Professor Wayne King-Meiouf of the University of ProximaFirst of all Happy New Year as this is my first column for 2113.
The powerful fleet the DDS has assembled for Ground Shock 2113 can only be described as a statement of intent and a warning for rival powers. The DDS now has a massively powerful fleet and a sizeable land force that can perform major raids.
The escorts alone in the Ground Shock fleet could devastate most 2nd and lower tier powers entire fleets. No fewer than 7 ships from the Amphibious Warfare fleet is a demonstration that of the local powers only the HCS exceeds the DDS' capability in this area now.
The period after the ABBO-Bolitic War has been quiet but there are astral-political rumblings now. The Tarbotians are now at the DDS' borders and have proved increasingly active in local affairs. The DTA is maturing into a powerful and stable organisation though for years yet will be "Dinos and their mates". The Clones stability is often called into question. The Utrek are looking this way again. The Bolitic seem to have stabilised under Melson though the prospect of a split, civil war and any resulting overspill is still a possibility.
Thus the DDS have felt the need to remind the local group that the DDS' combat power cannot be ignored. The DDS has rebuilt after the war and is more powerful than ever but it needs to ensure from time to time that every one knows that. The DDS don't want a war and the best way to ensure that is to put across the strong message that any conflict with the DDS can only end badly...
