Ragnar Imperial Republic

[Lt. Staplic]

Physical

(For Pic, look at my Av)

The Ragnar are Mamilian Species evolved along a similar line as Primates. The Ragnar stand around 177.8 cm tall and weigh around 225kg. The Ragnar skin is usually light colored and they grow a thick coat of white hair.

One of the most prominent features of the Ragnar is the secondary exoskeleton they possess. The Ragnar contain a normal endoskeleton structure like primates of earth. However in addition to this the Ragnar have a secondary exoskeleton of certain bone structures such as a secondary: skull, ribcage, sternum, collarbone, forearm guard, hip gurdle, leg guard, foreleg guard. This secondary exoskeleton is hard and durable like bone, but has a little more flexibility giving the Ragnar extra protection over these areas.

The Ragnar also have short legs in comparison with their arms similar to apes of earth, but their pelvis is positioned so that they will walk upright. However, the foreword position and size of their arms usually leads to them using their hands palm-down to walk as well.

Each Ragnar hand ends in a long three-digit hand with razor sharp claws. The feet are two toed and elongated toward the front of the ankle.

The Ragnar have two horns on either side of their head and have a similar face structure to humans, but without a nose. Their two eyes are visual range sensitive, and their mouth is filled with razor sharp teeth allowing them to devour their carnivorous diet. The Ragnar sense of sight is highly sensitive with nearly three times the number of sensory nerves connected to their eyes as humans. This is offset by a muffled sense of hearing, limited by the exoskeletal skull, and no sense of smell.

Internally the Ragnar keep the majority of their vital organs within their two rib cages. Their brain however is located within their double skull with a spinal cord running down a doubly reinforced spine. The Ragnar are stronger than humans on average due to genetically higher amounts of muscle building proteins being produced, and a higher gravitational field on their planet.

Culture/History

Ragna, the home system of the Ragnar is a small rocky world with a mass of about 1.5M, a radius of about 1.12M, and circling at about 1.23AU, making the planet slightly cooler and a gravity that is much stronger than it is on Earth (gR = 11.72). As stated above the Ragnar evolved along a line like the primapes of earth.

Much of their early history is unrecorded but evidence suggests that they formed social groups that functioned much like Bands of Gorillas. These small Bands eventually formed the basis of a city-state civilization that began to arise.

Much of the dawn of their civilization was filled with violent warfare over the limited resources they were able to cultivate, as well as to take over rival fortresses and add them to their own collection.

The first major power came about circa 1200 AC. This state quickly assimilated the local area and branched out eventually controlling millions of square miles of land. Two rival states, that arose in 1240 AC and 1310 AC respectively began to expand as well from far away. These three early states came to dominate nearly 94% of the Ragna land-masses with smaller pawn states controlling the other, least desirable 6%.

In 1784AC the first major attempt at rebellion took place in the smallest of the three. While the attempt was thwarted, just a few years later in 1787AC a massive rebellion force emerged in all three states simultaneously. While many have speculated that this was a coordinated attempt, the evidence points the opposite direction. Most likely the rebellious factions had been biding their time and as one began to march they took advantage and all began to move at the same time hoping their numbers would win out.

They were correct and by 1790 the three great states had been broken up into around 10 slightly smaller ones. Many of these subdivided further over the next few decades while others gobbled up those small states left to their own devices during the time of the big three.

Science became the new method of competition between the new states as they were all sped through their own industrial revolution starting in 1879. By 2010 they had progressed from the steam engine to the automobile, from the glider to the airplane, and were taking the world in a whole new light.

Most of the Ragnar Nations at this point had some form of democratic process, but they still valued the strength of the leader and often there were few checks on their power. These leaders, in attempts to seem more civilized than the past would often at least attempt to peacefully settle their disputes; however more often than not wars broke out between two or three nations that would last a few months before one side would submit.

It wasn’t until 2518 that any major historical events occurred. In 2518 the first nuclear weapon was test fired. The scope and power of the weapon was impressive. Those that had similar programs were inspired to finish, those who did not became afraid of how far behind they were. In 2521 four nations changed the future of the Ragnar. Having allied against the Nuclear Nation, they attacked believing they together were more powerful than the nation’s weapons; however the three years had allowed the production of tens of bombs and the infrastructure to produce hundreds more. The war would have been over quick had two other nations, launched attacks against both sides after successfully creating their own nuclear weapons.

Of the 14 major nations and 58 smaller ones that entered the war, only 6 nations remained afterwords. Large areas of the surface were deemed uninhabitable from the radiation levels. The six nations quickly realized their reliance on each other to survive and the first united government was formed in 2547, unifying the six nations, their lands, and resources so that they would survive.

The Ragnar continued on living a hard, but steady life for the next few decades, developing techniques to reclaim their lost land. In 2592 the size of livable land had doubled due to the success of the techniques; however much was still too heavily irradiated to even be attempted to be cleaned so soon.

It was then that the Ragnar began to look into the stars. They moved rapidly inspired to go out in a quest for new worlds to colonize and in 2781 they did just that. They established the first Colony of Ragna. This was followed over the next several decades by eleven others. Some of the worlds were empty, some were not. In the case of the latter the Ragnar would simply push them off their colony land, and back further still as they expanded. Sometimes the locals would be put to work to build and serve as slave labor, other times they were simply exterminated.

