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-_-_-_-_-: File Open: Perpetuus Praesentia :-_-_-_-_-
-_-_-_-_-: Documenting Official: Dr. James Erzie :-_-_-_-_-
-_-_-_-_-: Data Decryption Complete. Authorized Viewing Parties Loaded: Invite Only :-_-_-_-_-

As Operation: Perpetuus Praesentia continued, training the near 4,000 Zoner crew in the art of combat, a bond started to form within the crew. Each member truly learned their place and where to be when things arose. They knew their strengths and weaknesses, and came together as a team to truly reach their peak potential. What was just a group of edge-world wanderers was now a force welcoming any trial. After all, it's easier to train a scientist to shoot than it is to teach a mercenary a doctorate level proficiency in scientific principle and engineering. Months went by where each day was specifically set on team-building and honing combat skills in all forms. This time was spent specifically on preparation for the completion of the Angurvadal; the Hessian designed vessel that would allow them to carry out their mission.

Day 173; Turning Point

A meeting between Doctor Erzie and Finn McCool was set to be held at Freeport 11. While no particular reason was set out for this meeting, James would not ignore any chance to work with the former director. As he arrived by Core shuttle to the Freeport as scheduled, an hour early, Five assassins attacked in perfect synchronization.

A small EMP device was thrown in his proximity, erupting and disrupting the small shield generator field in his armor. Several light arms fire blasts struck his suit, shearing through the outer alloys of the suit. At the moment James caught his balance after the swift strike, two of the men finished mounting a heavy ballistic weapon onto a tripod, firing it directly at the Doctor's center of mass, launching him back into the back of the hangar. Certain the job was done, the team retreated to whence they came, leaving James laying against the hangar floor.

With his armor locked, the shuttle pilot came down after the commotion had ceased. Using one of the cargo lifts, he pushed the Doctor back up the shuttle ramp and into the passenger area. James was lying unconscious and his armor shut down nearly completely. Electricity arced between the ballistic round and his suit, deeply embedded into the breastplate. The shuttle pilot promptly departed the hangar, without radio response from flight control, quickly moving James back to Alabama Shipyard, where the pilot notified the Itherael bridge what had occurred where the crew sprung into action and readied the medical facilities for his arrival.

Roughly 15 minutes after arrival, the Doctor regained his consciousness, and began to reorient himself with the room around him. Realizing what he had just experienced, but not the finer details, he commanded his crew to set preparations to jump. The crew did as he commanded, springing into action, setting precise coordinates for the Omega-54 system, leaving little trace or notice of his departure. The jump bent and damaged some of the shipyard's pylons slightly as the jump was executed, but nevertheless got them where they were going with minimal fallout. James sat upright on his medical bed, detaching his helmet, pulling some wires and tube components with it. Taking a breath of fresh air, his eyes adjusted to the difference of light. Bewildered, he called a meeting of his commanding officers.

This meeting was to discuss a plan of action in the months to come, and how long they'd spend off the grid and how they wanted to approach their business operations in the future. The nature of the attack was also noted, which calculated the risks of resurfacing. The Zoners were a peaceful people who preferred using words over using firepower. Resurfacing would do two things: Show that the assassins had failed making him vulnerable to additional attempts, and it would rally controversy in his leadership; It's hard to rally a cause under the pretenses. Because the attackers knew exactly where he was, what weaponry to use to counteract each of his countermeasures, James knew the attack would have to have resulted from either two scenarios: Either there was a leak within the Ingenuus databases, revealing company information to an adversary like the Order, or the attack came from within the company. Either situation meant information was compromised, which meant that unless micro-networks were outside of the company's policy, nothing was safe.

After discussing logistics, it was decided that known resources would be contacted in confidence to start securing themselves off Ingenuus Research Group data where able. This included the amplified production of Ingenuus power cells and transporting them to a separate secure location, as well as information sharing to new archives to further weapon research. This also meant the strategic recruiting of committed Ingenuus personnel working at the Angurvadal construction site, securing a loyal and confidential following. Most of the crew picked was able to agree to the terms of secrecy, and each given a chance to walk away at any time, under the bode of confidentiality.

Though he moved many of these resources around the IRG, damage to the company was not an option, so he ensured that his functions were specifically rendered as a reallocation of resources for the purpose of safety and security, rather than pulling employees from the company. Where personnel were pulled from their primary duties, a trained replacement was found. These members usually came from the lower levels of the Group, already having training and prowess in the needed subjects. To maintain the desired overhead, James ensured that new employees were set in place to cover the empty lower levels, with many new entry-level positions continuously hiring to support the Group’s main causes. This did not occur instantaneously, but instead at gratuitous length to maintain what was already built.

