SWM wrote:In order for Masada to take advantage of these spider ships and technology, the Alignment would first have to get rid of the Manticoran naval and marine forces stationed there.
I am probably in error, but I was under the impression that the MA only wanted to keep their technology secret until they were far enough along that it wouldn't make any difference who knew, in the same spirit of Haven with its Bolthole. Am I wrong there? Evenso, the MA would still be protective of the technology, but I get the impression that a crew of Masadans 'conditioned' wouldn't pose much of a threat to security. If the MA is to have any chance at all of not getting Salamandered they have to pull out all the stops. We've talked of an SLN all-in response. There
has been a Haven all-in response. I think it high-time the MA show their hole card, and go all-in. That would include Cataphracts, Spider Ships, newly developed hardware, and fully unleashing nanotech warfare. The Masadans can be used as a diversion, grist for the mill. If the MA could use its technology to land forces on Grayson setting off another civil war of sorts with prodigal Graysons...
I am sure my thinking is flawed. My problem is the inability to bracket the fact that an untapped resource of warm Masadan bodies are just spinning on its axis in the Endicott system.
SWM wrote:
Actually, Haven was selling the technology to Masada. They had already sold the ships themselves. This whole thing was an attempt to get an ally on Manticore's doorstep and prevent Manticore from getting an ally of their own. These were two-bit worlds; no one knew they would become so important. They sold the ships to cement their secret alliance. If the Masadans had enough people trained well enough to run the new ships, Haven would not have sent the "technical advisors".
Thanks for reminding me of that. I had forgotten that 'not so minor' detail.