It was in 2901 that Ragna and her twelve colonies developed the new form of government that would unite them and all future Ragnar worlds: the Ragnar Imperial Republic. It established a democratic government for all Ragnar everywhere that would then see all other species within their claimed space, their domain, pushed down as lower citizens and forced into service for the Empire.

It was a few decades before Narok Thoden took power. Under Thoden the organization of the government drastically changed. His first act was to get an amendment passed that would forbid all Senators from being present at any given function. Many accepted his reasoning of preserving the government should a catastrophe happen, however historical analysis shows that the real motivation for this was to act in conjunction with the Second Ammendment passed a decade earlier counting any missing Senator’s votes as null. This effectively eliminated the Constitutional power of the Senate to vote out the Narok.

This wasn’t Thoden’s only move to strengthen his office. He reduced the number of Senators by a fifth, making the Senate much easier to control, extended the term of the Narok before he came under the gun of re-election, and when he began to have issues with Senetors attempting to thwart is attempts, pushed an amendment through that made Executive Orders of the Narok standing law unless a conflictory bill was passed by the Senate. The Veto powers of the Narok however virtually handed the power of the Senate over to the Narok.

The Last act of Thoden was to ensure a virtually unlimited military budget by forcing an amendment that forced the Senate to approve the budgets of all secrete military operations under the guise of Top Secrete National Security Operations.

Following Thoden’s reign several decades of mediocre Narok’s followed, as orchestrated by the Senate. They took back much of the lost ground getting laws passed that contradicted and overruled the executive orders.

This changed with the election of Narok Fjoyyr. Within three months he cut the number of senators in half and through a series of Executive Orders ensured life terms for the Narok unless directly challenged at which time a vote would decide. To reduce the number of potential challengers the Narok removed the Senior Council as established and replaced it with a Cabinet of Advisors.

Following this Narok Fjoyyr reorganized the military creating a secrete police force to ensure domestic peace. He also reorganized the military into three different commands: The Ragnar Republic Navy (RRN) which served as a coast guard force and operated in conjunction with the secrete poliece. The Ragnar Imperial Navy (RIN) became the main naval force for the Imperial Republic handling all interstellar affairs as well as National Defense. Lastly was the Imperial Fleet of the Narok (IFN) which was a specially groomed set of officers loyal specifically to the Narok himself instead of the office. The NIF often served indistinguishable from the RIN, however the NIF often received the first upgrades, and was known to carry out specific missions the Narok trusted to no one else.

General Questions:

Who: Ragnar Imperial Republic, played by Staplic
What: Imperial Senate styled government
When: few thousand years, recently introduced onto the scene
Where: Big purple one on the Right side of the map
Why: Cause I could
How: Very carefully

Anything else you want to know let me know. I'll post questions and answers as I receive them if they're relevant to general knowledge.

*Note: I didn't do any research as to length of time between different advancements and the years are to give a general gist of passage of time, so If I have something listed as only taking 100 years that really should have taken 125 years minimum it was an accident and not meant to indicate that the Ragnar have some form of super-intelligence that allows them to advance faster.

[Lt. Staplic]

The Ragnar Imperial Creed (yes this is basically a modified version of the US Armies Warrior Creed)

Imperial Creed

I am a Ragnar Warrior
I serve the Sons and Daughters of Ragna
I will place the mission first
I will accept death before defeat; I will not quit
I will never leave a fallen comrade
I am disciplined and I am tough,
I am prepared to experience pain and death in the defense of my country
I am ready to deploy, engage, and destroy the enemies of Ragna
I am prepared to face my enemy for I am trained and skilled in the ways of Ragnar Warfare
I am a guardian of Ragna and her way of life
I am a Ragnar Warrior

[Lt. Staplic]

A Month with the Ragnar
By Hayden Flynn

1 April 2382

I arrive for my month long investigation into the Ragnar Culture. As I step off the transport I’m immediately hit with the differences of the world. Everything is a little bit heavier, every step a little bit harder. Not unbearable, but certainly uncomfortable at first. The air is thicker it seems, more oxygen than on my home of earth. It’s colder here too, I’m glad I listened and brought a light jacket despite it being the middle of summer. But my exposure to the cold and the outside is short lived as my trip officially begins in the newly constructed Federation Embassy.

I am briefed on the laws and customs I will be expected to follow as well as given my identification and all the necessary equipment and information I will need for the itinerary worked out months ago. I am given an emergency device that will alert Federation officials if pressed that I am in need of assistance, and with that I am wished luck on my adventure.

I leave the Federation Embassy and get my first real glimpse of Ragna. As I walk through the streets I am reminded of my early career where I would often report from the Klingon Empire. The simple, structured buildings and homes remind me of those Klingon worlds many years ago. Echoes of the Warrior Culture are everywhere, and it becomes clear that my month here will be interesting.

8 April 2382

My first week on Ragna has finished and revealed many things. The more I learn about the Ragnar, the more I see their similarities to the Klingons, and the more I comprehend their differences. I am also reminded of home every time I look into their eyes and see some familiar traces behind their eyes, but also see just how different the process of evolution has taken us.

