Tribes roleplay
One of the most ubiquitous technologies in all human space is anti-gravity (commonly referred to as "T" grav after the "ti" in "anti"), which we have had for over a millennium. The tribals are no exception. Although they do not create the elaborate floating cities of the Empire, such as Eleä Jacitala Es, Aloft, or New Xanadu, they do not hesitate to set floating citadels over their cities and holdfasts. Some tribal settlements are essentially underground dwellings, but I have yet to see any tribal town or holdfast where the people live in the sky.
There is little remarkable here, so I will be brief. Tribal T-grav capability is essentially the same as that of the Empire: pi-field inducers generate and direct gravitons or anti-gravitons in a manner that bypasses the need for incredible amounts of mass. T-grav technology can levitate items as small as vases or as large as the tribals' blocky, inelegant citadels. As with our gravitic nodes, lifting capacity is determined by the power-to-mass ratio, which in a curve defined by to Muennichar's Law (levitating greater effective mass requires a near-geometric increase in power). Interestingly, the tribals tend to keep their T-grav generators on separate power sources than those that power shields, etc. These microfusion paks are numerous and are diffused throughout the very walls of a base. This practice explains why tribals can destroy shield and weapon generators in a floating citadel, but fail to knock down the building itself. I believe the design is an intentional product of the honor-based ritual warfare so prevalent here, the better to reduce collateral damage. I hear that on several occasions tribal holdfolk or city dwellers have come out to witness a flag war between two opposing citadels, staying, of course, well outside the permitted boundaries of the conflict. I cannot imagine they would do so if the citadels were in danger of falling.
Anti-Kinetic Steel (AKS)
This titanium-cerapolymer alloy forms the outer shell of tribal armors.
It is extremely resistant to kinetic and thermal force and nearly
diamond-hard. As with most exotic alloys, it's expensive to produce,
even with entek. Therefore, it's rarely used for anything but armor
construction. Strangely, it is susceptible to a peculiarly corrosive
mold growing on its outer layer, which is the main reason tribals
varnish the armor with peren-diamond. The "rust" produced by the mold
does little more than discolor AKS, but given time, it can penetrate
deeply enough to interfere with some of an armor's peripheral
circuitry. You'll never see rusty armor on any decent tribal, Nabterayl
insisted, much to my amusement.
Bioplas
An advanced plastic with flexion capability via shape-memory
imprinting triggered by an electrical charge or kinetic impact. It's
not as durable as metaplas, but it's far lighter. It is often woven
into articles of ordinary-appearing clothing that can protect the
wearer somewhat from light weapons fire.
Cerapolymer
A ceramic-plastic material used in vehicle engines, tools, and
appliances. Hard and extremely thermally tolerant. Lighter than ceramic
but not as light as fully plastic materials.
Crys
Best described as a glass-plastic hybrid, crys is much harder and
less flexible than plastic. It is easily worked into a variety of
shapes, and its innate transparency makes it perfect for windows and a
variety of other uses. During production, its qualities can be
optimized to fill particular roles. Unlike many other materials, crys
is usually "grown" in a process that's relatively slow compared to
other material production. It is therefore somewhat more expensive.
This variety of crys is optimized for thermal and kinetic durability. Very, very tough, it is used for space and military purposes. It lacks any of the structural fluidity of other varieties of crys. Examples of duracrys use include armor visors, laser focusing lenses, and spaceship windows.
Exo-crys forms the heart of a tribal armor's strength augmentation. Evolved from ancient Herc technology, hair-thin exo-crys flexors are braided into a "microservo" cable that expands under electrical current and contracts when the charge is cut off.
Despite their long history, flexors are far more reliable than hydraulics or other artificial muscle systems. Prolonged use under extremely cold conditions--such as those faced on the outer planets of Sol during the Cybrid Wars--can cause exo-crys to become brittle and crack, but such failure is gradual and easily mitigated.
