It's been a month since I posted anything. Work has been insanely busy and my little free time has been focused on finishing the final draft of my novel and submitting it to Baen. Wait 9 to 12 months, they say. Won't hold my breath (I'll die if I do), but I hope it has a shot to make it out of the slush pile. Anyway, back to the Mars-Belter War. I decided to make a Belter ship that would be a response to the Martian Ares class heavy cruisers. See my fleet sheet image. There is one big laser behind the armored blast doors at the bow and eight ten-meter laser blisters around it in sort of like a... spider-like visage... hence the ship's name, Arachne. Then lots more guns, superstructure like a battleship and three sets of rings for a mag sail. Hope it doesn't look too dark on your monitor. I threw in another new creation: the Venusian Patrol Boat. Tiny compared to Arachne, but that's the point. And Venus itself is my own creation from radar height maps. The cloud layers are courtesy NASA. --- We come in peace, they say. Sure, and probably true, this time. I'm not sure we could do much about it if it wasn't true. Technically, Arachne isn't the most powerful warship in the System, but it's a close match for an Ares in firepower and a hell of a lot better armored. It’s the first true battleship ever, and it's come to Venus to say "hi". Our two boats went out to meet it. Escort it into orbit for its port call. Smile and wave. We've got a half-built orbital station that could maybe take it on -- next year. But they're not here for a fight. Just want to top off the tanks, bring a couple of hundred spacers and guardsmen down to see the sights. Everything under control. The mag sail rings are a big clue as to the next port of call. Those rings are practically worthless out in the Belt, but they get geometrically stronger the closer you get to the sun. Mars owns Mercury, all the mines and stations and shipyards. I'd hate to be at Gupta Station when Arachne comes to visit. The hanger doors are starting to open. There must be a dozen transports in there! --Captain-Lieutenant Jon Brunner, VPB-104 12 December 2521