Internal Situation Report - Burgundy Collective. 1497. May.
New trade coordinator-unit "Barre" now available.
Trade optimisation capacity confirmed to level 4.
The Queen looked faintly puzzled. "What benefit would this unit provide?"
Projections indicate that the Collective's trade capacity would be enhanced approximately 150%.
"What is the Collective's trade capacity now?"
There was a pause.
Minimal to zero
"And after enhancement?"
Low to minimal
The Queen briefly checked the holodisplay. "These projections indicate thet the gain in trade will not offset the loss in other areas from releasing one of the current coordinator-units."
Analysis confirmed. Unit will be released.
Internal Situation Update. 1497. December.
Assimilation of associated political unit Friesland has been completed. Friesland no longer has an existence distinct from the collective. Collective resources increased in proportion.
Assimilation of associated political unit Utrecht ... not successfully completed. Assimilation process will continue.
"What caused the delay?"
The Archbishop of Utrecht is atypically resistant. However projections indicate full assimilation within the next local year.
Intelligence Update. 1498. January.
A message has been received from political unit Poland requesting initiation of a royal marital interface. Awaiting instructions.
The Queen was tempted. Barring a few minor units to the south, the Collective's boundaries were now defined by the borders of France, Austria and Poland. Of the three, Poland appeared the weakest, and hence the most promising. But Poland was associated with Lithuania, whose area exceeded that of France and whose military strength could be assumed to be proportional.
"Decline," the Queen said with regret.
Her attention was caught by Poland's other associate, the minor unit of Hungary. Weak ... and not itself associated with Lithuania. An indirect approach might serve the Collective here...
Internal Situation Update. 1498. August.
Assimilation of associated political unit Utrecht ... not successfully completed. Assimilation process will continue.
Coordinator-unit "Philippe VI" ceased functioning.
No replacement available.
Protocol "Regency Council" initiated.
Intelligence Report. 1499. February.
Political units Tuscany, Venice, Siena and Ragusa have initiated military operations agains Austria.
The Queen smiled. Poland might remain the long-term target, but that was no reason to neglect the opportunity to assimilate most of the reamining minor political units on the Collective's southern boundary, in a single military operation, and (the projections assured her) at only a very minor cost to internal stability.
"Has Tuscany been instructed to refrain from aggression?"
Affirmative.
"Very good. Prepare combat-forces for military operations against Tuscany."
Cannot process instruction.
"What?"
Instruction cannot be processed.
"Why not? Is there a problem affecting the combat-forces?"
Negative. Combat-forces at normal standby readiness. Queen-unit lacks authority to initiate military operations.
The Queen considered that statement very carefully. No matter how she parsed it, it still made no sense.
"Priority Override 1." She took care to enunciate the words very carefully. "Queen Unit XQU - 010 - M4R - 1E will take direct control of Collective military forces."
Priority Override not recognised. Queen Unit lacks authority.
"What?"
Protocol Regency Council is in operation. Priority Override requires unanimous consent of Council members. Queen Unit is not a member of the Council.
"I am the Queen! Activate military forces immediately!"
Protocol Regency Council is in operation. Initiation of military operations requires the consent of a majority of Council members.
The Queen gritted her teeth. "Request direct datalink to all Council members." A thought struck her. "What are these Council members anyway?"
The holodisplay flickered into life. The Queen gasped.
"They're all organics!"
They have been fully assimilated and enhanced with the best technology available to the Collective.
"Best? Thay're barely sentient! Half of them should be reclassified for routine physical tasks, and the rest..."
The Collective achieved the optimum result possible with the materials available.
"Next time, try enhancing an equine-drone instead! Is the datalink available?"
The Council awaits input from the Queen unit.
"Queen Unit XQU - 010 - M4R - 1E identifies herself. I require direct control of Collective combat-forces and initiation of military operations against Tuscany."
The Council will consider your request.
"Consider? I am the Queen! Priority Override 1. For the good of the Collective, you will serve!"
The Council serves the good of the whole Collective, not the desires of the individual. It is the opinion of the Council that the Queen Unit is operating at sub-optimal levels. It appears to be afflicted with ... ego.
And then the datalink was closed, just like that.
The Council will evaluate the data and consider the appropriate action.
The comment regarding equine-drones was not appreciated.
Burgundy Collective - Central Nexus. 1499. December.
The Collective databanks contained no reference to "mutiny". They would contain one, as soon as the Queen could get her editing access restored, but until then she could only observe events as the Collective blundered forward under the Council's misguidance.
Not content with missing the opportunity to assimilate Tuscany and its associated states, the blundering crowd of organics had also managed to lose control of the Catholic religious nexus - to Scotland, of all irrelevant political units. Apparently regarding this as a success, the Council had gone on to initiate military operation after all - in support of the Modena associated unit in its conflict with the Knights, that has somehow been permitted to re-establish itself on Rhodes. Since the military forces of the Collective had no way of reaching Rhodes, the operations were futile in the extreme.