My first week on Ragna was spent in their Capital City and the nearby suburbs. Most people here seem kind, but reserved. A sense of pride permeates the Ragnar in everything they say and do. They are disciplined and cautious when I am around, but secretly, among themselves they are sociable and fun. They are relaxed and at ease with their way of life.

I attended a sporting event at the equivalent of a local high school near the week’s end. It was a fun, fast-paced game known as Hastigetule. The game consists of teams of eight spread over a fairly large court, about the size of three basketball courts. The teams attempt to score by placing a ball, about the size of a cantaloupe through a hold on the opposite side of the court. After scorning, a new ball will be randomly ejected from one of several points around the court. The event was full of all the excitement, competitiveness, and fun an event like that should have, and of course, the home team won.

10 April 2382

Today I met with the Narok as planned nearly 8 months ago. The Ragnar man was large, even for the Ragnar and stood at least 60cm over me. He was well dressed in the Ragnar equivalent of a suit. He greeted me with a hand-shake, or as good of one as could be mustered, and commented that many of the construction crews that he had met while they worked on the embassy had told him smiling tended to have the reverse effect when he tried it.

He was a friendly host, he inquired about my visit and my experience on Ragna. I shared with him my observations about his people and culture. We talked for hours before we stopped for dinner. While I had sampled a variety of Ragnar dishes since my arrival, nothing quite compared to that dinner.

We dined in the Narok’s Personal Dining Center along with his wife. The meal contained some familiar foods, both Ragnar dishes I had previously encountered as well as a few dishes I had suggested be brought along for the meal when the meeting had been set up. Many other dishes I’d not before had the opportunity or courage to try.

After dinner the Narok surprised me with tickets he’d managed to buy for the nights professional Hastigetule match that was in town. Having heard me talk about my experience with the younger game a few night prior he thought I should get involved in a real experience. The game was quite thrilling, as much fun as watching a good close game of football, I must say I’m becoming fond of this game. It helped that the Narok’s favorite team won.

12 April 2382

Today I dedicated myself to walking through the Great Monument Garden of Ragna. It is a massive area with monuments for wars dating back to before the Great Nuclear War that devastated much of the planet’s surface, monuments depicting the great men and women of Ragnar past, and relics of earlier times marking the advancement of the Ragnar culture and society.

I spent a full day there and could have spent a week without seeing and admiring everything that is here. It is truly a remarkable site. One monument in particular drew my attention. More than the supersized sculpture of Narok Thodin, or of the First Thirteen who founded the Imperial Republic. More than the early rocket-era relics that looked eerily similar to the Interplanetary payload rockets of Epsilon Alpha. There was a monument dedicated to an old Ragnar parable. This monument stood out to me because as much as I likened the Ragnar, their pride, their warrior culture, their discipline, and their attitude to the Klingons, it was this monument that reflected the differences that one could only understand by living with them.

The parable was of two brothers: Lakin and Thodr who were of a strong clan. When they came of age, Lakin had decided very young to become a great warrior and joined the army, he had the mentality and drive of Klingon without knowing it. Thodr instead chose to pursue an education, to let the subjects of reason and philosophy occupy his time instead of war.

As they grew Lakin became known as a great warrior, he was known for destroying his enemies leaving nothing of them to remain. Thodr too learned the ways of war, as was required by their clan, but learned also of the world, of nature, of science, and much more. One day Lakin decides to leave the clan, that he has become a powerful warrior who deserves a clan of his own. With him he takes a few loyal Ragnar, and begins a series of wars dismantling and absorbing other clans. In the mean time Thodr eventually ascends to chief of the clan, as the wisest of his Clan he is slowly groomed for the job before finally becoming the chief.

The two brothers do not cross paths again for a few decades until Lakin, forced by the small size of his clan and their lack of perminant grounds to keep attacking and slaughtering other clans for their food and supplies, finds himself preparing to attack his old Clan. Thodr learns of the impending attack and goes out to meet Lakin. Not wishing to risk the lives of others in his clan he decides to challenge Lakin to personal combat, as brothers each has the right to the position of chief in the other clan and so the survivor will become the chief of a single merged clan.

The monument depicts the last scene of the parable, as Thodr holds the decapitated head of Lakin. The lessons of the parable are many: that those who are patient and loyal shall be rewarded, that the greatest warrior is not he who fights more wars and wins more battles, but he who is smarter in his battles and who fights not for honor and glory, but to preserve himself and his way of life. They may both be warrior cultures, but the Ragnar are definitely not Klingons.

13 April 2382

I find myself taking in more sights today as I join a Senator of the Imperial Republic around to the two most influential political spaces for the Ragnar State: Etassik Hall and the Imperial Senate Building.

Etassik Hall is where I start my day. It is a small building, nothing impressive about it except for it’s history. There’s a single large meeting room, an average sized dining area, and rooms for up to 30 people for prolonged stays. It was in Etassik Hall that the thirteen planetary leaders and their staffs deliberated for five months in the creation of the Ragnar Imperial Republic.

There is the heavy burden of history in this place, much as there is standing in Independence Hall on Earth or the Laudrsvak Building on Trichicton. As we stand in the shadow of the Legacies of great men and women who forever changed their own history, I cannot help but feel the symbolic power this place has for the Ragnar People.

