grapples and tractoring beams to pull the other drifting ships to a more stable locale."

Morave helped the Vice President get back on her feet again "You still okay?" Jackie shook her head yes and Morave turned back to the comm "Alright, thank the 'Iron Hammer' for their assistance. What is our status with that last blast?'

"A few minor fires on C Deck, three more injuries, none critical."

"Good. Get us stabilized. Once that's done we'll send out repair and rescue teams to wherever they are needed."

"Very good, sir. And sir, Secretary Westings is asking to come aboard to speak with the Vice President."

He handed Jackie Hamilton off to a med tech and watch her enter the lift. "Tell him that he can come aboard and meet with her in the med bay."

"Yes sir."

...

"She wasn't supposed to live Laci." Secretary of Defense Henry Westings whispered to the lady seated next to him.

"Well it seems that all didn't go to according to plan, doesn't it Henry. The agent was supposed to take out their comm and sensors, I don't know why that didn't happen."

"Well it did, and she's here, and unless something happens soon, it doesn't look like I'll be President today."

"It'll be fine, I'm sure we will think of something. Besides, this may all work to our benefit. You're a shoo-in for Vice President now."

A man knocked on the door to the cramped quarter they were in. "Mr. Secretary? We are about to dock with Cerulean Two."

"Thank you." and Henry turned back to Laci. "Well, time to perform my darling."

...

I laid there in my bed, with my right arm in a sling, as Secretary Westings entered with his....hmmm, his new wife if I remember correctly...and the most senior judge we could find in the fleet.

"Madam Vice President, sorry to hear about your arm. I am glad that you are okay and it sounds like that you'll be back on your feet in no time." as Westings bowed toward me. By the gods, I despise this man. "May I introduce the Honorable William Baker."

Judge Baker nodded at me with a serene smile. "Its a pleasure Madam Vice President."

"Likewise. So where are you from? What court did you work for?"

"I was the senior judge in the civil liberties court on Hermes, ma'am. I was en route to Cerulean Prime to help on a case that was pending in the High Court."

"Well, some good news for you Mr. Baker, it seems that you are now the newest member of the High Court." Oh, I am so witty. I wanted to smack myself on the head. "Anyhow, let's get down to business. You may proceed whenever your are ready, Mr. Baker."

"Thank you ma'am." and he withdrew a thin blue-toned book from his satchel. "Madam Vice President, will you please place your hand on the Articles of the Union."

I placed my left hand on the soft textured leather book.

"Do you, Jacquelyn Renee Hamilton, solemnly swear to uphold these Articles, to protect the civil liberties of the citiznery, to govern without prejudice and bias, to honor the will of the People, to execute to the best of your ability your duties, and to fulfill the Office of the President with all due respect, integrity, and honor?"

"I, Jacquelyn Renee Hamilton, do solemnly swear."

"Then by the powers invested in the Articles of the Union, I do announce you as President of the Cerulean Union. May the gods bless you."

"May the gods bless us all."

...

"Thank you, Mr. Baker, that will be all. If you don't mind Mr. Secretary, I'd like a moment alone with you."

"Of course, Madam President." and Laci Westings and Judge Baker left the room.

I pulled my blanket slightly tighter around me.

"So can you tell me where we stand Henry? How many did we lose? What kind of shape is the fleet in?" I really could use some Hermian wine right now.

"Well, from what I can gather, it seems that there was a coordinated attack on all our worlds simultaneously. Two fleets appeared above Rhea and Gaia respectively, and somehow they managed to drop a nuke right on Cerulean City. They didn't even know what hit them, ma'am. Cerulean Prime Command was able to issue an Evacuation Warning before being destroyed itself, that's how so many civilian vessels were able to get up in the air. But even so, we're still looking at losses numbering over forty billion souls, at least."

Now I really wanted some wine.

Henry paced around my bed. "How many we were able to save?"

"They're crammed in there, but a little over eight billion. We were able to contact the "Morning Song" over in the Vermilion system, and it coordinated its Jump with ours. We had about a thousand ships in our system, and another ten thousand in the Vermilion crammed with refugees. The best news is that we jumped out about a light year away from a star system with two habitable worlds."

Oh thank the gods for small favors.

"We do have some problems though. The Cerulean Two, excuse me, Cerulean One now, and the Morning Song were the only ships that had Jump Drives. They were completely burned out after overtaxing them so much, I really doubt that they can ever get them operational again. We do have our hyperdrive engines still, so we'll be at New Cerulean within the week."

"Thank you, Henry. And oh Henry, is there any more information you can give me on the attackers? I'd hate to think we made the Jump for nothing."

"Not really, Madam President. We received one message just as the onslaught began. Only that and I believe this is right: 'We are the Dread Lords, prepare to die.'

"Well, I just hope that we ended up far enough away in the galaxy to not have to see them ever again."

"I agree ma'am."

Gosh, my head hurt.

"Well...thank you for now Henry. I'll be making an announcement tomorrow to the fleet."

...

I looked out at the reporters, military officers, and civilians that had come to hear my first speech as President. Surprisingly, I really wasn't nervous. Cameras flashed as I let my eyes wander over the crowd. Well, better now than never.