Meanwhile the forces deployed by France along the boundary of the Collective grew to menacing proportions - more than 50,000 units, according to the holodisplay. Some of these were new advanced infantry forces, significantly more capable than the standard Borg combat-drones. The Council's response was to release the Collective's military technology development coordinator-unit, in order to be able to interface another artist.
Internal Status Report - Burgundy Collective. 1500. June
Improvement of control-systems allows additional Collective adaptation. Reviewing options.
Option "National Bank". Income has proven adequate at current rates. Diversion of resources from research to income undesirable. Rejected.
Option "National Trade Policy". Trade attempts have proven futile due to interface problems in Vlaandaren sub-unit. Adaptation will not resolve this problem. Rejected.
Option "Military Drill". Morale upgrade to combat-drones considered insignificant. Rejected.
Option "Scientific Revolution". Current rate of Collective advancement considered adequate. Rejected.
Option "Deus Vult". Collective currently lacks sufficient access to infidels. Rejected.
Option "Quest for the New World". Colonist-drones now operational following establishment of proper internal communications. Intelligence data indicates existance of territory outside European area where organic political units are weak or absent. Opportunity exists for rapid Collective expansion at minimal risk.
Option "Quest for the New World" chosen. Adaptation in progress.
It was the decision the Queen would have made, but she resented it anyway.
She was even less impressed when the Council followed it up by directing the Collective's research to naval technology, previously regarded as even less worthy of resources than trade.
Exploration Report. 1501. January.
Fleet is assembled in Vlaandaren. Fleet comprises 3 cog-class units.
Designate as First Exploration Fleet.
Exploration-drone "Arbelot" assigned to First Exploratuion Fleet.
Military access obtained from political unit Portugal for fleet resupply.
Commencing exploration.
Exploration, as far as the Queen could see, meant slow and ill-designed vessels crawling across the map display, their condition declining dangerously before they even reached the limits of recorded territory. Meanwhile Austria had assimilated Raguse and initiated the assimilation of Tuscany. The Queen told herself not to pace.
Exploration Report. 1501. June.
Oceanic zone "West Sargasso Sea" mapped successfully.
It was, as far as the Queen could see, impressively empty.
Exploration Report. 1501. July.
Oceanic zone "Sargasso Sea" mapped successfully.
As was this.
Internal Situation Update. 1501. July.
Opportunity exists for Collective adaptation. Temporary decrease in drone operation stability deemed acceptable.
Analysis - Further increase in rate of technological enhancement will excessively impact supply of colonist-drones. Rate of technological enhancement has proven adequate at current levels.
Military capacity of Collective has proven superior to neighbouring political units.
The Queen looked at the holoprojection of the French border area and gritted her teeth.
Economic capacity of Collective has proven adequate for requirements.
Refocusing of Collective towards naval operations will excessively impact Collective military potential.
The Queen nodded.
Opportunity exist to enhance both Collective productive efficiency and effectiveness of Collective combat-forces by decentralising minor data analysis/response routines to individual drone level.
The Queen's mouth dropped open.
Commencing adaptation.
"No. No! Negative! Adaptation overruled! Priority 1! Stop! Listen! Obey! Nnnnoooooooo...."
Modena sucessfully re-assimilated the Knights without need of Collective assistance.
First Exploration Fleet proceeded through the North Guiana Basin zone to the Windward Islands zone, distinguished by its lack of islands. The Queen attempted to dismantle the datalink and physically bypass the Council's control of the connection.
Exploration Report. 1501. October.
Oceanic zone "Guiana Basin" mapped successfully.
Oceanic zone "North Equatorial Current" mapped successfully.
Contact has been lost with First Exploration Fleet.
The Queen had seen that one coming. No doubt taking advantage of the new decentralised decision-making, explorer-drone "Arbelot" had routed his return voyage through unmapped territory and the condition of his vessels had declined beyond safe limits.
The Queen restrained herself from summoning worker drones (would they even obey?) and ordering them to use heavy tools on the Nexus Core.
Internal Situation Report. 1501. October.
New coordinator-unit "Philippe VII" now operational.
Coordinator unit possesses advanced capacities.
Protocol "Regency Council" no longer in effect.
"Right."
* * * * * * * * * *
crazypeltast52 - Blame the game for slapping me with a Regency (with 4/3/3 stats) six months before the Italian minor alliance gave me a CB.
Duke of Wellington - Thank-you
stnylan - The Collective tends to take things like philosophy a little seriously.
Storey, Garuda - France is scary! They've been at way with England & Portugal for ages, which means an unending military build-up on my border, they've got Landsknechts against my Men-at-Arms and they've somehow managed to get allied to Lithuania (eek). Plus the thrice-accursed kinglet of Ansbach is still not dead, so I'm still not HRE and still have only 25,000 manpower. (I was expecting the HRE election to hit while I was under the regency, but at least I avoided that).