We next visited the Imperial Senate Building, which again was nothing impressive. A simple, well-built building from the exterior turned into a simple, but luxurious interior as we made our way through the conference rooms, committee rooms, over-night rooms for emergency meetings, and finally into the Senate Chambers.

I have never been to Romulus, I have only heard accounts and descriptions of the Senate chamber there, but had I ever gone, I’m sure I would feel a sense of familiarity with the room I stood in now. The ground floor that we walked in on, a circular room of moderate size, was the area where speeches were delivered. A small holo-emitter in the center of the room allowed images of what ever was needed to be projected for greater effect. The seating was all well above the floor.

The Narok’s Seat was in the middle of a separated box that sat directly over the entrance. On the wall behind his seat was the emblem of the Imperial Republic. Streatching from one side of the box around the circular perimeter of the floor to the other side were the seating for the Senators placed in three rows to allow enough space for comfort and allow work to be done.

Once we finished I decided on my way back to my hotel to deviate from the itinerary and instead headed for a local bar. The Ragnar here were welcoming, and much more relaxed than I would have expected had I run into them on the streets. Many of them offered, and in fact did buy me a drink, usually a small glass of a clear red liquid that tasted quite delicious. I had far too much of it that night.

20 April 2382

I have left the capital city to see the rest of the Rangar homeworld. In the last week I have visited many of the larger cities on the planet, many of the natural wonders. It is a different world outside of the capital. The people are still kind and respectful, but I do not find them as open and welcoming as I did in the capital. This is the first time I have ever openly seen many of the subjugated species of which there must be dozens. It occurs to me that many Ragnar, even here on the homeworld have never met someone like me. Someone capable of looking them in the eyes and showing just as much an understanding of the Universe as them, someone who is watching them for what and who they are, someone who is all that, and is not Ragnar.

Despite this many still are excited for my arrival and greet me with enthusiasm. On more than one occasion I have been pressured by the crowds into giving autographs, or something close enough to it that I hope it will work.

27 April 2382

Following my trip around Ragna, I departed heading back toward Federation territory with the intention on stopping at most of the worlds along the way. These worlds start out being much like the far away cities on Ragna, somewhat reclusive to my presence, but gracious all the same.

As I move further out though, this changes. The further I am from Ragna, the closer I am to the border worlds, those who have the most to fear from the new threat I represent. These worlds still let me in, still welcome me as their guest and let me talk with them. But none of them ask for autographs, none of them really seems to genuinely enjoy my presence as many others had.

These worlds altered my thoughts on the future relations between the Federaiton and the Ragnar, from one of true optimism to conservative amiability. There was much mistrust and confustion in these worlds. Unlike in the core worlds, they had more to loose if they were wrong and the rest of us were hostile. Many of them went to bed with the fear of what would happen, what would they do if a war broke out, how would they live if their towns were destroyed, or worlds overrun by invading forces.

Like anything, it will take time.

30 April 2382

I depart Ragnar space heading back to the Federaion. As I go I think back on my trip and all that I have learned. Who are the Ragnar? They are a strong, proud, disciplined people. They are as interested in what’s out there, and the quest to find it as they are in their Warrior Culture. They are a race ruled by elections among themselves, that hold that government over those races unfortunate enough to fall within their sphere of influence.

In short, the Ragnar are a people of many faces, and only with patience and loyalty shall we be rewarded with their true selves.

[Lt. Staplic]

Week with a Ragnar Imperial Recruit
By Hayden Flynn

Sunday 3 June 2386

I find myself standing once again in the cool increased gravity of Ragna, but this time I’m not here for a leisurely vacation. The Embassy is still shiny and new, a sign of how young relations between our two States still are. I walk into the building for another briefing: new mission means new rules.

Almost as soon as I finish with the briefing I’m forced to climb back onto a transport that will take me to one of the training facilities for the Ragnar Imperial Navy Recruits. I’m not told where I’m going, and I’m not given a subspace locator this time.

I arrive to the training grounds after dark. The three Instructors for the Unit I will be following are standing there waiting for me. They walk me to my private quarters and suggest that I get to bed soon, it will be an early day tomorrow and then disappear.

Monday 4 June 2386

Dawn was just beginning to think about creeping up over the horizon when the morning silence was broken by the sound of a high-pitched shrill horn, blowing loud enough to make my ears hurt. I was wide awake immediately looking for the cause of the noise, didn’t take long before I realized that was the Ragnar version of a morning Reveille. Not long after this one of the Instructors appeared to inform me that I may return to bed, and that someone would be back for me when the training had officially started.

I had barely felt like I’d closed my eyes when the Instructor reappeared and awoke me. He waited outside for me as I quickly prepared for the day. He escorts me to the mess, just before the first unit arrives. I get my food and am shown to a specific seat: I am to observe, not interact.

The food is bland, but it’s purpose is clear: high calories, high protein, high nutrients. Designed to give the recruits the ability to keep going as the instructors push them to their breaking points. I learn that the time spent between the Reveille and breakfast is used by the recruits to clean the base. Their barracks must be pristine, and the base in perfect working order every day.

