The Platform - Internal Comms Network

[Petitioner]

| Platform Open Network

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Name: Augustus Howe
Location: Battleship Klaxon, Sigma-15
Subject: Situation Report

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Friends and comrades,

I've reached out to our partners in the ALG on behalf of the Black Flame, providing them with a full list of present material conditions regarding the Klaxon insofar as they present challenges relating to the vessel's continued viability as a warship. The report was compiled by Lt. Cmdr. Schlesinger, with input from Lt. Cmdr. Stirner, Deck Crew 13, and myself, and it paints a grim picture indeed. Firstly, I have attached an access code for my conversation with the ALG representative, and I shall include here the summary of the report.

Status Report

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Auxiliary thrusters have degraded to approximately fifty percent capacity. Even the sixty-seven percent output we were receiving during the Norddorf operation was insufficient for maneuverability, likely exacerbated by the conditions of the nebulae, but restoring full functionality to propulsion is a major concern. This will likely require sufficient overclocking of the reactor core. The primary agent cause of degradation remains unknown.

Starboard reactor containment struts are critically damaged, with corrosion having progressed rapidly from last assessment two months prior. A few well-placed shots could breach reactor containment entirely, leading to runaway plasma discharges with catastrophic consequences. As is, a single hyperspace jump is a risky bet. Quality titanium-alloy replacement struts are exceptionally hard to come by, particularly given the vastly different dimensions of prefab materials utilized on the 'Monument'-class versus comparable Rheinland designs, and inferior materials would be entirely insufficient for the task assuming that reactor core overclocking proves to be necessary.

Primary drive system efficiency has been greatly lowered over time due to the necessity of frequent ion scrubbing. The lack of proper warship berths and associated equipment has meant that frigate-scale ion scrubbing systems have been employed and fuel catalyst transport mechanisms have physically degraded as a result. Several catalyst conveyances will likely require full replacement. The matter is further complicated by our inability to fully depower the reactor core -- necessitating full shutdown of all systems, include life support -- as neither Bruchsal nor Bielefeld possess sufficient capacity to hold the Klaxon's entire crew in addition to the large populations of refugees still awaiting resettlement currently aboard both installations.

The aging reactor core, an Ageira M87-A2Bf "Hailstorm" model dating from 784 AS, is perhaps the most grievous concern. Due to specific design considerations of the 'Monument'-class, it is integrated into the ship itself to such a degree that a full replacement would be infeasible without months of work at a properly-equipped military shipyard. As such, we are limited to spot repairs and patch jobs. Every such repair is extremely hazardous even with full shutdown of all non-essential systems, and supplies as basic as insulated gloves fit for internal systems electrical work have been in short supply aboard our home for multiple years running. With the arms race in Sirius showing no signs of stopping, and indeed accelerating in pace with ever-increasing haste, drawing sufficient power for new and advanced weaponry becomes less a question of fuel management and more a question of crew safety -- our last engagement saw an electrical fire break out in a gunnery cabin before a single shot had been either fired or taken. We require a solution that is more than short-term, yet even with the ALG's resources at our disposal, a truly long-term management strategy may be infeasible. The situation is exacerbated by the Klaxon's special-access equipment, namely the LIS-EX-816-issue cloaking device and hyperspace jump drive. Platform engineers have been hard at work devising an alternative to our conventional cloaking device, yet the winds of change are blowing us in the direction of also requiring even more advanced long-range scanners so as to afford us sufficient time for pre-battle positioning in engagements against the empires of both Crete and Berlin alike. Managing this issue will be our most severe long-term challenge.

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It remains to be seen how capable of addressing -- or willing to address -- these issues our collaborators within the ALG will be, but given their invaluable assistance thus far, I have high hopes for our continued partnership. With the blessing of the other cells within the Platform, I intend to reach out to other parties for assistance with various phases of the repair process. If all proceeds as well as can be hoped, perhaps limited modernization work can even be undertaken. I do believe that the Independent Miners' Guild would be amenable to such cooperation given our notable assistance against the Imperialist and Corsair threats in Omega-7 during the recent silver boom.

Regarding the inter-cell talks approving an expansion of operational areas, I would like to extend my congratulations to all involved delegates for affirming the necessity of such bold steps, and pending the repair of the Klaxon, submit a declaration of intent for the Black Flame to take the lead within the Platform vis-à-vis operations within Liberty, as it is, after all, our original home turf. Not only are the hundred-odd long-time members of the Klaxon's crew from prior to our integration within the Platform veterans of the Insurgency Campaign, with some having served within the Legion itself, many within the Black Flame hail from the Zoner communities of Pennsylvania and have long yearned to return to take the fight to their direct oppressors.

Lastly, on behalf of the Black Flame, I would like to inquire with the Damnatio Memoriae, the Gloaming Flotilla, and the various independent actors within the Platform what we can do for you and for the movement as a whole as we undergo this critical process of repair and rearmament. Quartermaster Schlesinger is prepared to oversee the logistics required to operate smaller transport vessels and stock fighter squadrons as needed within Rheinland to provide the necessary support to the rest of the Bundschuh movement, and we are fully committed to pulling our own weight.

With dedication and perseverance,

Cmdr. Augustus Howe
The Black Flame
“Iudicium per ignem”

| Port Closed

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