This variety of crys is the least durable but has the most flexible structure. It is used in optical sensor arrays to provide quick and clear magnification. Due to its ability to selectively deform its structure under proper electrical stimulation, opticrys lenses provide unsurpassed magnification. However, tribal engineers seem to have ignored the potential of the material for laser focusing. I believe this neglect is the result of a deliberate design choice, as the tribes prize durability and reliability above virtuoso performance, and opticrys-focused laser rifles would be noticeably more fragile than the standard duracrys ones.
Opticrys can also be manufactured for holovid displays and computer datashards, since the optical storage capacity is enormous.
Parasteel
A very hard, dense, and resilient metal that holds an edge better
than anything. Frequently used in high-quality sword blades. In such
swords, the duracore
variety incorporates a dense metaplas core within the blade's spine.
This addition greatly increases the sword's tensile strength.
Stahlplast
Equally useful for constructing buildings or armor, stahlplast is,
as its name suggests, an advanced blend of high-grade steel with
plastic. The resulting fusion has produced a superdense, high-strength
material that is nonetheless relatively lightweight for its mass.
It is conductive, but has a much higher resistance than other metal-impregnated substances. It is also virtually rustproof, even when its bare gray surface is exposed to the elements for prolonged periods of time.
To say that tribals are overfond of unadorned stahlplast in their architecture is a profound understatement. I tell you, Danli, I am sick of the stuff, sick of gray buildings that squat like metallic bird droppings in almost every tribal holding I have visited. Only the most hideous damage seems to mar thick stahlplast walls. The only negative thing I've heard about it is that once its shape has been set, it is almost impossible to rework. Damaged stahlplast is notorious for its flaws and hidden weaknesses, although repari application can mitigate problems for a time.
Metaplas
A workhorse synthetic evolved from the Cybrid Wars, metaplas is
used whenever a durable and lightweight material is needed. It can be
made as rigid or as flexible as necessary, and can even be made to vary
its conductivity under proper conditions. Metaplas variants have been
used historically for everything from vehicle and body armor to dinner
plates, clothing accessories, and firearms. Metaplas can be made in any
color imaginable.
Metadura is essentially a conductive, highly flexible form of metaplas. It is usually used in fabrics or circuitry, and it is extremely difficult to tear or penetrate, though it is not as thermally resistant as straight metaplas.
A cheap variety of low-grade metaplas used commercially. Easily recycled.
Peren-diamond
A synthetic diamond composite with substantial tensile strength,
peren-diamond is commonly used as a protective varnish on the exteriors
of armors and spacecraft. It sheds heat well and is nearly impervious
to dirt and oxidation. It wears away with time and use, but is easily
reapplied.
I have little to say in this area, since the wilderzone population uses mostly hard tech. Tribals tend to be suspicious of organic-based technology, more than we are in the Empire. There are a few obscure tribes who dabble more in biotech, but none of them have come to prominence. One of the great concerns, naturally, is the use of biological warfare, which the Tenets of Harabec expressly forbid. Already concerned with the ever-present threat of x-pox has made tribals rather sensitive to the danger of artificial plagues. Besides, modern panimmunity treatments mean any military disease organism would have to be incredibly virulent. Most wilderzone facilities haven't the resources to create individually-targeted diseases. Perhaps we should be thankful for that, given recent Imperial history.
Implants
As a rule, the wilderzone inhabitants use few, if any, biotech
implants. They are prone to viewing invasive technology as anti-human,
especially crafted biological constructs.
Breeding and Eugenics
The Tribes of Man breed livestock as does the rest of human space.
They have also incorporated genemod foodstuffs into their diets, but
they are generally distrustful of such products. Compared to the
Empire, the foods here are natural, wholesome, and bland. (I still miss
spider-meat truffles like the ones we used to share at Vinalam's during
our University days. And the blood tomatoes! As you see, Danli, I sit
here in the backwater of human space and long for the luxuries of the
past. You will have to send me a package to succor me in the meantime!)
