Welcome to the forums, Whale.
Whale wrote:What does "ECS" mean? I don't think that has been said anywhere...
Officially, the meaning is unspecified. I think what I originally had in mind was "Earth Colonial Service," though by the time it occurred to me that it should be "Terran Colonial Service," it was too late to change it (and "TCS" is already pretty well known for being used in
Wing Commander and other settings). I don't think
Star Trek ever explained what "NCC" stood for, so it doesn't bother me much to leave it unspecified.
Whale wrote:How Mizol rank progression works? I don't think it's practical for one to be a spy, then minor diplomat, then analyst and so on....
The rank list focuses on shipboard titles, of which the Mizol have comparatively few. Lower-ranking Mizol operatives are sometimes covertly embedded in other castes, taking on the uniforms and titles appropriate to that caste, and may stay under cover for a long time, even through promotion cycles. Eventually they are recalled and take positions as analysts or shipboard officers similar to the post Tempo has. The diplomatic track is probably different from this, but not as different as you might think... the Loroi view diplomacy and espionage as essentially the same thing. "Words are tools of deception."
Whale wrote:Tsunami seems to have a crescent moon painted on the engine pods. Is this a personal customisation or a unit citation? (And if latter, how does it relate to the name of the captain?)
It's a unit citation, but the implementation was left up to the unit commander, and Moonglow chose to use her own personal device. Some might see that choice as an act of hubris (and they'd be right), but Moonglow knows her crew, and they love it.
Whale wrote:How did Ashrain end up under the command of Stillstorm? Was it an administrative mistake or is any chance of an "accident" deemed theoretical at best, and Stillstorm is the best frontline commander?
Ashrain requested a transfer to the fighting lines, and it's the raider groups that are always under-strength, so she was sent there. I can certainly imagine that someone in the logistics division felt that Ashrain's request represented "thrill-seeking" and resented that she should give up a much-coveted
Teigo Enzin post, and so assigned her to the most dangerous raider group available (which just happens to be commanded by a personal enemy of Ashrain's great-aunt). Stillstorm certainly did not request Ashrain, but she would certainly not refuse her. She came with a ship, after all.
Whale wrote:Are TCA mass drivers coilguns or railguns or both? What's their rate of fire?
I don't have any details on the inner workings or specs of the Terran mass drivers at this time.
Whale wrote:And last, but IMO not least, does TCA use manned space fighters? Like some sort of two-seater strike/drone control craft?
No, the TCA small combat craft are all unmanned.
