25-09-2001 21:55									#1
	Can we create a just universal order? Got spare money?

=========================================
From: Talon Karrde, CEO Smuggler's Alliance
To: all peace-loving traders everywhere
Subject: Proposal for First Intergalactic Trade Wars Conference
=========================================

With the apparent defeat of Apolyton Corporation in yesterday's
engagements, the crucial issue before all of us is "what now"? I
believe now is the time to secure a lasting peace before things
escalate further. Here is the place to air your grievances and to
articulate your visions for the post-war universe.

ORIGINS OF THE CURRENT CONFLICT
Why do wars happen? The history of the present galactic
civilization has shown that wars result from foolhardy attempts
by oligarchical personalities to impose what is called
"one-universe-ism" onto the order of things. The current trend
toward galactic "assimilation" is an expression of this historical
error.

This movement has its origins on Old Earth with a particularly
kooky utopian writer named H.G. Wells. His manifesto, "The
Open Conspiracy", was dedicated to the idea of establishing
a world government in order to end conflicts between nations.
He called upon all beings of good conscience to participate in
the Open Conspiracy, to work actively with others to undermine
the sovereignty of national governments and bring them into
his world "commonweal".

Wells's utopian vision ended in the early years of the new
millennium, when Old Earth was plunged into its Third World
War. The aftermath of this catastrophe, as we all know, marks
the beginning of our present galactic civilization, when it became
necessary for pioneering merchants to venture out into the
depths of space and find the resources desperately needed to
sustain a devastated planet.

Now the key to long-term survival in today's universe is the
sustained development of planetary resources. Success in
this, however, is contingent upon securing a steady supply
of colonists from Terra. Unfortunately this supply has
diminished to a mere trickle in recent days, making planetary
development all but impossible. And here is where we locate
the proximate cause of the war. The long-term survival of
many traders was jeopardized by the colonist shortage, and
as a result conflict broke out over existing supplies.

Apolyton Corporation can make all the Hobbesian arguments
it wishes about "free trade" and "the dog that snaps the quickest
gets the bone" and the like, but the essential fact remains. As
a result of their accumulating the great majority of available
colonists, Apolyton could establish a one-universe system where
their generosity would be dispensed in exchange for "go along, to
get along" concessions from other traders. This potential "Pax
Apolyton" had to be resisted if civilization was going to survive.

INTERNAL CONFLICT INSIDE SMUGGLER'S ALLIANCE
It is no secret that aeturneus and I do not see eye-to-eye on
matters of policy. I prefer peaceful development with positive
diplomatic relations to perpetual war. aeturneus likes to destabilize
opponents with bold, often ill-advised, attacks; and usually with
disregard for the long-run strategic consequences. I also don't
approve of his long record of treaty violations. But I did agree with
him in one important respect, and that was regarding the long-term
danger posed by the colonist shortage.

So when war finally came, I agreed that it had to be fought. I didn't
agree with the way in which the war came about, but nevertheless
I decided we had to fight it and win. But not win it for the purpose
of establishing a new universal empire, rather to secure a just and
lasting peace. The events of the past few days must never be
allowed to happen again. Let's discuss ways of doing that. Thank
you.

This transmission ends now....
============================================
========== VOICE OF SMUGGLER'S ALLIANCE ============
============================================

	25-09-2001 22:40									#2
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

I think that true peace can only come from wanton indulgence of evils

	26-09-2001 03:41									#3
	Support Apolyton

I think that *someone* (cough cough Dan!) should see to it that I get back into the game, with a ship (cough cough JUGGERNAUT) capable of striking back at the vile betrayer Aeturneus.

Dan? Dan?

	26-09-2001 04:39									#4
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

lol. Give me one too, then we will have a "balance of power"

	26-09-2001 05:12									#5
	Inflate your Upload Space

HAH!!! give me on plus five million credits, and i will blow aeturneus to the sky!!!

	26-09-2001 05:40									#6
	Increase Your PM Length

Did we ever figure out why a single death put us out of the game?

	26-09-2001 05:44									#7
	Full PM-box? Change here!

does this mean that you want to come back in

	26-09-2001 05:45									#8
	Support Apolyton

heh, I was at least going to log back in and see what we had left.

	26-09-2001 06:39									#9
	Inflate your Upload Space

quote: Originally posted by burbel Did we ever figure out why a single death put us out of the game?

Yes, because as I noted "deaths" means nothing to the game program, "times blown up" does.

You need to notify Dan to let you back in.

	26-09-2001 06:43									#10
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

Well gee whiz... i tried to moth the q-cannon at civilization's end, and my merchant freighter was destroyed as intended. It says that my escape pod is functioning normally, and when I try to log in it says that I have "14 turns this stardate" but then it immediately boots me back to the game menu. This is quite disturbing

I guess this means that the game checks "times blown up" when it puts you into an escape pod, and since I've been podded (intentionally, i might add) 4 times, I can't even get into the game to transport back into my ISS.

I guess I will PM dan and tell him that most of the players have been evicted from the game... lets see...

Markg (assumedly)
Burbel
Solarwind
Aeturneus

whew... I think there are some serious bugs in this tournament mode thing that have to be worked out!

-aeturneus

	26-09-2001 06:54									#11
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

OK, scratch that, I can now log in without any problems. Strange... maybe it is just a temporary five minute lockout or something like that... still quite odd though that I didn't get an explanatory message

On behalf of you guys locked out of the game I have emailed Dan Magaha explaining the situation and calling his attention to your plight.