The Tandish Assembly

[Eurasia]

Stellaris Play & Learn
Chapter Eighty-One - RELEASE ME!

There was some more news from the frontier. A reptilian species on Straeng, in the Hauer system, were noticed by the crew of the ISS Donabb as it was scanning the planet.

Seems they were showing a form of intelligence and had evolved to dominate their world. Jondru has run tests that suggested the pre-sapient species COULD have their evolution sped up. It was a option if the right technology could be developed.

Then there was a report from the Dome. Of mixed results. Very mixed results. The crew, when they opened the last gate, were hit by waves of intense psionic energy. Many collapsed in agony and only a few made it into the last layer.

It seemed the crew of the ISS Kodram found what they think was a large temple. There seemed to be a massive altar in the middle of it. The walls were covered with different star systems and a repeated diagram focused on Ovastivum.

As they approached the altar the Scientists realize they were looking at some kind of machine. And they decided to tinker with it.

As they pushed buttons, pulled levers, and turned wheels they were hit with a shared auditory hallucination. A screaming command by something powerful to be let out. Visions of a creature ripping the system apart repeated in their heads. Was it a promise? A warning? The past? The future? Many Scientist and crew members fell to the floor. They were unable to deal with the pain.

But something happened. From the depths of the minds of the Scientists and the crew members still standing came an ancient power. It came screaming out of the darkness and beat back the Elder One. The Hive Mind, for one shining moment, had returned. (1)

Maybe it was instinct? Maybe a old defense mechanism? But under control of the Hive Mind the many moved as one. And ripped the machine into pieces. Then, like a whisper captured by the wind, it went away.

Even Monnobak, the Minister of Peace, wasn't too upset about this. The idea of releasing some kind of monster that could destroy whole star systems wasn't something even it wanted to deal with at the moment.

The ISS Kodram, and its recovering crew, was sent off to help in the Fevallion system. The First Thinker felt that might be a more relaxing assignment. Or safer anyway.

The Hemtares Station was finally finished in the Hemtares system. So the ISS Rukimar was ordered to build a Research Station around the star.

Back on Nest the government started a public Recycling Campaign. The people had to be taught to make less waste. The universe wasn't made up of limitless resources after all!

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Author's Notes:

1. Was trying to think of a in-story reason for them being able to overcome a monster's overwhelming power. And I remembered the Hive Mind.

 

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Chapter Eighty-Two - Expanding The Empire

The Empire was still having issues with resources. The stations and colonies had to work harder. And smarter. And they needed more Construction Ships out there.

So the Daystar A Station was ordered to make a new Construction Ship.

Also Dongar Station finished making their Crew Quarters. Which made the station staff very happy.

The ISS Rukimar, the Construction Ship in the Hemtares system, had finished making the Research Station about the sun. The ship and its crew was sent to Hemtares IIa to build a Mining Station there.

Jondru and the ISS Donabb were waiting in orbit around Spjuuht. They were waiting because they could not study the dig until the Hauer system was part of the Empire. It was a unclaimed system and would be wrong to start a dig in a unclaimed system.

So the ISS Bemalon was ordered to Hauer. Hopefully by the time it arrived there would be enough material to make a Starbase.

 

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Chapter Eighty-Three - Science!

The First Thinker got a interesting report from the ISS Lomatik in the orbit of Chergamore I. Seems below the surface of the planet was some kind of spores. They were massive spores when compared to those of the homeworld.

And the strangest thing about them was they seemed to form a network that generated a signal. A very weak signal to be honest but the crew felt they could found out the signal's destination. They were given the okay to study the spores and they named the Special Project The Fungal Trail. Elemano, the Commander of the Science Ship, was happy to study the spores. It liked spores.

Then the ISS Rukimar in Hemtares finished the Mining Station around Hemtares IIa. The crew was then ordered to Hemtares V where they would ordered to build another Mining Station.

