Barekdoldin is not a ship Class ( a briefing narrative)
Contest 24 Entry 3 , copyright 2004 by the writer
Contest 24 May 2004
"Sirs, let me present to start our second day of briefing,
Gorley Majoer, a Scout Security Office Supervisor, Gorley, the
review board evaluating information about the Barekdoldin Class
ships of the Darrian Confederation .... Let me remind all
participants that all information here is to be considered
secret or above and should not be recorded or transmitted with
out appropriate marking. "
"Let me preface my presentation with an alternate view of the
Barekdoldin ships, and then I will continue with some un-trusted
but extremely interesting intercepts taken from what we believe
to be a combined Zhodoni/Sword worlds intelligence operation.
Based on very sparse and un-trust worthy sources, the current
consensus of the scout service is that the so called Barekdoldin
Class of ships is not a Class of matching designs at all. Rather
than being a design class, this group of ships and craft are a
collection of antique recoveries and several vessels build up
around component recoveries and many of the discrepancies in
description and capabilities are explained by the fact, they are
not of a same design.
Scout sources, including uninvited system and base monitoring
suggest that there are currently 10 vessels attributed to the
class, and that 2 or 3 of them are in fact craft, vessels with
out jump drives. Two of them, we believe are almost 100%
refurbished, Darrian peak technology artifacts and are in fact
recoveries from a recently located Abh secondary base. This base
was rediscovered about 5 years ago, on an asteroid in a regular
orbit only 5 million kilometers above the suns surface and under
almost a kilometer of fused surface from the incident.
We have some evidence additional functional craft were recovered
and one was lost in a catastrophic explosion in the home planets
outer system. We believe that multiple technology recovery
research programs have been launched including both novel power
plants and weapon systems and that so called Barekdoldin's 8, 9
and 10 are more than 60% modern construction including Imperial
Jump drives.
All of these experimental ships appear to share a couple
characteristics; they are very heavy for the volume, appear to
be over powered for their size and even with stealth tend to be
detectable by non-optical radiation systems. Even before the Zho
collected evidence I will present later, our best data is around
Instance 9.
(From a top secret slide)
Barekdoldin Instance 9.
The ship appears to rate between 500 and 600 dtons and be of
radical design for both power plant and weapons but it uses
conventional TL 13 Jump and M drives. Both the Jump and M drives
appear to be over rated for the size of the ship.
The Jump drive externals suggest a J bubble suitable for
around 1200 dtons and IISS has three multi-spectral images
attributed to Instance 9 Jump flash which suggest that it
doesn't regulate for the actual size of the ship. The ship
doesn't appear to have any normal fuel tank sections but has
been logged at isolated and secured fueling centers. We are
confident that ship is not working with antimatter and is not a
low or no mass consumption Jump drive. In contradiction to this,
we have low reliability data that suggests the ship did a three
consecutive Jump 5, close to minimum time transits on a run
during trials. One of these jumps provided the jump flash data
showing a signature of a larger drive, 1200 dtons on a jump 5
and using around 600 tons of Hydrogen at jump.
The M drives are estimated at 40,000 tonnes thrust and take
up around 100 dtons of the ship with out counting a power slice.
The ship like its kin has not been seen near habitable
planets or other critical installations, signal intercepts
suggest that safety as well as security concerns are applied to
their operations.
Novel power system, no direct information has been collected
or leaked about the power plant but people/connection tracking
indicates that several noted researchers into stellar core
physics have spent time as acting engineering section crew.
We have a subtitle for one secret power project completed
two years ago, 'Phase 2, Density 10 Core" and believe that it
has several more phases planned. Speculation is that they have
some way to super- crystallize their fuel to a much higher
density than normal liquid Hydrogen, a Density of 10 is better
than steel and 140 times better than liquid hydrogen, the
standard dton of ship design. The 3 x Jump 5 estimate of 1800
dtons could be contained in about 13 dtons of tanks which would
fit with in the configuration. IISS consider this to be unproven
but suggest here and else where that such a break through is of
vital strategic interest. A break through in jump ship fuel
handling would change the power balance and defensive planning
on all frontiers.
Crewing of the ship appears to be higher than Darrian norms
and high enough that it probably is a hardship post. An indirect
estimate of life system consumables shipped suggest a crew of
30.
500 dton, Coke bottle shaped, hypersonic capable, Fueled mass,
10,000 tonnes??.
Density 200 Fusion Plasma bag, core 2 dton holding 5600 tons of
segregated plasma.
Engineering and Power systems 50 dtons. This power and storage
system can be drawn down by 50% to support jump, or weapon
systems. (2800 tonnes of fuel!!!...but countable number of
weapon shots)
Compressed matter gun/missile (12 km second initial v) These are
not remote controlled, but can be programmed to maneuver for up
to 20 minutes at 10G and release residual energy (megatons) at a
set point in time up to 20 minutes. . (old starship combat turn)
At 12 km second initial (mega G plasma compression catapult
launcher system?) , 10 G the weapon system has max range from
rest of around 100,000 kms.
