Blue Heron Down

[rancke]

Algine - X766977 4

Algine/Regina (0803.X7669774). This world is interdicted. A naval task force
(perhaps a Kinunir class battlecruiser and several Gazelle class close escorts) will not
allow landing on Algine and are uncommunicative as to the reason for the interdiction.
They will allow refuelling by skimming the local gas giant. (A3 Twilight's Peak)

It's a naval interdiction.

"Algine (Spinward Marches 2308) is an interdicted world, its entire star system under IISS jurisdiction." [GT: First In, p. 141]​

It's a Scout interdiction.

What else do we know about Algine from canon?

Settled twice, once some undetermined time before -1511 (my suggestion is around -2200), the second time around -1000.

Most comprehensive writeup of Algine is the one in FI. Unfortunately, Jon didn't know about the reference to a population prior to -1000, nor the retcon of the star's type, so there are some problems with it. There are still a lot of good stuff about the local population to be found, though.


Hans

 

[mike wightman]

CT makes it IN - looks like the GT crowd didn't do their homework. Let's face it, Twilght's Peak is really obscure...

Or perhaps we have pinned down the point of departure - OTU Algine is IN interdiction while in GATU it is IISS.

 

[rancke]

CT makes it IN - looks like the GT crowd didn't do their homework. Let's face it, Twilght's Peak is really obscure...

The TP reference doesn't actually say that the interdict is by the IN. Perhaps the task force has been ordered to cover for the Scouts for a few weeks while sheduling conflicts means they can't do the job themselves. Perhaps the CO is so uncommunicative because he is grumpy over having to do scut work -- excuse me, Scout work -- and doesn't want to admit that he's babysitting a bunch of bloody barbarians.

It's probably not even the IN but the Regina subsector navy.

Or perhaps we have pinned down the point of departure - OTU Algine is IN interdiction while in GATU it is IISS.

Rather a ramification of the PoD than the PoD itself. Sure, that would work as an explanation if one was needed, but as I showed above, it's not.


Hans

 

[rancke]

I just found my copy of TD9. The adventure starts with the arrival of Krenstein & Co. on Capital 066-1104. They meet with Strephon an indeterminate number of days later, and it's here we see Strephon watching the message from Norris. Let's call it 090-1104, with the understanding that there is considerable lattitude here.

Strephon will probably require some time to analyse the facts (or have someone analyse them for him) and think over his options. Call it three months (again, with plenty of room for variation). So on 180-1104 he could have dispatched the warrant.

With J6 there are 32 jumps from Capital to Regina. Assume the cruiser spends an average of 24 hours refuelling at each stop. That would make it 8 days per jump, or 256 days. So the cruiser could arrive in the Algine system around 071-1105. Give or take some weeks.

I haven't worked out the distance and travel time from the solar jump limit to Algine yet.


Hans

 

[Carlobrand]

CT makes it IN ...

CT Traveller Book, page 152: "Algine (0708 X766977-4): Red Zone. Interdicted by the Scout Service in order to protect its developing technological culture."

 

[mike wightman]

So that's the source of the error - but then GDW are also known to have not read their own rules let alone adventures...

 

[rancke]

So that's the source of the error - but then GDW are also known to have not read their own rules let alone adventures...

Except there is no error.


Hans

 

[mike wightman]

You mean the original adventure gives one detail and then due to lack of homework other authors make up contradictory info?

I'd call that an error.

If you want to go with last item written then the warrant was on the Kinunir all along - TNE being last canon item written.

Twilight's Peak is perhaps the most important of the early adventures since it brings the secret of the Ancients into the open, and reveals the imminent FFW. That future authors couldn't take the time to read the other stuff in it and hence make mistakes is not something that should be - oh what's the use.

Canon is a contradictory mess, anyone can use what they like.

 

[rancke]

You mean the original adventure gives one detail and then due to lack of homework other authors make up contradictory info?

I'd call that an error.