Then the Dothan Starbase finished its Crew Quarters. Which made the station staff happy. Nice big sleeping rooms, working tele-rooms, warm greenhouses, and, of course, a proper kitchen area. The space food was still made by auto-chefs programmed by food preparers overseen by the Chief but at least it was now prepared in nice shiny clean dining area. With free refills on drinks! FREE REFILLS!

After studying the Vultaum Satellite in the Fevallion system the crew of the ISS Yhlat found the machinery had nothing of interest. On the other claw the software used might improve their understanding of Vultaum programmg language. Which would help decipher the Vultaum data in the future!

The ISS Rukimar finished the Mining Station around Hemtares V. The Construction Ship was sent to Hemtares X to make another Mining Station. Can never have too many Mining Stations.

Then the Research Department announced that they had developed Administrative AI.

It was decided to work on AI-Controlled Colony Ships. The AIs would, once the ship landed, help develop the colony.

It was also decided to Adopt a NEW Tradition. To Boldly Go! There is a galaxy full of stuff and the Tandi wanted it! Well, not ALL of it. Just the important stuff.

 

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Chapter Eighty-Four - Agri-Worlds

The First Thinker received some good news. The ISS Bemalon the Distrustful had finally come out of Hyper-Space and arrived in the Hauer system. It also found pre-delivered material waiting for it.

Which allowed it to start on making a Starbase. Which was wonderful news that would allow other operations to be carried out in the system. Research and colonization for example.

But the First Thinker noticed a few other things. One, that the Empire needed more alloys. And second, many of the colonies were now, what the media called, Agri-Worlds. Worlds where crops could flourish. He ordered the colonies, those that could, to try to increase the output of both alloys and food.

The Dongar Prime was told to build Alloy Foundries. But not to make another Agriculture District. Not yet. Dry land, on a ocean world, needed to be carefully used.

The settlers on Toiubos Prime were told to work on Alloy Foundries then to make another Agriculture District. They needed food.

While the settlers on Syrma Prime were told to build a Agriculture District first and then the Alloy Foundries next. They also needed food.

The First Thinker was pleased. Soon the Empire would have more of both Alloys and Food.

 

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Chapter Eighty-Five - Too Many Mysteries?

As the Empire found more and more planets available for turning into colonies the First Thinker ordered the Daystar A Station to start working on the next Colony Ship.

The Fevallion system was still being mapped out. How long does it take to explore one system?

Then there was a data package for First Thinker and the government from Elemano of the ISS Lomatik who had detected a energy readings on Chergamore III. Which was weird. The First Thinker was sure the Science Ship, and its crew, had been to told to stay in orbit around Chergamore I to study the spores? What about the giant spores? Or maybe the spores needed a proper research project?

Once they had finished studying the energy readings they would continue mapping out the system. And maybe get back to the spores?

While this was going on the ISS Rukimar completed the Mining Station in orbit of Hemtares X. It was then ordered to move onto Grugmora. There was nothing left in Hemtares to mine or study. While Grugmora needed a Starbase to join the Empire.

Also the ISS Bemalon had finished the Au'Reyon Starbase in orbit of Au'Reyon in the Hauer system. Though nobody knew WHO had named the sun Au'Reyon. The name of a well known fast food chain back on Nest. Famous for its deep fried prawns. (1)

Then there was news from the ISS Donabb and Jondru about Spjuuht. Seems the strange reading detected there was giving...off a strange reading? Well, everybody knew about the strange reading even BEFORE the Drones had been destroyed. At least the crew could start working on finding out what it was all about.

In Hauer the ISS Bemalon, having finished making the Starbase, was now making a Mining Station around the star.

Also the crew of the ISS Linntyl decided to have a go at the Ring Thingie. And totally failed to detect it. They were just as annoyed as the crew of the ISS Donabb had been.

Then the Hauer system was added to the Home Sector and all the maps changed.

