NC Corporate Involvement.

[Ratstomper]

Originally Posted by Vorgan

Who's to say that those corporations don't have a presence on Auraxis? A headquarters there, for example. As soldiers, we only really see the battlefield rather than civilian population centers (where, presumably, these corporations would be headquartered). The lore I've read seems to suggest that the NC on Auraxis also have corporate backing.

I suppose it's possible I read the lore wrong, but to my eyes, the wormhole the voyage went through wasn't supposed to close like it did (which is why they lost a bunch of ships right off the bat). My understanding was that the NC on earth funded all the laborers and mercenaries and probably sent a few overseers to keep an eye on things and sort of left Connery in charge of it (remember Connery wasn't such a bad guy and the earth NC weren't at odds with him. Hell, they funded his voyage). Whatever funding the NC provided that went through the wormhole (and wasn't in the form of laborers and mercenaries) would have been under the control of Connery and eventually the TR after he died. This would explain why the TR are so well outfitted.

What I DO know is that NC equipment isn't sleek, expensive weapons and armor. It's rough and makeshift, but well-maintained and effective. Look at the screenshots, the MAX looks like some kind of mechanical loader with guns and armor welded to it, the NC armor is battered and scarred and the guns look like they were designed and made with whatever could be scrounged or taken from TR. It's the same with the vehicles; all the ES stuff looks sort of makeshift. In my mind, if they had corporate backing, they wouldn't have to keep armoring their vehicles with scrap and coming up with experimental weaponry to keep in fighting shape. So, if there are still any corporate presence on Auraxis that is backing the NC, it's not with any tangible resource.

Besides that, I don't think the official lore has gotten to auraxis yet. They're still on the ships en route to it....aren't they?

[Malorn]

Originally Posted by LostAlgorithm

Before anyone goes there, yes, the NC are traitors too, but I'd say the former spirit of the Republic lies more with them than it does the current TR. Part of the reason Connery was killed was because he sympathized and didn't want to crack down too harshly on his citizens.

To put it simply, the Republic no longer exists on Auraxis. All of the factions are traitors to the Republic, the question is which is working towards the best goals for those who remain. I think an argument in that regard can be made for either the NC or the VS, but not the TR with their current leadership. When a faction is willing to kill its own President and loyal citizens for power and authority it quite clearly stops being the one working towards their best interests.

1) you are assuming the holovid was legit

2) you are assuming TR still have the same leadership. Discovery-7 blew up before they even found auraxis, let alone colonized it and developed rebirthing. Leadership could be very different now.

3) we dont know what happened afterward.

4) one leader makes a difference - connery was a good man, his replacement may not have been, current leadership is unknown. Could be Nixon, could be Reagan.

Need more backstory.

[Ratstomper]

Originally Posted by Malorn

Need more backstory.

Something I think we can ALL agree on.

[Shiftfaced]

Originally Posted by TheDrone

The leadership may be self-serving and treasonous, but it's still superior to laissez-faire self-interest and pseudo-scientific religious zealotry.

Legitimacy is derived from being able to achieve the goal of conquering the challenges ahead. From nothing else.
NC and VS are inherently denied this ability.

We don't look at vanu as a god. We just know that vanu was an alien race that did exist as well as having superior technology to our own. I find it shocking that the tr are not more on board with tech due to the super soldier possibilities.

[Kriegson]

Originally Posted by Ratstomper

What I DO know is that NC equipment isn't sleek, expensive weapons and armor. It's rough and makeshift, but well-maintained and effective. Look at the screenshots, the MAX looks like some kind of mechanical loader with guns and armor welded to it, the NC armor is battered and scarred and the guns look like they were designed and made with whatever could be scrounged or taken from TR. It's the same with the vehicles; all the ES stuff looks sort of makeshift. In my mind, if they had corporate backing, they wouldn't have to keep armoring their vehicles with scrap and coming up with experimental weaponry to keep in fighting shape. So, if there are still any corporate presence on Auraxis that is backing the NC, it's not with any tangible resource.

Besides that, I don't think the official lore has gotten to auraxis yet. They're still on the ships en route to it....aren't they?

In regards to their guns, these weapons represent some of the contradictions within the group. I'm fairly sure the weapons (And ammunition) that they use for the most part (gauss weapons) are prototypes. That is to say experimental weapons created with the most recent technology, but not completed enough to make it to production lines for whatever reason.
Like our own conundrum with the M-4 carbine, I imagine alternatives are too expensive and not improved enough to justify replacing.

Though with auraxium and the nanite construction system, costs, delicate construction or rare resources are no longer a concern. They can endlessly churn out copies of weapons of which only a handful actually exist.
Gauss weapons are likely the pinnacle of human firearms, while Vanu tech is more advanced, albeit inhuman technology.


As for the timeline...I don't think they have anything regarding them making planetfall just yet.

@DjEclipse
The TR instituted martial law shortly after their crisis began when a ship was attacked and held hostage by a number of rebels whom of which died in the fighting. A vote was held to determine the degree of security which would be installed.

Ironically, it could have been agents of the TR themselves who instigated or produced the attack in order to kill a commander who would have been against their future efforts and to tighten their grip on the populace with the good old "Barbarians at the gates" tactic.
None of the terrorists survived, as their target was a military ship and the mission in itself was largely suicide.

[LostAlgorithm]

Originally Posted by Malorn

1) you are assuming the holovid was legit

2) you are assuming TR still have the same leadership. Discovery-7 blew up before they even found auraxis, let alone colonized it and developed rebirthing. Leadership could be very different now.