Day 284; Tough Ships and Big Sticks

ANGURVADAL

The Angurvadal; a modern marvel of Hessian military engineering and scientific discovery. Incorporating what we know from the past and adapting those lessons the create something much more effective. Independent power channeling, ambient capacitor charging, as well as improved weaponry that optimize power consumption and heat management to improve lifespan. All components display the mentality of efficiency, as long-term mission capability is imperative to successful research, and most importantly military strategy analysis.

A lone vessel is very limited on what it can accomplish against a fleet, but the idea of efficient tactics is making the targets you hit count. Careful event analysis and precision strategic strikes is what this vessel is designed for on a militaristic level. With connection to a diverse hyperspace network, including a personal matrix, the vessel can use its ability to jump between systems as a means to get in and out of nearly any situation, as well as easy but expensive resupply, if there is no other alternative. With the advanced cloaking capabilities of the vessel, positioning for a precision strike or gaining intelligence is made significantly easier.

Unlike most war vessels, the hangar area is almost completely limited. A field testing research laboratory lies adjacent to the hangar, making permanent storage of anything short of a shuttle impossible. This lab area holds essential molecular scanning devices, microscopes, particle colliders, and chemical supplies, as well as a protected test environment, with an auxiliary power coupling specifically designed to power a shield generator to protect the laboratory walls from projectiles or high mass breaches. If needed, the generator can reroute its heat sinks into the test area, rapidly increasing the internal temperature, quickly incinerating the contents. Success of the mission comes first over personal safety.

At the front, the standard Jormungand mining laser is still present, however it runs off a dedicated capacitor of Zoner design as a means of charging it for modulated use. The capacitor acts as a cushion for the rest of the power grid to avoid internal damage upon using it. Though this is not necessary for the function of the forward laser, it helps to significantly improve its lifespan, and leaves options open for further modifications. The barrel that houses the mining instrument took most of its damage from the heat created, and thus, a heat sink channel was added to mitigate the tremendous generation of thermal energy by routing it down a super conductor highway to the thermal exhaust port, located at the stern. With war and strategic strike a large priority in the mission statement, the Angurvadal delegates a significant amount of space for two interplanetary ballistic missile silos, channeled to the main generator at the center of the ship. As their radar and targeting systems require such precise movement of the vessel to fire correctly, both silos are placed in tandem to each other, without interfering with the internal automatic loading systems.

Current standard weaponry use super-heated plasma as their primary destructive method, which is limited by the specific gasses and conditions used to create the star-like temperatures to melt the hulls of hostile threats. While this method is effective, it leaves much to be desired in the mission-duration department. The primary cannons used on the Angurvadal incorporate an iridium alloy with iron-cobalt cores in tandem on an electromagnetic rail to provide an incredibly efficient ballistic impact. Each projectile is specifically molded to maximize their payload, and more complex ammunition can be used to more effectively hit targets. This does require the manufacturing of said ammunition, and typically cannot be done while the vessel is down-range. However, utilizing the forward mining laser built into the hull, and given the location desired, the Angurvadal can mine the iridium, process it, and forge additional ammunition provided they still have iron-cobalt cores. The vessel generally carries additional cores beyond its standard ammo count to support this endeavor, as the cores are both lighter and less expensive to carry. With the Hessians close in on the normal cobalt mining operations in the Omegas, it’s fortunate this mineral is in high supply.

The Secondary armaments incorporate the same mass driver concept, but on a much smaller and faster scale. Each Driver is equipped with an internal auto-loading system, supporting rapid fire acceleration, and the ratio of metals adjusted to allow the projectile to accelerate even faster, even on a shorter rail. These secondary weapons also receive much more power relative to their payload size, and require additional heat sinking to compensate. However, they still pack a sizable punch for their weight class, and their size allows for faster turning and tracking of targets, making it much less cumbersome for the crew to use.

The engines lack any particular enhancements other than a more efficient cooling system to extend lifetime, and make slightly more support room on the frame to allow the hull a bit less direct force on itself when accelerating. The same superconductor highway routes heat out the exhaust, keeping the internal engine components cooled and efficient.

When it comes to the crew, their quarters are small, but comfortable. No expense was spared to provide the best support for the crew. While most quarters are shared for the sake of space, beds are comfortable, food is good, and entertainment available. The moral of a crew will show when they are tested. Though the Hessians are rugged and tough, the Zoner’s show their touch for comfort and freedom through the middle deck. With a designated mess hall, entertainment center, and relaxation suite, the crew is free to move about on their rest hours and take a load off when time allows. Structured pathways run through the vessel, so that lower priority personnel can move about even in times of demand.