"Life is a precious commodity. We all know this, but we have never have had a harsher or more tragic lesson then the one we had yesterday. In one brief moment, all that we knew and loved, was wiped out. But by the mercy of the gods, we endure.

We have reached a new point in the history of our civilization. A chance to learn from our mistakes, and to learn to love every moment of life as if it is our last, because we now know just how quickly that life can be taken from us. It is our duty to remember those that we have lost, and to honor them by thriving in this strange new place. And by the grace of the gods, we endure.

Look to your neighbor for strength. Mourn together but be joyful in that the spirit of our loved ones is still here in our hearts. Commit yourself to building a better future. Let us thrive and be happy. By the glory of the gods, we endure.

We shall endure."

And the crowd echoed in response "We shall endure."

A single tear ran down my cheek.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The Dread Lords? I think the Cerulean Union's problems are just starting.
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Great first couple of chapters, will certainly be back to read more.
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Episode Three: New Beginnings, Old Wounds


The sleek goose-like hull of the 'Cerulean One' glided gracefully past the large rocky world that briefly eclipsed the shining blue-green marble ahead of them.

"Captain, the Class Eleven world is directly ahead sir."

"Bring it on screen." and Captain Morave turned to President Hamilton. "Madam President, I would like to let you be the first to set eyes on our new home."

With that the screen lit up, with the orb in front of us. Its deep blue oceans that traversed the northern hemisphere and the dark green forests that blanketed its south, showcasing the beauty of untamed nature.

"Thank you, Captain, so much. Everyone, welcome to New Cerulean. Welcome home."




***

"Madam President...Jackie...I stronly feel that we should organize here, settle, regroup. We've lost so much and you want to send the "Morning Song" with a quarter billion people off into the void already."

I watched Henry Westings calmly as I sipped from my glass of Pinot Grigio. "Henry, we don't know if those attackers...those 'dread lords'...are able to follow us here. I am not going to risk what is left our civilization by forcing them to stay in one spot. We've found this part of the galaxy is teeming with habitable worlds, we should take advantage of that. Increase our numbers, build up our strength."

The Secretary seemed visibly disturbed.

"Is something wrong Mr. Secretary?"

"Well, Madam President, what if these new colonies decide to rebel like they did before? What then?"

"They rebelled Mr. Secretary because we stopped caring as a people. If we stop caring, then all is lost anyway. Besides, the 'Morning Song' has already departed. It should reach the Dilworth system within two weeks. They found a Class 19 world there, Henry, do you know what that means? Practically paradise on earth. How can I deny people that when it's in our very backyard?" I poured some more wine into my glass, noticed my bottle was getting rather low. "Henry, trust me on this alright? It's the best course of action."

"Very well, Madam President. I did have one more question."

"Go ahead."

Taking a moment, he almost looked afraid to ask. I had a pretty good idea what he was going to ask too.

"Have you given any thought to the position of Vice President? If anything were to happen to you ma'am...well it's too awful to think about."

"In good time, Mr. Secretary." and in my head....yes, I have, and it won't be you, you sly bastard.

He nodded profusely. "Of course, of course. Well thank you for your time. I will be heading back to the 'Victorious' for now."

"Good-bye, Henry."


***

"This is a very wonderful dinner that your chef has prepared Captain Morave." as I cut into the lemon-seared chicken, paired with a glass of White Zinfadel.

"Thank you, Madam President. And feel free to call me Cal." and Cal Morave smiled at me.

"Cal it is then. So, Cal, I hear that you are departing tomorrow from orbit? Long range reconnaissance if I read correctly?"

"Yes, ma'am. The Secretary has ordered us to do anomaly sweeps and to scout out star systems."

"I see." I put my glass down and looked Cal in the eyes. "What do you think of the Secretary, Captain? Its alright, this will go no further."

"Well...ma'am...I've never quite been able to put together his military career with his personality. He has all these medals and accolades and yet I wouldn't trust him to lead someone down a straight corridor. No offense ma'am.'

I let out a hearty laugh. "None taken, Cal, none at all. I couldn't agree more. I'm worried that he's sending the 'Cerulean One' out to keep our strongest asset away from me, out of my control. But, that being said, I think the task he's appointed is very important. So, if its alright Captain, I would like to appoint my very own Personal Envoy to this ship, a diplomatic detail as it were, so that this ship has direct contact with me, and my full backing in all matters it may encounter. Who knows, we may even meet some new species out there, and the last thing I'd want is Henry Westings ordering you to open fire on them."

"That sounds great, Madam President."

"Well Captain...Cal...let's enjoy this wonderful meal. Why don't you tell me a little more about yourself?"

***

"Thank you so much for the meal, Captain." and I reached for the door, then it I remembered something. "Oh Cal, one more thing."

"Yes, Madam President?"

"You wouldn't happen to have any suggestions for Vice President would you?"

Cal smiled. "As a matter of fact, I would."