We don’t have long for meals before we’re rushed off for the first training activity. This morning it’s Physical Training. They have their first PT Test this weekend and are training hard. The recruits are divided into two groups. Once commences a ten kilometer run, the other starts weights and then they’ll switch.

It’s entirely monotonous for me. The only real benefits are the observable differences in musculature structure the weightlifting highlights. The Ragnar aren’t the fastest runners, but they are certainly strong.

Lunch immediately follows with a short, flavorless meal. This is going to be a long week.

We next head into the class rooms where the recruits are lectured and taught personal finances: how to responsibly save, invest, and use the money they are earning. It’s everything that one would expect a lecture like that to be.

I return to my room after dinner. The recruits have one more drill session, but I don’t have clearance to watch this.

Tuesday 5 June 2386

I’ve prepared for this morning by creating some thick ear muffs and am woken by the Instructor today instead of the horn. Breakfast is the same as yesterdays three meals, I’m beginning to get used to it.

We don’t go to the Gym this morning, but instead return to the classrooms. Today’s lecture is the “laws” of combat. I can’t help but nod in and out during the lecture, but the recruits never waver. They barely move except to take notes. I admire their discipline; it goes beyond even the high levels I saw in the civilians a few years ago.

Lunch.

Next we arrive at a training ship. The same one that will be used for a full-scale simulation at the end of the training. The lesson is on shipboard life and duties, and right now we’re getting introduced and acquainted with the ship. It’s an Uforferdet Class, a small ships, currently used for patrol missions on the borders of the Ragnar space.

The halls are cramped, much smaller and tighter than on Federation vessels. The ceelings are just tall enough for the Ragnar to stand, and the quarters are cramped. We are shown the conditions most of the class can expect to find: two bunks, a small closet, and a mirror. That was all that was in the room, and if they’re carrying extras, that becomes a room for four.

The instructors talk about the rules and regulations for shipboard life and stress the importance of following them. That they are designed to keep the hull between you and a quick, cold death in space.

Dinner.

Released again, as the recruits return to observe the sensitive areas of the ship.

Wednesday 6 June 2386

Wake up to the same instructor, same quick routine to get ready, same miserable breakfast. There is so much routine and discipline here, designed to take the young Ragnar and turn them into trained and skilled crewman ready to serve and defend Ragnar, I cannot help but fall into step it seems.

The morning again contains Physical Training. I watch with a general disinterest. The instructors however have an intent look in their eyes as they watch. Training ends a few minutes early and they ask for a volunteer for a Styrke challenge. The Styrke challenges are unofficial strength tests done by the instructors to identify leaders and encourage leading by example. The Recruit and the instructors oppose eachothers goals. The challenge starts with the recruit holding a long medal rod above their heads. Every five seconds the Instructors are allowed to add one weight of any denomination to their side of the pole in order to make the recruit drop it. The recruit must hold it above their head for a certain amount of time as determined by the advancement of the unit through training. If he loses the whole unit looses a meal to simulate the effects losing a battle can have on supply lines. If he succeeds the Instructors buy food from a local town for the unit, with the quality of food determined by just how long after the minimum the recruit can hold out.

A large Ragnar man steps forward and accepts the challenge for his unit. With the sound of the shrill horn, he hoists the bar over head and the challenge begins. He must hold the bar for a minute to win, and the Instructors are looking for an early kill. By the fourth set of weights his arms are shaking, and by the fifth I’m sure he’s going to drop it.

That was the first time I heard the Imperial Creed spoken aloud. Right there, as he struggled to hold on, the young recruit bared his teeth and nearly shouted the words. The recruits are taught to memorize the creed and to find strength and stability in its words early on in training. The creed is powerful when read, but hearing it there, exclaimed loudly, boldly, defiantly by the young recruit under the tremendous strain of the weight, with the hopes and wishes of his unit on his back, with absolute determination to succeed. That is the way it was meant to be heard, that memory will be seared into my consciousness for the rest of my life.

That night’s dinner was delicious.

Thursday 7 June 2386

The exception of last night’s success fades quickly in the endless routine. Wake Up. Get Dressed. Breakfast. Gym. Lunch.

The day’s afternoon lesson is much more interesting: Ship class Identification. This is one of the first units to receive the lesson, as it has taken Ragnar Intelligence several years to get solid pictures and information on many of the craft used by other powers.

The Lesson starts with the silhouettes of ships, a tactic designed to teach the recruits the basic forms of the different races ships. I see the long, powerful wing structures of the Romulan Warbirds. I see the stocky winged builds of the Klingon Empire. I see the hooded look of the Cardassian Union. I see the asymmetric curves of the Breen Confederacy. I see the familiar saucer and nacelle configuration of the Federation. I see nothing of the Tholians or Gorn, not that I would recognize them if I had.

It becomes clear that much of the Federation information came from the FNN as I recognize many of the great ships from the Dominion War: The Defiant, the Yorktown, the Aurora, the Orleck, and the Schiproen.

Friday 8 June 2386

Wake Up. Get Ready. Breakfast. Ship Identification Lesson. Lunch. Ship Life and Duties Lesson. Dinner. Secrete Lesson. Lights out.