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Author's Notes:

1. I found it funny that, as mankind goes into space, one space station might be called McDonalds. So why not the Tandi?

 

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Chapter Eighty-Six - More Mysteries! *SIGH*

The First Thinker woke up to a beeping. The tele-room had a package that the machines felt needed to be seen by Sebakhir at once. It had decided that there was beeping the emergency beep. Not to be confused with the offspring are calling beep or important government official calling beep.

It woke up confused but went to the tele-room as swiftly it could do so. The information from the ISS Lomatik was....interesting.

The third planet around Chergamore had a massive underground bunker. All scans suggested a computer. The size of a spaceship.

The crew suspect it had been there for several thousand years and, this was the important part, it was working still. Trying to solve something.

Sadly, the thinking machine was protected by some kind of security. Which had to be destroyed after frying some of the crew. But before it was destroyed it sent off a message.

So there was three choices. One, scrap the computer for parts. Two, use it to boost Tandi research. And third, let it continue on its calculations. The First Thinker told the ISS Lomatik to leave it alone. The First Thinker also reminded itself to send some more crew members to the ISS Lomatik.

Then, later, there was another message from the ISS Lomatik. Seems the moon of Chergamore III had a resource the crew has called Zro. The source of Zro seemed to be metor impacts. If ingested by psionically-gifted individuals it could enhance their abilities. But it could also be addictive. The Chergamore system was full of surprises.

On top of that, while scanning the moon, they also detected structures that peaked up out of the toxic clouds of the moon's atmosphere. Structures that the ship's computer said were artificial. Too many edges and points to be natural. The First Think told them they could research it.

Yes, the Chergamore system was becoming one big series of surprises.

 

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Chapter Eighty-Seven - Rolling Along

The Tandish Assembly kept clicking along even as the big surprises hit the tele-rooms. Government officials audio-recorded their reports, miners went to work gathering materials, and educators updated the students new data bases with the new maps. Meals were prepared, buildings were grown, and offspring were hatched.

But there were also important choices. It was decided, within the government, to push more Faith in Science. And a new Tradition was adopted.

The ISS Bemalon the Distrustful had finished the Mining Station in Hauer system and was sent to Fevallion system. Hopefully the system would soon be mapped and they could start building stations.

Elemano and the ISS Lomatik were still in orbit above Chergamore IIIa. No doubt it was happy about all the data is was gathering.

As this was happening the ISS Linntyl the Sharp was coming to study the Fungal Trail. In other words the giant spores.

And life continued.

 

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Chapter Eighty-Eight -Energy Needs

It was brought to the First Thinker's attention that the Empire was cosuming more energy than it was producing.

Sebakhir ordered that the colonies try to do something about this. They needed to produce their own energy.

Toiubos Prime placed a Generator District on their Build Queue. Under the Alloy Foundries and the Agriculture District.

Dongar Prime placed a Generator District on their Build Queue. Under the Alloy Foundries. Where they would place them with so little dry land available was not something discussed at the time. They would figure it out.

Syrma Prime placed a Generator Districy on their Build Queue. Under the Alloy Foundries.

And Tenecca Prime, the Arctic World...well, a Moon really, also started working on a Generator District. Though there some worry still about the developing factions among the colonists.

Next the Toiubos Station was given permission to build a Shipyard, a Trade Hub, and Crew Quarters.

So while the Empire wasn't growing bigger it was growing stronger.

 

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Chapter Eighty-Nine -Expanding The Mind

The First Thinker met up with the others. It had a tele-room meeting with the Minister of Peace, the Head of Thinking, and the Minister of Talking. The tele-room had a slight issues with some of the images. Lines and flickering spots covered the Minster of Science and the Minister of Peace. But the meeting was needed.

First it was decided to launch the Agenda of Open Arms. That the Tandish Assembly would welcome all who came to them. That the borders were open and we were all citizens of the same galaxy.

They decided to also start working on the next Council Agenda. Give and Take. That the Assembly must encourage compromises and repect for differing views.