Not if there a way to explain the apparent error. As I have done.

If you want to go with last item written then the warrant was on the Kinunir all along - TNE being last canon item written.

Ah, but I don't. I want to go with the version that makes the most sense.

Twilight's Peak is perhaps the most important of the early adventures since it brings the secret of the Ancients into the open, and reveals the imminent FFW. That future authors couldn't take the time to read the other stuff in it and hence make mistakes is not something that should be - oh what's the use.

Mistakes happen when people work in a shared universe. And in one-creator universes too. Even when you try very hard to avoid them, mistakes happen. Believe me, I know. What's important is how you deal with them when you spot them. Me, I try to come up with the most self-consistent version.

Come to that, you could argue that the original error was putting a Navy task force to enforce an interdict of a low-tech world. Didn't the writers of TP bother to check Algine's UWP and think about the implications?

Luckily there's a way to explain that away.


Hans

 

[Carlobrand]

So that's the source of the error - but then GDW are also known to have not read their own rules let alone adventures...

I do not actually see a citation in CT that says the world is interdicted by the IN, only the reference you point out that there is a Naval task force policing the interdict. It is not unreasonable to assume that the Scouts would turn to the Navy to provide forces to police the interdicts declared by the Scouts.

 

[mike wightman]

<Holds hands up and begs pity>

I just read the library data in Kinunir again - the very first info on the Imperium setting no less.

There is an entry for interdiction - and it states Algine is indeed interdicted by the scouts.

So the error was MWM not reading his previous library data when he wrote the rumour for Algine in Twilight's Peak.

Or as you say the naval task force is under IISS control.

Which begs the question of how the IISS has the clout to commandeer IN assets for its interdictions

 

[rancke]

Or as you say the naval task force is under IISS control.

Which begs the question of how the IISS has the clout to commandeer IN assets for its interdictions

Not necessarily under IISS control. Just ordered to help out. Let's not forget that the Imperial Scouts is an organization equal in stature to the navy and the army [BoJTAS2:13]. So in the spirit of interservice cooperation...

Or perhaps:

One day in the office of Admiral Sir Willoughby diLucca, Duchy of Regina Navy.

"Sir, we have a request from Levinson over at the IISS. It seems the destroyer that was sheduled to protect the Algine system next month has had to go in for repairs, and he doesn't have a suitable substitute. He's asked us to send a patrol to cover for him for the next two months."

"Do the Scouts think we have nothing better to do than to do their jobs for them? Why don't they ask the IN to do it?"

"After that incident with the earthberries at the Imperial Service Club, Levinson wouldn't ask Nasaare to spit on him if he was on fire."

"He he he. I guess you're right. I was there when it happened. You should have seen Levinson's face. But that's besides the point. Tell him no."

"The request is countersigned by his Grace."

"Oh..."​

Or perhaps:

"Did you have a good time at the club last night, Sir?"

"Excellent, Chauncy, excellent. I won eight credits and fortyseven centis in poker and Levinson, the Scout commander, snagged the last two helpings of earthberries from under the nose of that pompous prat Nasaare. Oh, that reminds me. Levinson has a little problem he asked me to help him with."​

Hans

 

[selunatic2397]

I like the both of your ideas, but the last one a wee bit more! You made me giggle!

 

[salochin999]

<Holds hands up and begs pity>

I just read the library data in Kinunir again - the very first info on the Imperium setting no less.

There is an entry for interdiction - and it states Algine is indeed interdicted by the scouts.

So the error was MWM not reading his previous library data when he wrote the rumour for Algine in Twilight's Peak.

Or as you say the naval task force is under IISS control.

Which begs the question of how the IISS has the clout to commandeer IN assets for its interdictions

command pyramid: request goes up the scout chain to sub-sector scout HQ, they make request to the Duke, the Duke sends command to sub-sector navy HQ

or alternatively, request goes along scout chain to sector HQ to sector Duke to navy HQ and then back down the navy chain.