The drill is the same day in and day out, full of monotony, repetition, and review. But tomorrow it’s over.

Saturday 9 June 2386

As instructed the night before I wake with the horrible screech of the Reveille. It comes a little later today at least. Today. My last day. Test day.

After breakfast we all make the journey out to the Testing Grounds. The PT tests take place partly on an obstacle course, five kilometers long, designed to test the recruits in every way they can be. I follow along win a hovercraft with two of the instructors. Additionally there are tests which involve certain muscle groups being at certain strength standards that are tested.

The passing requirements are rough, and only two pass this time. Unlike the written exams they will have that afternoon, not passing this PT test isn’t a major set back. There will be two more opportunities to pass later on in training. A recruit needs only pass one of them to advance. If instructors feel that a recruit slacks off in their Physical Training after passing a test, they can be forced to pass again.

The Unit a followed stands at attention as I climb aboard my Transport. I look ou the window ast them as we ascend into space. They quickly disappear into dots, and the whole training ground turns into a tiny smudge on the planet below.

[Lt. Staplic]

Interview with the Narok
By Hayden Flynn

Q: Tell me about Yourself?

A: I grew up here on Ragna on the next continent over actually. I attended a public school, and played hastigetule for my schools team. Afterwords I got accepted into the Ragnar Institute, one of the top educational facilities in the Domain surpassed only by the University of Ragna, here in the capital city and perhaps the Troughfin Academy on Ushtre. I got an education in politics and public relations. After this I joined the military. I went through Basic Training, as all military recruits do before going off to the Officer Program or their specific Enlisted Occupational School. I went through the Officer Training Program and served as a member of the military for several years working my way up the ranks. While I am technically the Command General due to my position, I hold the real rank of Lieutenant Colonel with the Imperial Navy.

It was after this that I got into politics. I first served on the council for my home area, before moving up to the Imperial Senate. I was a Senator for seven years before I was recruited to be a side-member of the Senior council. I worked closely with the different staff for public relations concerns and particularly closely with the military advisor due to my extensive military background.

When the Narok stepped down, I was one of several that competed for the position. Eventually I won.

Q: Why did you want to become the Narok?

A: That’s why we go into Politics is to be the Narok. It's every young political student's dream. I wanted to lead my people to be their guide through the events that would unfold in our future and be the man who stood the test of time as a great leader for our people. That I was fortunate enough to have the Narok step down at such an opportune time for me is a blessing.

Q: Was it a difficult process?

A: There were difficulties to it. You must prove to the people that you can lead them. Prove that you are smart enough to know what is best, strong enough to do what must be done, and wise enough to know your own personal limitations. All while your competition tries to show they are better than you and point out your own flaws. Not to mention the extensive background checks done on us by the Ragnar Intelligence.

Q: What happened to your competitors after you were elected?

A: Most of them returned to their previous jobs: Senators, Planetary leaders. Most have moved on from that now and are successful businessmen or retirees.

Q: What motivates you to do this job?

A: The Ragnar. I am forever motivated by the people I govern for it is them that gave me this position. I do not take the role lightly. I am not looking out for a town, or a single continant, or a single world, but the whole of the Ragnar Domain, and all the living beings in it. I am motivated by the fact that what I do, I do to improve their lives and all the future lives of the Ragnar.

Q: Would you say you are a good leader?

A: I am the best that I can be. I will let History make it’s judgements.

Q: Anything you wish you could get a second chance at doing?

A: A few things, but nothing that I am truly worried about. There are many things that in hindsight could have worked better, but we as a people have grown more.

Q: Do you think you were the right choice for the job after everything that’s happened?

A: I do. I am a man with a background in politics, in public relations, and in military matters, three things that I foresee needing when introduced into a group dynamic like we have been.

Q: How do you handle criticism?

A: That depends entirely on its source. As I said, my motivation and driving factor is my people. And their comments, concerns and criticisms are important to me, that I might better lead them. From allies I may one day have, these criticisms would also be valuable, when kept internally to allow change and better working. From the new outside sources it doesn’t really matter to me. I am a man of my state who works for what is best domestically, and if you wish to publicly criticize me for that, feel free, but it won’t change.

Q: Would you call yourself and elected official, or dictator?

A: I am both. I am elected into office by my race, the Ragnar. We were fit, and able, and expanded into the stars to control our Domain, the lesser races that were within this space are ruled absolutely for without our guiding hand many of them would live in little better than mud and squalor.

Q: How do you justify being a virtually autonomous head to a democratic Government?

A: Why not be an autonomous head? I have come to understand that in such places as the Federation you seek to have checks on the powers of your leaders to prevent them becoming what I am. Among the Ragnar we see checks on the powers of the leaders as only a limiting their ability to do good for the Ragnar people. It is not in our interest to not have an autonomous head.

Q: Why then did the original drafters of the Imperial Republic Constitution put checks and limits on the Narok’s Power?

A: That was an interesting time for our people. The drafting of the Constitution came just a few years after the colony wars, when the thirteen worlds were fighting and squabbling over their differences. It was a time when our race was still young in interstellar matters and the leaders of worlds looked out only for the best wishes of their world, not realizing that only by looking at what was best for us all would we truly prosper.