They also decided on a New Edicts to add the list of those being already carried out. Map The Stars. It pushed for further galactic exploration, to bring light to darkness and find what wonders lie beyond. To learn, to discover, to expand their knowledge.

As the meeting came to an end, and they all gave their farewells to each other, the First Thinker felt a tad better. It felt they were steering a proper course for the Empire.

 

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Chapter Ninety - The Colony Worlds

Ghuumi, who was not just the Minister of Talking but was also the Sector Governor, had been asked by the First Thinker to see if the colonies needed some upgrades.

First on the list was Syrma Prime. Seems this Agri-World had a lot of criminal activity. So it was decided it needed more Enforcers and Precinct Houses was put on the Queue. Governor Tirrana agreed with this decision.

Then it was noticed Tenecca Prime, the ice moon, was not producing enough food. Among other things. They were told to build a Agriculture District.

The colony of Hassaleh Prime had the same issue. And was told to also build a Agriculture District.

And the ocean world of Dongar Prime needed more factories. So it was ordered to build a Industrial District. Where would it go? That was a problem for the colony's Governor Campramar to figure it out. It was smart. It was a Scientist.

Some of the colonies also needed more settlers. Maybe more had to be shipped out from the Nest? The worlds might need more housing first.

 

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Chapter Ninety-One - We're Gods?

It was announced that there were stockpiles that were still low on certain things. The First Thinker realized that all energy would have to be focused on increasing the material wealth of the Empire.

But first it was noticed that the Hauer system had the planet named Straeng was available to be settled. It was a arid world and offered very little. BUT it could be colonized.

And while the computers suggested NOT trying to place settlers on it the Empire decided to do so anyway. So Straeng, a desert planet, a dune planet, was marked as the next one to be colonized.

And so ISS Donjab the Tactician, the newest colony ship, was ordered to Straeng. Funny enough nobody in the media nor the government pointed out that there was a pre-sapient species of reptilians on the planet.

The Daystar A Station was then ordered to make another Colony Ship.

Then there was news from Sol III. Seems the scientists there had done a 'no-no'. A team had descended down to the planet and convinced the locals to worship the project leader. Not only did they succeed but they had the locals construct a holy monument to the leader. A vast pyramid. It was all very silly.

But now there was three choices. Erases all traces of what had happened. Including wiping out the Solians. OR push them into the next step of civilization. Or pretend it never happened and hope they forget about it.

The First Thinker didn't think they could kill all the upright thinking mammals. That would be against the Dream. Surely even these creatures had a part to play in the greater pattern of the universe? And hoping the Solians would forget what had happened seemed a tad too risky. So it was decided that the Tandi would step up and get their claws dirty.

In other words it was decided to push the mammals down the track of the future! With a little help from the Gods. They were taught about chemical reactions.

And they started to blow each other up. The First Thinker clicked on hearing the news and faceclawed itself in embarrassment. Maybe the Tandi were not as smart as they liked to think?

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Author's Notes:

Had to roll back because of the update. So it looks weird now when compared to your game that is because I am not using 40ish update.

 

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Chapter Ninety-Two - Happy Military And Unhappy Famers!

The scientists announced that research had been completed on carrier operations. Basic strike craft and hangers were now available for space craft and planetary defense.

The military was very pleased. They were already trying to figure out how to use the new military technology. Space carriers filled with thousands of fighter craft were in their dreams.

The scientists were already working on AI-Controlled Colony Ships and a Climate Control Network. They decided to add Assembly Patterns as the next project. This would allow construction simulations to speed up building projects. Saving time, money, and maybe even lives.

Then there was the mass transportation of the farmers from Nest on cheap passenger ships. The kind where they gave the passengers cheat sub-standard drinks, sick bags under the seats in front of you, and there were not enough escape pods.