The tribals do not, to my knowledge, practice any organized form of eugenics. The x-pox and the comparatively high mortality rates seem to deter such artificial selection, though I believe the Tenets also speak against this issue. Occasionally, I came across fanciful stories of hidden tribes inbreeding themselves into some kind of cyclopean supermen, but such tales always proved to be products of some jongleur's overactive imagination. The Tribes of Man appear to hold eugenics programs in much greater disregard than we of the Empire. I wonder how they will fare when the Scourge finally turns its attention to this part of the galaxy.
Medkits
Since a comrade with a knitterbeam may not be available when a
warrior sustains battlefield injury, every standard tribal armor
includes a medkit. Unlike the automeds of Imperial armors, tribal
medkits must be applied manually. The central item in a medkit usually
consists of a spray applicator containing entek docs, painkillers, and
adrenaline in a liquid solution. All sprayers feature a nozzle designed
to adjust the spray to access a wound through a variety of armor
breaches.
The liquid medium surrounding the docs is a general antibiotic and local analgesic, and is also rich in calcium and iron. Since the majority of combat injuries involve burns, the spray also includes a Quikskin option that covers the wound with a quick-drying bioplas film that protects against infection. Many armors keep an additional small sprayer in a vambrace or greave compartment. Warriors commonly equip themselves with emergency spray contents according to individual preference, but not all customization is medically oriented. The Gorgon Killers are known to load their secondary sprayers with a cocktail of amphetamines, synapse boosters, and adrenaline. Ish'Mlak says they call it "Berserker Juice" or simply "Killjuice."
Bioplas pressure bandages and casts are also a standard item. The latter resemble a compact cloth sleeve that hardens to rigidity when the control tab is pulled.
Panimmunity Boosters
With the threat of epidemics high from unregulated travel between
worlds, the tribes have consistently worked on panimmunity boosters
that incorporate viral and bacterial material from various worlds.
These boosters fail to stem the high infant mortality rate that
contributes to the wilderzone's relatively low population, but they are
effective enough for adults. When traveling to distant star systems, it
is common for warriors to receive boosters that increase immune
response and provide enhanced protection against exotic infection.
Cloning and Regeneration
Cloning is available in the wilderzone, but mostly on larger worlds
that enjoy fully-equipped hospitals. Some holdfasts clone livestock,
but that technology is relatively less complex and will not support
cloning of selective human tissue. Thus, limb and organ replacement
requires access to major medical facilities.
Most heavy recovery is done in regeneration tanks, wherein the patient is completely immersed in a dense fluid of nutrients, antibiotics, and sophisticated nanodocs. Some holdfasts have these facilities, but again, they are typically found only on the larger or wealthier worlds. The Blood Eagle use Evacuation D-ships equipped with a dozen or more regeneration tanks for the most seriously injured warriors. Patients in a regen tank are commonly sedated to prevent them from moving and interfering with the various electrostim and intravenous lines connected to them as part of the treatment. Oxygen is supplied via a mask or simply by impregnating the fluid medium with sufficient oxygen to be breathable, much like standard deep-sea diving methods.
Limb regeneration without cloned replacement parts is not possible in the wilderzone.
Implants and Limb Replacement
Hard tech implants are not uncommon here, but usually result from
replacing body parts lost in combat and not susceptible to regeneration
or cloning. Most implants are for glands, bones, or organs. However,
some qualify as actual enhancements, such as hyper-adrenaline glands,
subdermal armor, reflex-boosting neural wiring, and the like.
Tribals typically do not trust enhancement implants, which are expensive and require even more work than the usual implant to synchronize with an individual's physiology. Moreover, in the case of warriors, cybernetic devices can interfere with an armor's fitting and with armor neural control systems. Aside from a few optical replacements and the occasional limb replacement, warriors avoid deep cybernetic work, especially neural boosts.
Most cybernetic limbs use simple hydraulics, but the more expensive models use flexor technology. Sophisticated neural connections allow a modicum of sensory feedback. Advanced limbs have dermal sensors that replicate tactile input. These can be made to work with armor neural controls with some adjustment to the appropriate armor subsystems, but it takes an experienced armor tech or weaponsmith to do so.