3) we dont know what happened afterward.

4) one leader makes a difference - connery was a good man, his replacement may not have been, current leadership is unknown. Could be Nixon, could be Reagan.

Need more backstory.

Yes, of course it's only based on what we know now, though I don't think I was arguing otherwise.

Leadership could be different now, but we've seen nothing to show it is yet, so until we do the point stands.

[ArbitraryDemise]

Originally Posted by DjEclipse

The corporations are where they always are, safe on Earth.

Those on Auraxis, are stranded laborers of the corporation who revolted against the TR authority, who likely instituted martial law while they waited for a rescue from Earth.

Uh... no.

The logs by the NC corporate CEO's state that those CEO's would be joining the expedition.

[Ratstomper]

Originally Posted by Kriegson

In regards to their guns, these weapons represent some of the contradictions within the group. I'm fairly sure the weapons (And ammunition) that they use for the most part (gauss weapons) are prototypes. That is to say experimental weapons created with the most recent technology, but not completed enough to make it to production lines for whatever reason.
Like our own conundrum with the M-4 carbine, I imagine alternatives are too expensive and not improved enough to justify replacing.

Though with auraxium and the nanite construction system, costs, delicate construction or rare resources are no longer a concern. They can endlessly churn out copies of weapons of which only a handful actually exist.
Gauss weapons are likely the pinnacle of human firearms, while Vanu tech is more advanced, albeit inhuman technology.


As for the timeline...I don't think they have anything regarding them making planetfall just yet.

That seems like a fair point. My thought was that civilian engineers were coming up with magnetic-powered weapons (the gauss) and super shotguns (jackhammers, although I hear its no longer a shotgun) and then redistributing them via nanites. Although, your point makes a lot of sense. I'm curious to see the rest of the backstory.

I'm also curious how much money would really play a part in a expedition that was cut of from earths economy and broken into three pieces to have war with each other. You'd think by that point earth money would not have much value.

[Kriegson]

Originally Posted by Ratstomper

I'm also curious how much money would really play a part in a expedition that was cut of from earths economy and broken into three pieces to have war with each other. You'd think by that point earth money would not have much value.

The way I see it, cost was probably an issue in producing the prototype weapons and thus why they never made it to mass production and thus into the hands of the terran republic. The TR likely controls any and all signifigant amount of military grade arms on the planet...though the mercenaries funded by the new conglomerate may have been another matter entirely.

The mercs were probably the best money could buy, outfitted with the latest technologies developed by companies within the new conglomerate (in secret) thus the weapons and devices were few in number and unheard of by the TR.
With the advent of auraxium and nanite systems, weapons that had never been able to be produced in large numbers do to prohibitive costs and the need for secrecy could be replicated indefinently.

Unless I misunderstood your post :P

[Ratstomper]

Originally Posted by Kriegson

The way I see it, cost was probably an issue in producing the prototype weapons and thus why they never made it to mass production and thus into the hands of the terran republic. The TR likely controls any and all signifigant amount of military grade arms on the planet...though the mercenaries funded by the new conglomerate may have been another matter entirely.

The mercs were probably the best money could buy, outfitted with the latest technologies developed by companies within the new conglomerate (in secret) thus the weapons and devices were few in number and unheard of by the TR.
With the advent of auraxium and nanite systems, weapons that had never been able to be produced in large numbers do to prohibitive costs and the need for secrecy could be replicated indefinently.

Unless I misunderstood your post :P

Nope that makes total sense and would explain corporate backing: civilian-soldiers using arms company designed experimental weaponry. Seems very very plausible.

[cBselfmonkey]

Originally Posted by DjEclipse

Does that shit ever happen, CEOs going on expeditions, thats what paid lackeys are for.

Pretty sure one of the background logs mention that it was mainly Vice presidents or people on the Board's of Directors for the various corporations that ended up being sent on the fleet. After all they'd want good, capable people there...but not too good.

[Red Beard]

Originally Posted by Retaliation

Yes. The Vanu believe neither the TR or NC offer a solution to humanity's woes because humanity is fundamentally flawed. At best it would be like in many Islamic countries where you and your family would be disadvantaged unless you converted to Islam. The "middle" result of a vanu victory would be the previous result with the added bonus of any children you have would be genetically altered before birth to suit the VS view of the perfect human and educated in overwhelmingly pro vanu schools. At worst they'll force it upon you and the behavior modification means you won't even care by the end.

The NC will take away your Security
The TR will take away your Freedom
The VS will take away your Humanity.

This is both highly accurate...and pessimistic!

[Malorn]

Originally Posted by Retaliation

The NC will take away your Security
The TR will take away your Freedom
The VS will take away your Humanity.

If those are the options then the TR is clearly the lesser of three evils. They keep you safe and retain your soul. Freedom is over-rated.

[Red Beard]

If those are the options then the TRw is clearly the lesser of three evils. They keep you safe and retain your soul. Freedom is over-rated.

Freedom + Humanity - Security = Free man living dangerously
Security + Humanity - Freedom = Slave living safely
Security + Freedom - Humanity = No longer with us

[Shiftfaced]

Originally Posted by Malorn

If those are the options then the TR is clearly the lesser of three evils. They keep you safe and retain your soul. Freedom is over-rated.

Of course it is, coming from a tr supporter as yourself. You have been rationalizing any negative thing the tr has done. Even the treason your leaders committed. Just because you have cybernetics installed does not take away that you are human. It is enhancing an already amazing thing. The body does amazing things. We just want to make it even better.