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...neural.uplink detected...
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identified:TFP-HFCOM-046 | HLog. Kelly With
...TRANSLATING DATA...
Dr. Simon Giraud,
I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting, but I've got your contact from Ms. Hornik durin' our whole business with Keflavik.
Speaking, Exarch Kelly With, High Logarch of Task Force Prometheus. We're the last survivors of the Hellfire Legion, seekin' to free the citizens of the Commonwealth currently interned and enslaved on Erie by the false Republic. As I've come to understand, even before our purchase of what's now El Alto, ALG has had a relatively friendly disposition towards us an' ours, and after readin' up more about yer actions in the Rheinland Civil War as well as the way ye folks so nobly steeled yer backs against Bretonia at Aland, it's my belief that we could strike up a beautiful friendship here. Introductions having been made, let's get down to business.
Prometheus is in possession of a vessel datin' back to 815 or 816 AS — a veritable antique, by most standards — the HFDIblis. She's a powerful symbol to us, havin' been with us so long that the original records of her acquisition are lost an' must be deduced from context gleaned out of third- and fourth-hand historical accounts. And through the decades, half my own lifespan, she's served us faithful and true, never once lettin' us down, always punchin' well above her weight and lovingly doted upon by our best engineers for the whole while.
But nigh on twenty years is a long time, and technology has advanced greatly in every conceivable way since then. The old girl needs more than just a touch-up, which brings me to yer inbox. I've taken personal charge of Iblis, and intend to see her put back into action as soon as possible. Goin' over the schematics and having consulted with the few engineers we have left, I've a new plan for her role which necessitates two requests from ALG. One conventional, one less so. Let's cut to the chase.
Iblis is an RA-9 Scylla destroyer produced by the Mollys of Dublin sometime between 813 and 815 AS. Every one of her systems is in working order, but all are old, having seen only corrective and preventative maintenance since her acquisition by the Legion around 815 or 816. She needs a full modernization. We're talking Ship of Theseus-style replacement of every single system and subsystem save her hull panelling and superstructure itself. Acquisition of a replacement is logistically, politically, and ideologically infeasible.
What I want from you is a brand new powercore, the best balance of total power output and reliability that you can reasonably manufacture for a small destroyer, ideally with monitoring equipment which averages the power consumption of various systems over approximately fifteen-minute-long intervals and predicts future draws such that output can be immediately drawn down prior to rapid disconnection of systems in need of hot-swaps, thus preventin' any shorts or other major damages. That's the conventional request.
The unconventional request is for a quantum entanglement machine for FTL comms. Don't care how old it is, as it'll only be maintaining at max two lines of communication; thus, the only important thing is that the device actually bloody works. If ye're unable to provide the actual entangled particles, we can source those elsewhere if need be, but going forward the Iblis will absolutely require immediate and impeccably reliable communication with certain of our other assets. We'll need you to install the device as well. If, through some insane means, you know of any qualified engineers to do maintenance on the thing who would happen to align with our politics, we'd be more'n happy to give them solid morally-meaningful work with guaranteed job security, but I know that's possibly the most long-shot request anyone's ever made.
I understand, Dr. Giraud, that this is an exceedin'ly demanding job, and I'm not here askin' for charity. These are serious needs, and I don't expect them to come without a serious pricetag, but these are things that simply must be done. Give me a feasibility estimate first, and a cost assessment second.
Hopin' to hear back from you right soon, doctor.
Exarch Kelly With
Libera Te Ex Infernis
Mihi Vindictam Ego Retribuam
ID: Simon Giraud
From: Wichter Station Subject: A project
To Kelly With,
Warm greetings, Logarth With. What a pleasant surprise to hear from our friends in Liberty. I suppose I can dispense with introduction as you've been informed of my person already.
I always look forward with great excitement to study and work on an unusual vessel, and I cannot imagine we would find many other opportunities to examine an RA-9 type. I will be happy to discuss the technical points in detail - my initial estimate would be that the requested work should be possible - but first I must get a rather obvious question out of the way: Where is the vessel currently located, and is it in condition for interstellar travel?
Posts: 3,356
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...neural.uplink detected...
...starting encryption...establishing connection...
identified:TFP-HFCOM-046 | HLog. Kelly With
...TRANSLATING DATA...
Mr. Giraud,
I'm glad to hear that this sounds doable. The Iblis is currently moored at El Alto Research Facility in high orbit of Planet Cannish. I believe, heh, ALG ought to be quite familiar with the location. Iblis is fully spaceworthy, an' can traverse any distance we have supplies to ferry her, but she's on a skeleton crew among skeleton crews, with only eight people aboard to keep her reactor runnin' and sound the alarm in case of any incidents. At present, we lack the personnel to man her further, and so any transit would require an escort until the necessary reshuffling can be done to free up Legionnaires for her long-term crew complement.
If El Alto is a suitable location for yer team to make an initial assessment, I'll see to it that everythin' is prepped for their arrival, and if she must be ferried elsewhere, then arrangements will be made.
Exarch Kelly With
Libera Te Ex Infernis
Mihi Vindictam Ego Retribuam
ID: Simon Giraud
From: Wichter Station Subject: A project
Logarth With,
That would be a location most familiar to us, and easily reachable. If indeed a near-complete replacement in the manner of that great classic of antiquity is required as you say, the work will very strongly benefit from if not outright require mooring at a proper drydock. Even if the exterior paneling itself can be reused, much of it will need to be removed for the installation of very large components, such as the entire new reactor.
Fortunately, there is such a facility right next door. I assume your relations to the Invergordon Junkers are at least somewhat amenable, given your proximity? I would suggest inquiring of them for the possibility of renting a suitable bay, though, if you would prefer, my team could perform the initial examination first.
If working at Invergordon is for whatever reason not possible, we could perhaps consider alternative facilities such as the IMG's Singapore, or of course our own facilities at Wichter, since the vessel is spaceworthy. But such a trip carries a level of risk and inconvenience that if it can be avoided, should be.
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