Immortal Brains
A fascinating question out here. Depending on the tribe, you get
vastly different reactions. The Blood Eagle don't believe in Immortals,
or so I am flatly told. The Children of Phoenix view Immortal Brains as
holy vessels of sainted souls or the mind of God. Most Starwolf assume
an Immortal would be a super-Elder deserving of immense respect but not
veneration. The Diamond Sword priest I spoke to on this topic tried to
convey something about Immortality being an alternative path to
enlightenment via "dreaming reincarnation." I'm not sure what he meant.
I have an uncomfortable feeling that the Immortal question plays a
central role out here, more than the deification of Harabec. Most
tribals believe, Danli.
The tribes do not have any such technology. Of this much I am certain. But the belief structures with regard to Immortality are fascinating. I may make them the subject of a future report.
Typical Computers
Not so terribly different from the Empire, though far less apt to take
the form of jewelry and body-sized holodisplays. The memory of the
Cybrids and Prometheus runs deep here, as you might expect in a place
so steeped in the legends of Harabec and Caanon Weathers. A typical
tribal computer consists of a small metaplas housing for the netnode,
something easy to carry in the hand and weighty enough not to blow away
in a stiff wind. The display is usually a screen in the form of a thin
opticrys panel layered between transparent layers of metaplas, though
hologhosts are also frequently used (though far less private).
Vidgoggles offer privacy for those who prefer to keep their computer
display from prying eyes. Input is accomplished by stylus, vox, or
datakey. Some systems use hologram controls with fingertip-tracking.
All-in-all, nothing remarkable.
As in the Empire, computers are severely limited in general networking complexity so as to avoid approaching the critical proto-sentience stage. Any hyperadvanced system AIs are heavily-monitored, narrowly dedicated idiot-savants, never broad-spectrum geniuses, and they rarely, if ever, communicate directly with each other. But such advanced systems are extremely rare. History has shown that the average user needs little more than a simple device with moderate storage. Quantum-nodes allow lightning searches of local worldwebs, so actual processing speed is comparable to commercial Imperial systems.
Datashards
As I mentioned above, they still use datashards out here, quaint
opticrys spikes protected by a synthex sheath. The Tribes of Man lack
the interstellar network we have in the Empire, mostly due to tribal
fractiousness, but there are also issues of sparse quantum reed supply.
Data smuggling between star systems is still wholly physical.
About three centimeters long and half a centimeter wide for
practical ergonomic reasons, a datashard tapers slightly toward the
tip. The actual matrix which focuses the quantum data exchange with the
computer is located in the tip.
Slicing
Tribal slicers are much more like elite commandos than Imperial
webcutters. Because so many systems are dedicated and minimally
networked, slicers often have to access a targeted system manually.
Some civilian worldwebs are vulnerable to slicing, but the system
ravelers confine any mischief to an acceptable level. In general, web
addiction syndrome is far less developed in tribal space than in the
Empire. Call it a beneficial effect of the frontier mentality. Tribals
enjoy good vids and holodreams as much as the next citizen - but far
more casually.
Tribal slicers occasionally try to slice into enemy command circuits, but the honor-based culture and the highly mobile nature of tribal combat makes this practice unreliable at best. Most command circuits use a shifting encryption algorithm that makes on the fly slicing nearly impossible. Still, I hear it has been done, so the wilderzone must have some advanced talent. Military slicing applies more to dataraids from enemy computers.
Synthralls
Synthralls, or synners, as tribal slang has it, are
robotic servitors with sufficient AI to accomplish basic labor tasks.
Some tribes have a secondary combat-programmed AI that patches
synthralls into the local command circuit. The Tenets consider this
acceptable, but honor codes do not apply against synthrall opponents.
Because of the system limits, combat AI is adequate to basic defense or
offense, but lacks initiative or creativity. Hence, synners don't
display much flexibility, and their tactical decision-making slows in
the midst of a conflict with many opponents.