Big shot, 10 tonne, 100 liter. Rate of fire, one per minute.
Little shots, 100 kg, 1 liter Rate of fire, 20 per minute.
(20x60 = 1200 secs x 100 meters per second per second = 120,000
km second delta v. )
Note that interaction with fairly small amounts of matter, even
a few grains of sand will trigger the detonation, this is not a
good close in, dirty environment weapon. At high velocities, it
appears to be capable of penetrating several hundred kilometers
of standard atmosphere before becoming a many megaton airburst.
Sun tap ring launcher. 5 dtons. (25 rounds, 25 dtons) Positive
feedback compression, weapon and refueling system.
Tap ring fueling and refining subsystem
In addition to the compressed matter "gun", the B Instance 9
carries up to 25 rounds of sun penetration, plasma flare rounds.
These, confirmed by multiple sources are not the super weapon of
the Darrians but appear to be a lighter device, perhaps derived
from the Abh 1 experiments. We have not obtained any direct
technical descriptions but it appears that these 1 dton devices
have approximately the following characteristics.
1. they have a self powered drive good for almost 2 hours of
operation and 3 or 4 G's/
2. they deploy into a circular or elliptical ring of tens of
kilometers diameter.
3. Correctly deployed close to a star, at or in the
photosphere, the ring will accelerate directly into the star's
atmosphere, developing an aligned and compressed zone of plasma
and magnetic fields several hundred kilometers in diameter. This
will appear as a minor solar flare but it is both directed and
focused such that it should be considered a major weapon system.
4. the device has less than 20 minutes of life span, active
in the photosphere, but emissions generally have escape velocity
and at ranges up to several million kilometers exceed area
energies of largest capital ships systems as both plasma (100 km
second?) and X rays (speed of light) X rays are greatly enhanced
over simple temperature emissions but not as much as would be
possible if efficient stimulated emission was happening.
5. In a successful deployment, the ring creates positive
feedback generator fields within the stars existing
electromagnetic fields and at that point all energy for the
device and weapon system derived from energy contained in the
photosphere.
6. sub degree focus and recombination zone angles make the
100 km diameter base come to a smaller than kilometer spot at
around 1 million km's which we suggest as the effective range.
Plasma at this focal point is mega degrees, hotter than
photosphere surface by 2 or 3 orders of magnitude and is of
weapon effect density and momentum.
The scout service technical arm has prepared a number of combat
simulations of the weapon as describe, it is considered to a
special purposes system in that it can only be effective as a
direct weapon within in a few million kilometers of a stars
surface, a zone that fleets seldom operate in. Simulations have
been exploring multiple deployments, which given time, (several
days) have potential to interfere with fleet communications and
small craft operations at habitable planet distances of hundreds
of millions of kilometers however.
Jump drive, rated/ must run at, for 1000 dtons, J5, 60 dtons J5
uses 500 to 600 tonnes of the plama, giving the ship a rating
for 6 x jump 5.
Bridge 20 dtons,
M drives High TL 13+ , 400 tons thrust per dton at 5 tonnes per
dton. (40,000 tonnes of thrust in 100 dtons of drive, part of
the difference is that power is from the plasma bag,
***********************************
The following is a transcript of a 22 minute Telepathic
intercept. A twin pair of telepaths were used with life support
and extreme booster drugs. It is believed that both of the
telepaths were disabled, perhaps killed in the effort at extreme
range from a stealth and passive monitor craft.. The target
appears to have been a Academic Extraordinary as he demonstrated
to a major Kim in the Darrien special service.
"Ok, here is your first shot, relax and focus"
"I feel it, ok, I have the silver ball, Major, (the mind screen
of the agent is my target)"
"I can hear, the lock is connecting"... "flicker flash, a pilot
near the major is looking out the port, the shuttle is connected
to a lock midway down the side of the ship, there is a heavy
maneuver engine in sight, 7 meters tall, 2 meters deep.....
Snap connection, I have the Academic, I hear him speak, "Welcome
aboard Sir, watch the head there", he hears, the deep voice of
the major, "Thank you, Pilot, please stand off as we planned"
(annotation.... Passive sensors show the shuttle pulling back
slowly as ship with the target moves forward at 4 G)
Academic says, "I presume you want to see the plant first,
before we do the show?"
He hears, "yes, if I won't be in the way"
Academic says , " the bag is steady, density 200 with the
dampers and emission suppression is pretty stable, stable as of
course such monsters go"
Academic hears, "density 200 and how much volume?"
Says, " 2 standard dtons, but there is the segregated helium
core using about a quarter of the space, we can tap that for
compressed matter gun or experiments, ... the outer third is
hydrogen"
Hears " that's a pretty narrow corridor, how is the crew holding
up with the quarters"
Says "its not good but where else can you work with both our
ancestors finest technology and the cutting edge of physics"
Hears Major say "Good, that doesn't look like much."
