BooksBarbecue
Back Excession
Chapters (108)
  1. About the Author
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. 1 - Outside Context Problem
  6. I
  7. II
  8. III
  9. IV
  10. V
  11. VI
  12. 2 - Not Invented Here
  13. I
  14. II
  15. III
  16. 3 - Uninvited Guests
  17. I
  18. II
  19. III
  20. IV
  21. 4 - Dependency Principle
  22. I
  23. II
  24. III
  25. IV
  26. V
  27. 5 - Kiss The Blade
  28. I
  29. II
  30. III
  31. IV
  32. V
  33. VI
  34. 6 - Pittance
  35. I
  36. II
  37. III
  38. IV
  39. V
  40. VI
  41. 7 - Tier
  42. I
  43. II
  44. III
  45. IV
  46. 8 - Killing Time
  47. I
  48. II
  49. III
  50. IV
  51. V
  52. VI
  53. VII
  54. VIII
  55. 9 - Unacceptable Behaviour
  56. I
  57. II
  58. III
  59. IV
  60. V
  61. VI
  62. VII
  63. VIII
  64. IX
  65. X
  66. XI
  67. XII
  68. XIII
  69. XIV
  70. 10 - Heavy Messing
  71. I
  72. II
  73. III
  74. IV
  75. V
  76. VI
  77. VII
  78. VIII
  79. IX
  80. X
  81. XI
  82. XII
  83. XIII
  84. XIV
  85. XV
  86. 11 - Regarding Gravious
  87. I
  88. II
  89. III
  90. IV
  91. V
  92. VI
  93. VII
  94. VIII
  95. IX
  96. X
  97. XI
  98. XII
  99. XIII
  100. XIV
  101. 12 - Faring Well
  102. I
  103. II
  104. III
  105. IV
  106. V
  107. VI
  108. Epilogue

Some hundreds of light years away, the Steely Glint had already considered taking the same course as the Not Invented Here. It had decided not to. It considered that putting its case for the way it had acted and accepting the judgement and sanctions of its peers was the more honourable course.

It studied again the text of the message it had received from the Sleeper Service.

I have been rather more constructively employed over the past few decades than might have been imagined. The following have been manufactured:

Type One Offensive Units (roughly equivalent to Abominator class prototype): 512.

Type Two Offensive Units (equivalent to Torturer class): 2048. Type Three Offensive Units (equivalent to Inquisitor class prototype, upgraded): 2048.

Type Four Offensive Units (roughly equivalent to velocity-improved Killer class): 12 288.

Type Five Offensive Units (based on Thug class upgrade design study): 24 576.

Type Six Offensive Units (based on militarised Scree class LCU, various types): 49 152.

These craft do not represent a hegemonistic threat as they are not independent Mind-supporting entities; they are AI-core controlled, semi-slaved to me and therefore only capable of being used effectively as a single unit, not as a distributed war machine.

All are currently deployed in the volume of space around the Excession.

The surrender of the Affronter fleet of Culture craft has been effected without conflict; the ROU Killing Time - aided by the other regular Culture warships in the volume - has taken charge of the vessels. It would appear that the craft from the ship store at Pittance are personally blameless and have been the victims of an act of treacherous espionage.

Nine Affronter military officers have also surrendered; their commanding officer took his own life. I include a roster of their names and ranks (list attached).

Should the Affront now sue for peace, I propose that I and therefore my war fleet be placed at the disposal of authorities considered acceptable to all concerned. I and the fleet under my command will not be used to prosecute any further hostilities against the Affront or anybody else.

Any other suggested uses will be evaluated on their merits. Otherwise it is my intention - in the fullness of time - to dismantle the craft I have constructed and go into a retreat.

I attach a signal file received from the LSV Serious Callers Only (signal file attached).

I also attach records of the confirmatory signals used by the Attitude Adjuster to convince vessels from the ship store at Pittance that they were being mobilised by the Culture as a whole. These have been passed to me by each of the craft concerned (signal files attached).