Tribals, like any other sane human, become uneasy when they see armed autonomous machines. As a fail-safe, all combat synners have self-destruct sequences that can be triggered via the command circuit.
A passing jongleur told a tale about a Griever band that recently tried to use a horde of combat synners to carve out a holding for itself on the fringes of Starwolf territory. They called themselves the "Bone Rippers," and they had come into possession of an autofactory which they used for making new synners. Unfortunately for them, they underestimated the local Starwolf. When the Grievers started raiding some of the fringe Starwolf worlds, the Starwolf elders dispatched a Vengeance Fangs force and exterminated them. The jongleur claimed the battle took place on an out-of-the-way world called Desicca III and was quite the bloody affair. In a rather surprising plot twist, these Grievers apparently had access to equipment manufactured in the Empire. Another attempt by Unitech to create a corporate state in the wilderzone? The jongleur didn't say, and I find myself still wondering about this loose end. This story isn't the clearly impossible account I've heard in so many tales of battle. It had some thrilling details that rang quite true. I'll try to get you a transcription if you're interested.
Only a few multi-stellar corporations--such as Unitech, of course--operate in the wilderzone, usually under treaties with the Four. Everything else is local or tribe-based. In terms of the "art" of weapons technology, specific tribes have risen to fill the need for technical expertise in crafting the complex armors. These weaponsmith tribes are typically small, with no more than a world, possibly two, under their control. They focus exclusively on producing quality weapons and armor for tribal warfare. Most indie tribes obtain their weapons from such a tribe, in return for food or art or raw materials. Some of the smaller indies even pay for tech advisors from the weaponsmith tribe to perform maintenance duties and teach technical skills. Needless to say, tribes that depend on such services quickly become fast allies of the providers. Each of the Four has alliances or sub-tribes to meet weaponsmithing needs, but even they do business with outside tribes.
Most weaponsmith tribes are traders who maintain strict neutrality. The independent ones have formed a Compact with each other, to discourage assault by aggressive independents or bands of Grievers. There are reports that the Compact has an elite group of mercenaries on retainer to use as a retaliation force, but no one can confirm this for me. I did receive a mysterious message that warned against further investigation into this shadowy "TDC." For the moment, I proceed with caution.
For purposes of further illustration, I have included summary profiles of the three most well-known weaponsmith tribes here in the wilderzone.
The Sabot-Styx
This shadowy Blood Eagle lineage (their term for a sub-tribe) is
the primary weapons and armor manufacturer for the tribe. The "snakes"
(the nickname comes from likening the abbreviation SS to a snake's hiss
- rather than conjuring persistent images of evil from the
pre-Devastation era) are famous for their expertise, particularly with
explosives and projectile weapons. They command near-Imperial
technological capability, and their numbers include some of the most
accomplished pure scientists among the tribes. Finally, they are
certainly the purveyors of Blood Eagle covert ops technology.
The Legate believes the Sabot-Styx intend to reintroduce cloaking technology to the wilderzone as the war with the Starwolf intensifies. Otherwise, they act as any other Blood Eagle lineage, and are as much involved in the tribe's murderous internal politics as the Halakar or the Nagashima. Rumors of Sabot-Styx involvement in extensive underworld trafficking are rampant, but I have not been able to substantiate anything at this time.
One curious piece of information did reach me, and I suspect you'll find it amusing. The Sabot-Styx apparently grade all their prototype weapons according to a battery of tests that is unremarkable except for one peculiar custom. The final test of a war weapon design is the damage it can deliver in a single shot to a human head. The curious part is that the weaponsmiths construct the target heads of high-density metaplas, far tougher than any human skull. If a weapon fails this test, the smiths always make adjustments until they feel a sufficient damage threshold is reached. This is one explanation as to why even ordinary Blood Eagle sidearms make often use plasma technology or Armor Piercing High Explosive (APHE) bullets.