The colony worlds realized that it would be necessary to unite for the common good, but were wary of becoming completely subject to the Exar, as the leader of United Ragna was known at the time.

With time our leaders have stopped caring more about Ragna, Chokr, Vlahaar, or the other individual Ragnar worlds, and have come to lead the whole Ragnar Race. As that happened the checks were repealed. Lead by the Narok, the Senate passed the bills which was then passed by the leaders of the individual planets.

I am not one who has taken power that is not mine. I was given the absolute power to rule my people, by my people.

Q: Your history is shaped by the Great Nuclear War. A similar defining event has happened for many Federation Member worlds, including my own. Do you think this links our past and future?

A: It gives us common ground, something in common that we can use to relate to each other. What this means for our future is unknown.

Q: How do you feel about relations with the Federation? The Klinogons? The Romulans?

A: Relations with the Federation and Klingons are good at the present. We have set up embassies with eachother and we’re not shooting at eachother, which is always a good thing. We extended a similar offer to the Romulans, but as of the time of this interview we have received no reply from them to establish any kind of diplomatic relations.

[Lt. Staplic]

Sorry about the delay on this one, took a while to write. I'll post some sketches of these ships in the ship gallery thread, for now, you'll have to make due with my crude descriptions

A Year with the Ragnar Imperial Navy
By Hayden Flynn

10 Jan 2390
I am sitting in a tight transport for my nost dangerous assignment since the Dominion war. I’m heading toward the classified facility that serves as the Logistical base for the 4th Ragnar Imperial Fleet. My briefing for this seemed so familiar at this point that it was hardly worth writing about. Same rules for respecting the Ragnar culture and military practices: make sure I stay out of the way. Same rules for keeping myself safe when going into a warzone: make for damn sure I stay out of the way. I can’t tell if this is shaping up to be more like a visit to Ragnar or to the front lines of the war.
I am told that we are set to arrive within the hour and so I return to my small quarters to gather my belongings and try to get a glimpse out the window of the station. We drop out of warp and I immediately head toward the window. The sight is both alien and familiar. While the design of the station is novel, the function is not. It was a large facility capable of docking nearly 30 ships at a time for repairs or other needs.

20 Jan 2390
It has been ten days since I arrived on station and find this a logical progression from the boot camp I was at just a few years ago. Every thing is structured and heavily disciplined. I don’t believe I have seen or know of a single mistake made by any of these officers and enlisted men since I have arrived, which is saying something considering everything that is going on. The Starbase is undergoing major refits this year. I am not allowed to enter certain areas where heavy maintenance to the defense systems is ongoing. In addition to this, as the logistical base for the 4th Fleet it is here that their new ships arrive to form up their wings and squadrons before heading out to the staging base. Every 4 days a new ships shows up, almost like clockwork. These ships are one of the oldest designs still in service. I’m told it’s called Uforferdet, whatever that means. The ships are roughly ellipsoid with a sorta sideways cylinder in the front, and two large fin-like structures toward the rear. The ships aren’t very big being smaller than an Intrepid Class ship overall.
Every 12 days however, a different kind of ship arrives: a Riket Class. This class used to be the main ship in the Ragnar Navy, but that was some decades before contact with the Federation. I am told Riket means Empire, and it is clear that this ship was designed to construct and represent a great empire. The ship is longer and taller than a Galaxy Class. There at first appears to be a Cardassian-styled hood on the front of the ship, but the longer I look the less I see the similarity. The two ships seem perfect compliments for each other in their deep space patrol duties.

30 Jan 2390
I am preparing to leave the station. I’ll be spending most of the rest of my time with 4th fleet on one of their ships and at the logistical staging base. It has been an enlightening stay here at the base. The wing I will be serving on is slowly being assembled and we are expecting to receive and refuel the last ship before leaving tomorrow.
One thing I noticed the other day were a series of signs over bulkhead doors. I have attempted to find the meaning, but have so far been unsuccessful: Formue Favorisere de Fryktlose.

10 Feb 2390

I have arrived at my next months stay: the staging base for 4th Fleet. While the previous base services as the logistical base and head quarters of the fleet it’s distance from the border makes staging operations from there difficult, and so a different base was constructed to serve the role of the latter. This base wasn’t designed to repair and refit starships like the other one was, but it is clear just looking at it. This base has teeth. There are a handful of ships docked with the base, the rotation that is off patrol now.
My ship docks and I get ready for another month on base.

20 Feb 2390
I finally found out what the sign at the logistical base meant. When I arrived here they were everywhere and finally I got one of the men to translate. The signs mean Fortune Favors the Fearless; it is the motto of 4th Fleet. As I hear it I remember many of the ancient tales I’d heard during my month on Ragnar that told of those who went to war with fear of the outcome in their hearts and the motto makes sense for them.
I am not surprised to find out that this base is also undergoing extensive refits. They are further along at this point, but it appears they are still only about half done with everything they will be doing on this facility.
There are fewer people here. No repair crews and or the extensive administration that oversees the fleet. Almost everyone here has a much more straightforward battle ready sensibility.

10 Mar 2390
I leave today with my ships for the patrol portion of the mission. This will be the first time I’ve been on a deployment since the Dominion War; I hope I see less combat.

