(HR) News In Brief

[Falkenhayn]

Your Only Source For What's Going on in the HR

Today's Headlines:
War Department Review Board to publish Decennial Report on Deployment; Procurement
Corporate Council Backs Governor Slivanith to Consulship; Senate to Respond
Foreign Office reaffirms committment toward swift resolution of Khanate Civil War

[Falkenhayn]

Major Piracy Response Planned
Use of Force Uncertain

The Corporate Council met today in a special emergency session, alongside the Senate, in response to the impending galactic crises in Anti-Matter production. The Director of the College of Industry, Zhiliss Szhohar, reported that domestic stocks "are sufficient for our short-term needs" and that "extra manufacturing potential exists to mitigate the current shortfall". However, the Director reiterated the need to restore market stability "in the most expeditious manner". Current proposals include providing naval escorts to all convoys and providing funds for merchant captains to "ensure their own safe passage in the ways they see fit".

The governors of Spinward, Outbound, Coreward and Home Sectors voiced the loudest protests, citing, uniformly, the losses in income and productivity to be expeceted from the comming market slowdown. They also pointed to rising labor costs do to an increase in man-hours worked. Consul Letheren has responded by pointing to increased rates of industrial spending in this year's fiscal budget, while charging the College of Ways and Means to do its utmost "to preserve the favorable balances of trade and productivity that are the hallmarks of our disciplined economy".

Perhaps taking advantage of the slowdown, the Military Council today reccomended a new plan of military modernization focused on the Navy's Torchship Fleet. This year's defense review showed a favorable Cost/Benefit ratio towards the reconstruction of fleet units from surplus yard space. The Navy remains confident that comepetent management will see both goals fulfilled.

Other news in Brief:
Diplomatic Office Welcomes Stilor, Hexen Ambassadors, approves Embassy Expansions
Herclux Negotiations "Positive" and "Ongoing"
Diplomatic Entreaties with Val'Zar Grand Pack meet with no response; College of Diplomats "unconcerned" but "puzzled" by silence

[Falkenhayn]

A meeting of the Consuls and the Corporate Council was quite an event, as some of the foreign dignitaries would later say. Not many species conducted their highest functions of government in an almost party atmosphere. Many diplomats found it quite welcoming, at least until the questions started. This week's session, however, was a purely Hokilmer affair.

“I would say that our friends at the College of Diplomats pulled off quite a coup. We should all thank them for their efforts, and the fine service they have rendered so far”. The assembled Hokilmer dignitaries rapped enthusiastically on the tabletop. “

“But let us take some refreshment...don't stand comrades, it will be a working lunch”.

Consul Letheren opened his arms, inviting the assembled orderlies to lay out their trays. Sweet meats, delicate salads and hearty breads appeared on exquisite tableware, placed by disembodied hands for all the attention that was paid to the servitors. Decanters of finest grade liquor came next, along with water or wine and a single ash tray for the Director of the College of Ways and Means, one of the few Hokilmer who had picked up the strange human vice of smoking.

“Now, if we may return to the issue of construction...”

“Ah yes...bear with me friends.” Zhiliss Szhohar, Director of the College of Industry was somewhat weedy looking, but possessed a fine sense of humor and the ability to squeeze blood from rocks. He also ran a factory for putting skeletons in closets.

“Now, with the spare capacity we received from certain friendly parties, outputs have risen in excess of 50 million tons of shipping per year, adjusted upwards 8% from last year's gross outputs, and this corresponds to a 9% overall increase in demand for raw materials, with a corresponding expansion in strategic industries and 31% increase in the demand for skilled labor, shipwrights and the like. We weren't at all prepared for outsourcing on this scale, so the capital investments we're making in construction aren't being reflected in the expansion of related domestic industries, as we would normally expect, which is now straining our spare yard capacity to the utmost, in that we've seen 7% across the board drops in merchant tonnage service and efficiency. Of course, we've been able to finance all of our non-negotiable budget items with a minimum of deficit spending...

At the mention of his oblige, Director Mmillss Ssadr of the College of Ways and Means flicked his cigar into the far corner of his mouth and broke Zhiliss' inspired recitation.

“...which is not something you ought to worry about, though I thank you for the introduction. Comrades, right now, the sums add up, and will continue to add up for the next three years according to our projections. However, current economic crises make current spending patterns unsustainable for more than a three year period, and indefensible over five years or more. The question, that my dear colleague was arriving at, was how modify our...habits to fit a vision of long term sustainability. For that we look to our friends in the Navy”.

Ssadr turned with theatrical deliberation to the Admiral of the Fleet and his assembled officer-aids, who leafed through folios nervously while their master spoke. Kaassil Therth had a mind like a razor and patience like a stung bull.

“With all due respect, Comrade director, the 'long term' does not enter our calculations. If we were wise, we'd count our ages in dreadnought build cycles. The simple fact is we need more of everything. Our allies are powerful but distant, and our enemies resemble armed camps more than nations. The uncertain position of the Valzar and their control of a wormhole means that substantial forces MUST be tied to our spinward frontier, while at the same time we must have sufficient maneuver elements to support our other obligations. Yes, we will pay a price in the short term for these expenditures, but is an essential matter of national security”.

“In the mean time, our planned exercises with the Stilor and Hexenians are still 'go' though our treaty partners can't seem to agree on a time. The Stilor will transit through Route 1, while the Hexenians will arrive via the Valzar wormhole, something they neglected to tell us. The Gods of course will save us from our Hexenian friends, until they figure out how to use an HPG”.

The assembly allowed itself a chuckle, more for a break in the mood than humor. Consul Letheren stared down the table from his seat in its middle and took in the admiral's confident posture, wondering if he could detect a hint of weakness in it. Filing the observation away, he changed the subject.

“Alright comrades, if we may take a...break from the monotony of these funds and those funds and these ships and those enemies. We have new friends to welcome, for surely friends are what all who open embassies on Ttomalss prove to be!” The chuckles were genuine this time.

“Now, where can locate such upstanding nations? For that, I turn to our chiefs of internal security. The closer we can put the thieves to the bloodhounds, the better...

[Falkenhayn]

Todays Headlines:

Saoore Trade Negotiations Stalled
Coreword Sector Fleet leaves cancelled
Consul Letheren to seek re-election; Gov'r Slivanith a 'lock' for second seat

[Falkenhayn]

News In Brief:
Market Slowdown Slashes Discretionary Budget
Val'zar Negotiations "Positive" and "Ongoing"
Anti-Piracy Operations "Expand"