Millions were sent off to 'resettle' in the colonies of Dongar Prime, Toiubos Prime, Syrma Prime, and Tenecca Prime. The farmers were upset as the jobs awaiting on those worlds were not, in most cases, farmework. Much of the time they were assigned to mining or factory work. And some even ended up at desk jobs or as Enforcers depending on their skills.

Also the media debated the need to rename the colonies. Their names were kind of boring. Nobody noticed over all the tele-room influencers trying to protest the Resettlement Policy of the government. But it didn't stop it from happening.

 

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Chapter Ninety-Three - Renaming The Colonies

Ghuuni, the Mnister of Talking and Home Sector Governor, decided it was time to rename the colony worlds and started a contest on the interplanetary information network. It asked the populace to come up with new names for the colonies and then to vote for the one they all liked the most. What could go wrong?

Some of the names were somewhat bland. Not that the citizens didn't have some imagination. But...

For example Dongar Prime, the ocean world, discovered by the Scientist Falatir was renamed Falatir's World. Much to the pleasure of the Scientist and the crew of the ISS Linntyl.

Then Toiubos Prime ended up with the name Warm and Syrma Prime ended up with the name Green.

This was because they were both tropical planets and when the Tandi thought of them they thought of jungles. Very wet and very green. Well, mostly green.

Therefore Hassaleh Prime, a continental planet, had more dry land than oceans would end up with the name Dirt.

Then there was the problem of the names selected by the populace for Tenecca Prime. The people, in this case, seemed to have a strange sense of humor. Such names as Icy Hell and Rebel Moon were on the list to be voted on.

The government removed those names before the vote happened and the icy moon ended up with the name Frozen.

And so the colony worlds reveived boring names that said little about the worlds and made them harder to find on the maps. At least before you knew which star system they were in.

 

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Chapter Ninety-Four - But The Chart Says!

Ghuumi, Minister of Talking and the Sector Governor, requested a emergency tele-room meeting with the First Thinker and ONLY the First Thinker.

Sebakhir did not like the sound of that. But there was little it could do and agreed to a meeting as soon as it was possible.

It turned out that the Tandish Assembly was running out of Unity.

"What is a Unity?" asked Sebakhir as it shifted in its chair. The tele-room seemed small today. Maybe the projectors were not properly adjusted? Or maybe the First Thinker needed more sleep?

"A Unity is equal to four hundred dwarf bucks," replied Ghuumi.

"What the heck is a dwarf buck?"

"It is equal to a Ningi which is valued at one eighth of a Trigani Pu," pointed out Ghuumi.

"What does any of that mean?"

"I don't know," said the Minister of Talking with a sigh. "Nobody understands how the economy works anymore. Math is all made up anyway. Like time. That's why the machines deal with all the accounting and taxes and such. When it the last time you tried to do your own taxes?"

"Never," said Sebakir.

"See?" remarked Ghuumi. "Soon we will run out of Unity. But we can reverse this and bring us back into the 'Black'. Which is better than 'Red'. At least that is what the computers say."

"Just tell me what we have to do," remarked Sebakir with a shudder. "Maybe trade for more?"

"No," answered the Minister. "None of the aliens like us."

"Oh, we're also running low on food too," Ghuumi added.

"Tell me what we have to do!" demanded the First Thinker with a clicking of its claws.

"We have to remove the Planetary Governors," said the Minister. "I'll control the colonies directly. The Governors are costing a lot of Unity."

The First Thinker shifted in its chair and said, "If you must."

And so that is how Falatir's World, Green, and Warm became colonies under control of the Sector Governor.

"Also Edicts use up Unity," added Gluumi. "So if we removed Land of Opportunity, Map the Stars, and Encourage Political Thought that SHOULD put us back into the 'Black'. If you agree."

"Make it so!" said the First Thinker. Though, to be honest, it LIKED those Edicts and was upset to have to let them go.

And so those Edicts were removed. Which worked. The Assembly was producing more Unity than it was using.