Overall, this vessel does its absolute best to accomplish its goals sparing no expense for efficiency in the long-haul.

3 months following the enactment of his project, most of his core crew was free to work covertly under the Doctor. Most of their families were supported aboard the Itherael when times allowed. The crew continued to train for their mission, carefully spending resources for what was required in the days ahead. James knew there was no possible way for his crew to match the breed of gunners and helmsman, who would spend many years of their lives becoming competent and brutally effective at their work, so he moved to start a new project; one which would allow the crew to hold an absolute advantage.

This advantage was aimed at acquiring a new weapon system that had not been attempted for millennia. The Mass Driver. This old system of using an electromagnetic rail for the purpose of accelerating supermassive ordinance to ludicrous speeds was limited in many forms, but with a bit of tweaking, it could likely work wonders. Only practical where acquiring metals was possible to rearm downrange, this was the perfect fit for what the Angurvadal had been designed.

The primary forward-oriented laser was a mining array of incredible proportions, capable of mining large asteroids in mass by affixing the tractor beam to hold it in position, and liquefying metals at an incredible rate. Because this was a photon cannon, it was impractical for the harvesting of minerals or non-metal materials like gases and diamonds. This meant that harvesting magnetic materials, such as iron and cobalt was relatively easy, and rarer metals like iridium would easily be acquired as well. With the colossal output, even harvesting things like tungsten was collectable with a relative ease, should the need for supermassive materials arise; which it did.

With the mass driver concept on the horizon, the problem of power arose. To compete with massive plasma weaponry that many capital ships used, specialized ordinance would have to be created, as well as independent electrical systems to support the ridiculous power load these rails would use. James put much thought into what he desired on this front, capitalizing on the materials he’d have readily available. Azurite gas, iridium, cobalt, and iron. With the Hessians grip on cobalt harvesting in the Border Worlds, acquiring it was not difficult. When combined with iron at the correct ratio, one of the most magnetic materials is born. However, even with the correct alloys to support a hyper-magnetic core in a supermassive kinetic blast, it would still fall short of desired velocities. More power directly at the rails would be required.

Most uses for Azurite gas up to this point in time was centered around capacitors and conduits around the Ingenuus Research Group’s work. The use of it in generators as well was a feat that fell short of its full potential. The use of Nomad research for the use in weapons was, for many years, completely prohibited, however, as more and more practical uses were found, those rules began to bend, for those who did not know the conventional uses for Nomadic materials.

Azurite gas itself is a thermodynamic superconductor, and when energized forms a high-potency, self-generating power source useful for almost anything. With the colossal heat as its only drawback, the possible output was near limitless. With the heat channels on the Angurvadal that were in the works, this was not an impossibility. Using these excited pockets, one could generate enough power to make these mass drivers put out hundreds of times more magnetism within their close vicinity.

When applied to the cobalt-iron cores, velocities were well within a combat effective range. The next issue was destructive power. While using massive metals alone would yield high penetration rates, simply punching a hole into the side of another capital ship isn’t really effective. Using nanites specifically designed to allow the round to fragment, an expansion angle of 20 degrees could be accomplished after passing through the exterior armor. Each nanite destabilizes a plutonium core, instantly forcing the plutonium through multiple half-lives, consuming up to 90% of the material almost instantly. The resulting explosion is colossal for its size, which is used to push the fragments of the round apart. The angle of this spread is limited, as the process begins directly before impact, but little effect is shown until after the round passes through its target due to its velocity. This method still produces significant heat, softening armor around the impact for consecutive impacts in the same area.

James knew this method would work, but had little practical experimentation. He designed many small prototypes during his downtime, using a small team to lead him in the engineering process. The incorporation of independent Azurite generators was a huge success. The power required for normal use was still high, but the designed cooling system kept the alloys well within acceptable heat limits. Directly after this time, design for capital ship size weapons of this variety were under full construction, and thus the TECK-7YP Series Mass Driver was born.

The TECK-7YP Series Mass Driver

Following their completion, they were tested and modularized to be fit for each of their respective standard hardpoints, compatible with the systems aboard the Angurvadal, and four units were made. However, these weapons were not in the original design for the ship itself, and a meeting was scheduled between the Doctor and Anna Heinrich.