Academic says "Star Core stuff under those panels, if it was not
for the emission suppress, we would be plama in a nanosecond"
Academic hears, "Before we go forward, I want to swear you, and
make sure you understand how important it is that you get the
mind screen implant at mmmumbel base, the sniffers are howling
around"
Academic deeper thought, flash of <distaste> Stupid rules,
stupid headache
Academic says, " OK, I will get my head shaved at the base, next
week, as soon as this trial is done"
He hears, " Good, now swear, I will guard the secrets with my
life, and act as a responsible agent for the knowledge I bear"
Says " I swear"
Says, "Lets get forward, there is a kick when we fire the
compressed mass device, very unpleasant really, even with the
new G compensators":
Agent note, at this point the telepath says "I am starting to
fade, need a dose, good connection need a dose."
(ok, second dose ramp,)
Telepath, "They are moving forward into an instrument filled
control center, it is very warm, the major is sweating"
Academic says, "we have the utility slaved to compensate, and
the new system is good for over 8 G's but the launcher kicks us
for more than that so we use old style acceleration chairs and
support"
Telepath "He is looking at major as they settle into couches"
and he says "make sure to keep your neck and arms resting on the
cushions during the firing"
Telepath "they are looking at targeting screen, several drones
have been launched at ... at umm 50,000 range is 50,000"
Academic is focused thinking , "Injector tap, iron gram,
secondary is green, tertiary is green, no drive field induction,
launch "
Telepath, "I am starting to fade, get ready for turn over
brother"
Second telepath "pickup , rest now"
Second telepath, the Academic thinks, "good shot, less leakage"
and then academic says "as you can see, we induce an emission
suppression field on the round so while it is still radiating
some, it is not much more than a fighter or heavy missile, get
ready for a salvo of small blobs, and this time they will
maneuver"
(Passive sensors report, series of thermal radiation events, and
then tracks of 12 hot objects, they move in complex tracking
avoidance pattern at more than 10 G's and all impact drones with
megaton flashes)
Academic hears "Pattern successful, yellow light on the tertiary
lock, we have some ablation and another bleed"
Academic says " As you see major, a very effective dragon, but
the riding is a bit much"
Academic hears, "very good, thank you for the demo, can we go
back to your lab or quarter, I have a couple questions about
your new simulations of THE EVENT"
Academic feels <deep sadness> as he answers "Yes"... "I assume
you want to discuss my estimates that only 2 simulation out of
500 come close to the described and documented effects for the
event"
Hears "Yes, you do very good work, and you have more
information.... We are applying this to the Insane Mission
profiles. We did not realize, did not have records that they
were attempting to keep a window, a channel open behind them
that day, and our estimates of the power plant needed your
revisions"
<He is convulsing, better shut it down> Transcript Ends.
************************
Gorley resumes speaking, with distaste "Telepaths, brutally used
to grab secrets, we lucked into an intercept of a copy of the
data packets. I have to add, we are certain that other couriers
delivered this information back to the handlers both Z and S.
To wrap this up, Instance 9 is a very small ship, with two
powerful weapon systems, one can be used any place, the other
only in or near a stars photosphere. The power system
incorporating the hyper density technology acts as a fuel
reserve allowing the ship to perform multiple jumps and they may
have capabilities for maneuver G's in the 6 to 10 region as
well. We have less information about the other instances but
have clear confirmation that instance 3, configured as a craft
was destroyed in a trial. I thank you for your time and
interest. Remember, most secret on the data.
*********************************************
Adventure seeds
I would suggest that any player control or passion of this ship
be short, with out continual monitoring by someone familiar with
the advanced, non-standard controls, the plasma bag will with go
unstable and explode. This can happen at fueling, at firing of
the compressed matter pellets, at draw down for jump or if any
of a dozen controls are allowed to shift a few percent from
correct values.
So.
1.Players happen onto B's deployed, deep space or outer system,
Players get to see ship in action, with several hundred, megaton
scale shots, a B ship might do massive damage to a capital ship,
possible a many kiloton Sword World or Zhodani ship.
The B's mission orders are to avoid enemy contact, so after
firing, they will immediately Jump out.
1.1. A take pictures and data, sell it. (value 20 kilo
CrImps to a number of parties)
1.2 Attempt salvage and inspection of remains, more value
for data, what ever GM allows there to be left after target in
mangled by close megaton explosions.
Suggestion is that a ship segment with several shuttles or other
small craft and a marine armory be located. Make there be more
cargo that players ship can manage, to temp them for a second
trip attempting salvage.
1.3
2. B's deployed, near a star, testing the Flare weapons.
2.1 Players sneak through recording and are not caught.
2.2 Players, not knowing weapon effects get caught in beam,
past the focus but enough to damage their ship.
2.3 Players are lurking but are detected by support ship.
Weapons are deployed against them.
3. Players are pulled into a conspiracy which is attempting to
cause a detonation as the ship refuels, They are probably in the
dark as to how explosive an event this will be, the proposing
agent say "we want you to blow up the fuel tank of this
experimental craft, you have to get inside, next to the 2 dton
tank with the explosive and then get a safe distance away" (and
no mention of stellar density, thousand of megatons of stored
energy)
4. Players are security against team 3, they also have very
limited knowledge of what kind of blast will occur.