30 May 2390
We have returned from our mission. Normal Patrols missions last longer; however my unit was cycled through early in order to bring me back for the next portion of my mission.
The Patrol’s were long and boring, but the Ragnar Officers and Enlisted never let the monotony get to them. They ran their ships fully capable of taking on anything that would come there way around the clock. There were no double shifts, everyone’s work to sleep ratio was carefully and deliberately planned to maintain the highest and most alert force capable.
The patrols were, best as I can tell a system of controlled dispersion. Each fleet watches a different section of the border. The border region is then divided between groups, wings, and eventually squadrons to make sure the whole borders is covered almost continuously.
I stayed aboard a Riket Class the RIN Konge. The ship was designed with some of the most extensive diplomatic facilities in the Imperial Navy prior to contact with the Federation, and I was allowed senior diplomatic quarters. I was surprised when I first occupied the quarters at how small and bare they were. These were nearly the equal of the standard crew quarters I’d had during my stays upon Federation vessels during the war. They were by no means uncomfortable, it wasn’t until I saw the average crew quarters that the true luxury I was in was fully realized. Senior officers get a private room with a small bed and bathroom the size of just the bedroom of my suite. Junior officers are two to a room of the same size with a bathroom that is shared between two suites. Enlisted crewman are bunked 6 to a tiny room, just large enough to fit two stacks of three bunks and a small space in between to climb in and out. They share larger public bathroom facilities. This was on the large Riket Class, larger than a Galaxy Class in most cases. I was terrified to think of what conditions must have been like on the Uforferdet: smaller than the Intrepid.

20 June 2390
Today is my last day with 4th Fleet. Since returning from the mission I have stayed briefly again at the staging base and am writing this from the logistical base of 4th Fleet. The refits have been completed station wide. It looks generally the same, but shinier. Everything has been updated, new advancements in design, in technology and in defense installed to make these facilities even more fearsome than they were when I first arrived.
While I am sad to be leaving those I have met here with 4th Fleet, I am excited for my next assignment. The 1st Fleet of Ragnar. While the 4th Fleet deals primarily with border patrols, the 1st Fleet is the main defender of Ragnar and is responsible for general defense.

10 July 2390
I have arrived at the new base, and it is a much different facility. Unlike the logistical base for 4th fleet, which was impressive, but limited in its capabilities, this one seems completely free. I am told that the base has the ability to repair and refit multiple hundreds of ships simultaneously, and I can believe it.
Unlike the older models of ships used for the deep space patrols in 4th fleet, the 1st Fleet has much newer models; although, not the newest. Virtually all of 1st fleet is still made up of designs that predate first contact with the Federation; although in much larger numbers.
There are three classes that I observed around this new station: the Haki, Suveren and Trassig. The Haki was the first class I saw upon arrival here, sitting in one of the internal docking bays, the Haki is about half the size of a Riket Class. It still has a prominent bow, but it refined the hood design from the Riket that I had likened to a Cardassian styled look. The small wing’like projections are also moved to the rear of the ship and curved slightly. It is clear that the Haki was a step forward in the larger design from the Riket, but the two were very similar.
The Trassig on the other hand appears to be the progression of the uforferdet design. The ship is long and narrow with a circulous-based cylinder structure at the bow. The Trassig was longer and taller than the Uforferdet, but not as wide, having a much more round hull than the squished form of the Uforferdet.
Finally I saw a Suveren. This was clearly the most recent design that I was going to see and incorporated design elements from both the Trassig and Haki. The main hull of the ship was shaped like the Trassig, although scaled up, and was circular in cross section. The forward bow shape was clearly an evolution of the Haki’s newer shape, as was the curved, rear-located wing structure. While the Suveren was the Riket’s replacement as a front line war ship. It does not match its size falling over 100 m short of the Riket’s length, although it was comparable in height and width.
I have found similar plaques to those at the 4th Fleet bases, I presume this to be the motto; however, I haven’t yet had anyone translate: Forsvarer og Hevner.

10 Aug 2390
I have begun my second deployment. This time aboard a Haki Class Cruiser. The accommodations I’ve been given are comparable to the senior officer quarters of the Riket and I’m told this is the best they can afford for me. Makes me wonder about the rest of the crew. Unlike my first deployment, the defense deployments take an extra month before it can even be thought of rotating it back. I expect a similar amount of boredom as that faced on the last mission. I have translated the motto: Defender and Avenger.

20 Oct 2390
The mission has been as dull as expected. I am occupying most of my time by having regular discussions with many of the ships officers and crew. I’ve toured the ship many times; although, I’m strictly prohibited from several sections of the ship. I have inquired about changing to a different ship however this has been denied. The Trassig is compact enough there is no way to move about the ship without crossing an area I would not be allowed into, and the Suveren was deemed off limits before the mission started.

30 Nov 2390
We have returned from the mission. It was slow and monotonous. Unlike the 4th Fleet patrols which were done mostly at warp traveling along the border. These patrols were a mathematical series of jumps around Ragnar space and border patrol areas to check on defense status. I have little time now that I’m back to enjoy being off the ship. Tomorrow I will be beamed back to the surface and will await transport back to the Federation.