The meeting brought up the issue with trust, that no matter how loose the leash, that the vessel would have to be politically neutral, with the exception of their common enemy. The Hessians view of the Order was positive, but James had history with them, as well as assassination suspicions, and he would have to put his own bias behind for the benefit of the Army. The same is true for the Zoners on board; they hold agents of the Core in high standing, yet the Hessians on board could not act on their bias for the sake of the Zoners. Everything was pivotal on the ideals that some leeway was given to accomplish their primary mission: To terminate Nomads, and to do everything possible to harness their technology to progress the human race.

-_-_-_-_-: File Open: Angurvadal Armor and Hull Development :-_-_-_-_-
-_-_-_-_-: Documenting Official: Dr. James Erzie :-_-_-_-_-
-_-_-_-_-: Data Decryption Complete. Authorized Viewing Parties Loaded: Invite Only :-_-_-_-_-

The Science Behind Toughness

The Angurvadal in its construction took colossal time to finalize its armor plating primarily because of a giant issue: Heat resistance wasn't everything anymore. Many others have taken the next step into military armor strategies, and while many of them have found solutions to their own localized issues, however, Ingenuus required a more diverse solution.

Doctor Erzie spent a large sum of funds and time to develop a solution to two separate issues - durability and reliability. Old fashioned armor styles are both durable and reliable, but only to a point. They can take a blow from one or two shots, but not more than that. They're dependable, but this low limit keeps things in the stone age. Another possible solution that has been tried and abandoned was nanotechnologies, while delivering an extremely recoverable system, and overall low-maintenance solution, it does become lucrative, expensive, and wasteful. Beyond that, with the nanotechnologies incorporated, the overall durability of the nanobots is lackluster in comparison to other super alloys or armor plating.

So with traditional solutions not offering exactly what Ingenuus needed on the vessel, they moved efforts for an even more lucrative type of armor: Self-healing reactive armor. Shape memory metals, and self-healing metals have been used for a millennia, however, none for the exact specifications of armor plating that is both durable, and reliable, but also easy to maintain. By combining super alloys and shape memory alloys under extreme heat, one can make a heat resistant metal that self-heals when extreme heat is applied to the surface. Rather than the molecular structure becoming weaker under said stress, the armor plating holds firm together while under stress. This form of plating makes an effective barrier against plasma weaponry with the assistance of shields.

However, while its heat resistance becomes higher by gaining tensile strength, the material becomes brittle, and quickly requires cooling before being struck with kinetic energy, as this introduction of energy will quickly fail the material. This issue is mitigated by the second step, which is a stage of chained nanobots, responsible for conducting heat away from the site of impact, and reordering themselves away from the site to disperse excess heat. This sub-layer is followed by a cascade of reactive armor plating, simply using ablative armor plating coupled with nanobots responsible for detonating their plutonium cores in rapid succession to reduce kinetic impact energy at the impact site. The nanobots do not activate if the exterior healing plates are not already breached, leaving them as the last defense before material armor. This method recovers much of the lost kinetic resistance, making up a significant resistance to projectile weaponry, even with shields failing.

Finally, on of the most popular weaponry is that of the antimatter variety. As it is the annihilation reaction that is the destructive force behind the weapons, introducing matter as much as possible is one of the only forms of protection against this, once traditional shielding methods have failed. This is not the only mitigation, however, as energy suspension through electromagnetism is also a viable form of protection. This requires immense energy, and is essentially only given as a task for primary shielding, which often fails under stress, however, by channeling power to coils incorporated into the ship's alloy-based armor plates, one can slow the annihilation reaction, and thus belay the release of catastrophic energy. Beyond these internal plates lies the remainder of the armor, doing its best as a durable, thick barrier to the vacuum of space, attached to the Angurvadal's superstructure.

Following the development of this armor, its integration was both expensive and effective, and it was apparent in its design that it would live up to its expectations. While it can be replicated, the price of the nanobots and raw materials to produce them puts the armor plating far out of reach for commercial use, as well as specified military use. The design of the nanobots, along with the heating technique to heal damaged exterior plates is a well protected trade secret of Ingenuus, and specific maintenance practices are used to ensure the information remains safely within the required knowledge parties. This hybrid solution grants the necessary strengths required, meanwhile maintaining low enough costs to be used in a single instance of specialized nature, as the price of a pure nanotechnology solution would be far too expensive, and a pure armor solution would leave Ingenuus at square one - with armor that is too difficult to maintain, and requires nearly as many difficult materials to repair damage to the exterior.

Research has gone forward to make far more conductive nanobots using Azurite, but the results therein remain to be seen.

Aristaan

Aristaan