The Sabot-Styx control four worlds deep within Blood Eagle territory. The Legate has hinted that they favor the tribe renewing ties with the Empire, but that they are unwilling to commit their political resources toward such an effort. Perhaps exploratory overtures on our part would be productive, in light of the Blood Eagle's current turmoil.
The Forge of Hephaestus
The small but vocal Forge of Hephaestus tribe claims to have
invented most of the weapons of war currently used in the wilderzone, a
preposterous idea most tribes ignore. However, the Forgers' engineering
skills seem formidable beyond doubt. They are reputed to be the most
effective technicians in tribal space, specializing almost exclusively
in small-arms and custom armors. They pursue a rigidly evenhanded
trading policy with little negotiation, since their reputation for
unsurpassed quality gives them a considerable bargaining advantage.
They have emerged as the first-among-equals of the Weaponsmith Compact.
So far their neutrality remains uncompromised. Their skills make up for an appalling lack of social graces and disturbing eccentricities. Their numbers are said to be quite small, and they share the low-gravity world of New Samaria with two other independent tribes. The low gravity of their home explains some of their unique character. When they travel offworld, they disdain gravitics or biotech muscle enhancement regimens, instead choosing to wear exo-skeletons of their own construction to assist their movement. I haven't met one of these individuals, but I hear they decorate their exos with buttons and holo-slogans, and always travel with toolkits. Their exos give them a strange, almost limping gait, and surely harbor some hidden capabilities.
The Daughters of Iron
The DOI, as they are popularly known, are independents allied with
the Starwolf. They claim descent from a dissident band of Imperial
technicians who fled the Blood Eagle in 3490 after that tribe abandoned
its Hercs for lack of replacement parts and supplies. They have since
become one of the more aggressive weaponsmith tribes, selling services
to any and all who can meet their price. I have not ascertained the
reasons for their split with the Blood Eagle, but it's clear the enmity
has persisted over the centuries. A Blood Eagle acquaintance of mine
claims the DOI problem is a mystery to his people. To quote him: "They
left us centuries ago, and we let them go. They're small fry. We don't
have any grudges there."
Whatever the truth of the matter, the DOI allied with the Starwolf in 3932, and have worked to upgrade Starwolf tech and infrastructure ever since. The highly-diffuse settlement and independent nature of the Wolves has made this task even more challenging. I heard just last week that Fury has declared that the DOI have abrogated any claim to neutrality and should be considered "part of the Starwolf."
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Daughters of Iron specialize in vehicle repair and modification, though they are active with armor and hand weapons as well. As their name indicates, they follow a matriarchal society. My contacts tell me they are skilled warriors who do not control any particular world, but collect in modular space habitats which they move from system to system. I have heard estimates placing their numbers at no more than fifteen thousand.
As I conclude this report, Danli, I feel it appropriate to end with a short discussion of HERCULANs in the wilderzone. Though the tribes focus the bulk of their strategy and tactics on the use of the Scarab-clad tribal warrior, the truth is that the larger tribes--especially the Four--have Herc-equipped forces on every major world. These forces are small, but they are organized so as to be highly mobile and available to transfer quickly to a battlefield somewhere on the Hyperweb. They are clearly meant more to safeguard the most important worlds, but they are also the tribal answer to the threat of a full-scale Imperial annexation. If the reassertion of Imperial authority beyond the nominal claims currently tolerated ever comes to pass, the Tribes of Man will have Hercs to help counter Imperial heavy armor. Tribal Hercs are a generation behind modern Imperial designs, but they may be catching up fast. The Blood Eagle and the Diamond Sword in particular seem to be engaged in HERCULAN mobilization at the moment. The Children of Phoenix and even the Starwolf are soon to follow.
Tactical Role
Hercs bring Armageddon to the battlefield, weaponry with the
firepower to penetrate thick stahlplast walls and destroy
heavily-shielded grav tanks in mere moments. The light models are
vehicle-killers, whereas heavy ones are assigned to assault bases and
heavily-armored stationary targets. All Hercs can be used in an
anti-personnel role, but a fireteam of well-equipped tribal warriors
armed with anti-vehicle weapons offer a serious challenge to a Herc.
