What is Torval up to?

[VATrevelyan]

Let's talk shop. I've been running the Synteini trade recently and have gotten some nice kit out of it.

But it's got me thinking. Torval's faction seem to be decent sorts overall, at least as far as anyone in modern galactic politics is on the surface, but what I'm wondering about is this massive order of real slaves for Imperial fittings. That strike any of you as a bit odd? Even the GalNet posting talked about body mods and such, which seems a bit unusual for temporary bondsmen as per the Imperial system. And the order amount! There's demand for 3 million tons of slaves! Say that's 10-15 people per box, thats demand for 30 million people, at least! There's no way the whole Empire needs 30-45 million slaves right now, and counting. They've haven't that need since they've enacted slavery. And what about the transition process for these slaves-now-imperial slaves once their term is up, there's no word on that, and you don't just dump millions of people out of something without an economic impact!

Torval's a smart cookie with her nose to the ground for credits, but not this time. What's she going to do with an army of chipped, obedient...

*beat*

Oh.

 

[VATrevelyan]

(and yea, that was IC, in Itallics; and continuing as such)

Hew, I was a bit buzzed last night when I posted that. I did find my head wasn't completely clear on the numbers. Docket for nearly 40 million tons of slaves, not 3 million. A call for 400 million bondsmen.

Patreus doesn't know what's about to hit 'em. He can handle pirates, and wants to go hot on the Feds and could do some damage to them, but this one will be just too much.

 

[insanephoton]

I don't see Torval going for Patreus yet. More likely she'll encourage him to make his move against Chancellor Blaine and then go after which ever side survives. Why waste your army if you can get some other idiot to weaken his by eliminating your rival.

 

[VATrevelyan]

Exactly. Wait 'till Duval kicks it (even odds on natural causes or poison in bed). Blaine knifes Harry (not like he's Emperor material anyway), say on a poley bear hunting expedition or something that he's known to do. So he plants the crown on his head, Pat get rilled up and we get a big civil war. Torval does the innocent maiden routine and stays out of it. Then the loser (probably Blaine since he doesn't have the hardline military appeal) gets offed and disowned by the state.

And then Torval goes out and starts kicking it with 400 million combat slave troops and a ton of allied commanders that made a lot of money off the Synteini trade. Good odds on her coming out on top, too. Afterwards rules on the slave trade is relaxed (maybe guns too) and everyone with a ship can get rich quick on the back of that.

Meanwhile the Feds and AIS (former for obvious reasons, latter because of the whole Soholia disease thing) sit back with a nice grin. Maybe make some straggler pickups on some Imp frontier worlds. Of course if slave smuggling picks up that'll make them rather angry fairly fast.

Unless of course, a fourth party shows up at some point in the middle of all this. In which case that could preoccupy everyone.

 

[VATrevelyan]

UPDATE for 8/9-Mar:
I forgot about that mouth-breather girl. Ugh! She's going to ruin a perfectly good trade! And here I am just past the Edge doing some exploration, and thus in no position to melt down a few clippers!

But I still get GalNet and boy is she stupid! You can hear her holding her breath and stomping her foot all the way in the galactic core. If she becomes head honco the Imperials are going to be 6 feet deep in 10 years, probably have a war with the Feds because she didn't get her teddy bear on time.

Torval needs to think about getting serious now and send in her toughboys, mess this trade up and she blows it.
...
Not saying I'm around the core, in case any of you ingrates want to nick a few system tags from me. Or maybe I am. Keep guessing.

Anyway, anyone going Synteini, do NOT go to William Sky whats-it terminal...I forget the name, I went there once before all this started on accident, the trades are garbage no matter what you bring them. And if you see any competition to Imperial Society in that system, slag them!

Next thing you know AIS is going to bring a Quest-class down to help these brain damaged hippies! This is why we can't have nice things!

 

[Poseidal]

Here's something that might interest you.



I never read the contents but the recipient was a little... shocked when he read it.