***

"Fellow citizens, may I present to you, your new Vice President, a man know for his vision and integrity, that has been spent for the last ten years as the Director of Sciences on Gaia, and before that as the commander of the Union Star Cruiser 'Liberty'....Tristan Larrin." and I turned toward the man that strode up toward me, shaking his hand, before turning over the podium to him.

"Thank you so much, Madam President. I am truly honored to accept this office."

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Cerulean Union...your new Vice President." and the room applauded...but Secretary Henry Westings was not one of them.



Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
"paradise on earth"??? In the context of this story that doesn't seem to make alot of sense...

Sorry to nit pick but ya know me....i can't resist.
:LOL: ;)
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Wicked story Silverbeacher-I shall be watching this one closely. KUTGW  :CONGRAT: 
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
A new chapter coming soon? :)

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
yup, probably late tonight or sometime tomorrow. Spent the weekend finishing up my taxes...this is the last time I work in one state while living in another. :( Also, its the last three week of classes so lots of tests, papers, and the such. Fun fun.
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I did my taxes online last night. Took about 1/2 hour...it's great having an online option. Always hated those frakking paper forms!

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...
Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
So before we get too far in, I usually let everyone know my starting setup

Gigantic Map, All Abundant
with All Victory Conditions enabled
with Mega Events and Super Abilities also enabled
AI is forced to use Max CPU
8 Minor Races
and 9 Opponents

All races I am using are either the stock races or a custom race. No ARC was used. The color of the text roughly corresponds to the AI color I have used in the game.

My Race:

The Cerulean Union

"Thrown into a new part of the galaxy after the near destruction of their race, President Jacquelyn Hamilton leads her people to rebuild and thrive in a hostile environment."

Super Hive ability, Universalist Party
Morale 20
Economics 30
Pop. Growth 40
Planet Quality 10

Ion Engines, Galactic Warfare, and Xeno Engineering

I tend to couple Super Hive with Economics and Population Growth to counter the rising cost of maintenance and productions costs that Hive brings. Generally speaking, I can have most colonies up and fully running in under 12 turns.

My Opponents

In most cases, I took the stock race and just increased whatever abilities they were already receiving. I also tried to match their political party roughly to their ideology. Some of my opponents are now extremely powerful and dangerous.

Terran Alliance:

Super Diplomat
Federalist Party
Morale 30
Diplomacy 25
Research 20
Trade 55
Routes +1

Drengin Empire

Super Dominator
War Party
Weapons 40
Morale 45
Hit Points 40
Soldiering 40

Altarian New Republic

Super Organizer
Technologists Party
Economics 60
Morale 40
Research 40

Arcean Star Empire

Super Warrior
War Party
Morale 40
Hit Points 40
Soldiering 40
Courage 25

Torian Confederation

Super Breeder
Populist Party
Morale 30
Population Growth 50

Yor Collective

Super Isolationist
Industrialist Party
Economics 20
Social Production 50
Military Production 50
Soldiering 50
Loyalty 100

Dominion of KOrx

Super Trader
Mercantile Party
Economics 45
Trade 80
Routes 3
Courage 35

These last two races are slightly different. First, the Iconians, I used the stock base but I decided on giving them abilities I felt suited them as a race. Being intelligent and ancient, I gave them research bonuses. The second race, the Krynn Theocracy, is a custom race instead of the Krynn stock base. There were a few reasons for this, partly due to the philosophy that I wanted the Krynn to follow was not in my opinion properly represented by the stock race. Also, I felt that giving the abilities to the stock race would overpower them in the game, even compared to the strong abilities now present in the other AI races.

Iconian Refuge

Super Adapter
Technologists Party
Morale 40
Research 15
Espionage 50
Creativity 25

Krynn Theocracy

"Unified in purpose, the Krynn follow a philosophy called "The Path". The Krynn are nearly fanatical in their faith and believe that only by bringing all to follow 'The Path' can there be order in the Universe."

Super Adapter
Pacifist Party
Economics 30
Morale 20
Social Production 10
Influence 30
Diplomacy 10


Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Absolutely superb Silverbeacher: that background has only whetted my appetite even more

Good job on the taxes-going to do mine shortly too  :) 
Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
thank you.

might want to get on that since they were due yesterday :p
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Great detail, and nice use of color. :) What difficulty level is it on? Once you explore a bit more, I'd love to see another screenshot so we can get positional awareness of the other civs.

The nastiest custom enemy civ I created was the Xenomorphs, based on the aliens from the Aliens movies. I maxed out all the combat abilities as much as possible - soldiering, defense, weapons, war party, super-warrior, courage, etc, and I upped the aggression to max. Any game I didnt take them out or knock them down early they became a BIG problem.

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...
Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks Silverbeacher but re the taxes not quite the case here in the UK-can file from Apr 1st but not due until Sept sort of time  :LOL: 

Look forward to your next post Sir  :CONGRAT: 
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Your public is anxiously waiting :) .
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Silver is probably busy with the end of the semester and exams at the moment...and yes, we are waiting. :)

Kzinti empire2.JPG Sentient species taste better...
Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
yeah, I'm trying, but I am only getting like paragraphs done at a time cuz its "dead week" (the week prior to exams, so lots of studying); my finals are on May 2nd and 3rd