Mobility
Gravitic boosters and inertial dampeners combined with fast-twitch
exo-muscle systems of polybraided neurocrystal make modern Hercs far
more agile than older generations of Hercs. Staying in motion is still
a vital part of any pilot's strategy, but Hercs carry enough protection
to weather heavy fire. When faced with tribal infantry, a Herc can
pause for a few moments to take better aim. Tribals who attack Hercs
must learn to move quickly, use teamwork, and take great advantage of
the surrounding terrain. Confronting a Herc in the open is suicide.
Anti-Herc Weaponry
Anti-matter tipped tactical warheads and powerful anti-vehicle
mines are the primary mobile infantry weapons used against Hercs, in
tandem with targeting lasers and motion sensors. My sources report that
tribal militaries may be experimenting with grav tank "Herc hunter"
platoons and flyers armed with gravitic implosion torpedoes. Heavy
plasma and blaster batteries combined with ELFs provide tribals with
formidable defenses against HERCULAN assault. It's no secret that most
of these measures are directed at the scenario of a full-scale invasion
by the Empire. I believe tribal strategy would be to cause any such
conflict to cost the Empire as many lives and as much equipment as
possible.
Danli, if there is any piece of advice I wish to emphasize, it is this:
Do not underestimate the ingenuity and the technical sophistication of
the Tribes of Man. They are not the crude barbarians the Coreworlders
continually mock in their little political dramas, though undoubtedly
less cultured than the average Imperial citizen. The Sirdar Corps
should already know tribal military capability is substantially greater
than media reports indicate. This is a warrior society. They have
fought each other for centuries, and they are not exhausted; au
contraire, tribal cultures are vibrant and dynamic. People are
optimistic and highly independent. Combat training is widespread, part
of the culture.
I believe the tribes can possibly triple or quadruple their
standing forces if pressed, at least for a short time. Their biggest
vulnerability is their fractiousness and their small navies. Still, if
they were to act in unison, they would be difficult to overcome. The
Empire would prevail in such a hypothetical combat, but at what cost?
Besides, I don't believe the Imperial military is capable of sustaining
a war against both Scourge and the tribes at the same time. I urge you
to pass my observations to your contacts in the Halionate. Perhaps it
is time to see if the tribes could be allies in the war with the
Scourge.
Before it's too late.
REMARKS TO REPORT A72384-Y
IMPERIAL INTELLIGENCE
401214.2114TS
ALCAZAR-MERIDIAN III
...maximum encryption...
///FROM -- Colonel Danladi Haroun-Nicanor///
///TO -- Director Hesho Ayazumi [Halion Eta]///
Operative Scherazade has provided a reasonably comprehensive summary update of the current state of tribal technology. Please review it. There are a few new items I found interesting, especially her coded references about a superweapon that has been field-tested in the wilderzone. I have instructed Scherazade to continue her investigation of tribal military technology under academic cover. Perhaps her tribal contacts will turn up something more.
There have been numerous reports of Scourge activity along the Amrir-Sforza Axis near the fringe of the wilderzone. I maintain that this mysterious weapon must be the reason Draxon musters at least three of his Greater Hordes. We must not let this thing fall into Draxon's hands, especially if what we've heard about its potential is true. I suggest you ask the Grand Sirdar and Lord Protector whether they can free up a few Legions. We may need to go in ourselves.
Personally, of course, I believe the barbarians deserve what's coming to them. For centuries, we of the Empire have been locked in a death struggle with the Scourge while these various little inbred sects of tribal filth squabble amongst themselves. And when we tried to establish a base in the Kepler March? A refugee settlement? The thrice-damned Phoenix came in and burned everything. As far as I'm concerned, the Hordes can raze every damned one of the barbarians' pigsty holdings.
My apologies, Hesho. As you can see, my feelings haven't changed. I'll never forgive the murder of Fritha on Kepler, but that's enough venom for now.
I'll keep you informed as to any new findings.
-D.