"And now I will order the people on Dirt to build TWO Agriculture Districts. Not just one," the Minister added. "And I will also demand Warm and Falatir's World to both build a Agriculture District. That should help. A little."

As the meeting ended the First Thinker went to its private meditation chamber to ponder many things. Like could it trust Ghuumi? And what would happen if folks started starving?

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Author's Notes

Thanks to @AndrewT for helping me save my game when I thought it was broken!

 

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Chapter Ninety-Five - Giant Robot!

Soon the ISS Ruthjara the Icon was told there was enough resources to allow it to build a Starbase around Torphry's Star.

So it went into orbit of the star and got to work. They were looking forward to seeing if they made contact with deep space aliens!

Then there was news from Chergamore IIIa. Elemano of the ISS Lomatik reported that the strange structure was, in fact, a giant robot. No, a VERY massive robot. One designed to be a spaceship. It was decided it needed to be collected. But a Science Ship could not to the work. The robot would have to be pulled out of the rock by a Construction Ship.

So the ISS Lomatik continued to map out the system.

The newest Coloy Ship, the Ghuum the Merciful, was waiting for its orders in the Daystar System. It was decided to send it to the Jezemel system. Where it could wait till the Vega system was properly mapped out and added to the Empire.

Then, to the horror of the First Thinker, it found out that the military had been involved in shirmishes with the Braves. This had given the Naval crews a lot of experience and had helped harden them. This would help them in future battles but there was a price to pay...

 

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Chapter Ninety-Six - Blackmail!

The Tandish Assembly received a threatening message from the Rek'Thalaran Braves.

Seems they planned to plunder the Tandi systems. Unless the Tandi offered them tribute of course. Either way they wanted the Assembly's stuff.

The Minister of Peace, Monnobak, pointed out that it, and the military, were more than willing to fight to the last soldier. But it would be to the last soldier as they just didn't have the numbers or the firepower to handle a invasion by the Braves. One of their Fleets would wipe out the WHOLE Tandi Navy.

The First Thinker suggested that maybe, in the future, it would help if the military didn't skimish with the Braves on the border.

So it was decided to hand over minerials. Nobody wanted to give them energy or food. As that was becoming a issue within the Empire due to the shortages of both. And feeding them so their could increase their numbers seemed stupid.

The Braves seemed....disappointed. But at least it gave the Empire time. There was a lot of mysteries out there. Maybe one of them would help them deal with the Braves? Or maybe the Braves would start a fight with somebody who could stomp them into dust? Or maybe they would kill each other off?

Time would tell.

 

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Chapter Ninety-Seven - Expanding The Map!

The Au'Reyon Station in the Hauer system was told to start work upgrading to a Starport. Soon afters the Toiubos Station announced it had built a Shipyard, a Trade Hub, and a expanded Crew Quarters. Now the station crew could import better food from traders and sleep in their own bedrooms.

Then the ISS Ruthjara, the Construction ship, finished building the Starbase in Torphry's Star and went to put a Mining Station in orbit around Torphy's Star II.

The first thing Torphy's Star Station did was start working on a Defense Platform.

The Torphry's Star was now part of the Empire. But not part of the Home Sector. It was too far away to be under the home world's control. And it could not become its own sector as a Capital of a sector needed a colony world. This, of course, changes the maps and annoys the young hatchlings no end.

The Colony Ship, the ISS Donjab, enters normal space. It appears, like magic, at the edge of the Hauer system and moves towards Straeng. Many of the colonists don't really know just what kind of planet they are going to settle on. Poor saps.

Jondru sends a report to the government that there was a civilization, a long time ago, on Spjuuht, a long time ago. So long ago many of the buildings have long ago turned to dust. The report also says that they had detected a strange signal pulsing from under the surface of Spjuuht. Not good....

In the system of Chergamore, around the first planet, Falatir and the crew of the ISS Linntyl continue to study the giant mushrooms.