In a perverse way, this random event has given me an opportunity to do something that the AI could never conceive.  I'm going to use the strengthened native influence to help project my influence, instead of just relying on the starbases.

Instead of trying to influence my target planet (Arcturus III) directly while it's in the heart of Arcean space with other planets exerting their magnified native influence, I'm going to bring the cultural border all the way to the planet.  To do that, I have to push my culture on the outlying Arcean colonies first.  When they decide that I'm more awesome than the Arceans, they will project my influence onto other nearby colonies, and when I get more starbases into position, those colonies will also come to see things my way, and so on.  It's like watching dominoes fall, except over the course of weeks and months instead of seconds.

However this cunning plan is all academic right now because even with four influence starbases running Futurama on a watch anytime basis (so, full power) I will barely get a raised eyebrow from the natives.  Getting them to revolt is going to require that the Terran Alliance develop new cultural technologies and new franchises, and boldly go where no civ has gone before.

Well actually I see the Korx as being the businessmen of the galaxy, but they're sadly lacking style or substance in this game.  Maybe next time, eh Kralax?

The 2241 meeting of the United Planets convenes, minus one delegate again:

Obviously, limiting the number of starbase modules would make it more difficult to squeeze more cultural power from starbases, so the Terran Alliance vote is no.  Oddly, the Arceans and LMT Corporate also vote no.  I guess they have plans of their own.

Reports from the colony on Ireland III indicate that the influence starbase established nearby has helped to stabilise native influence:

Obviously, Arcean influence is still stronger, but as long as I can keep my colonies from switching sides, that's the main thing for now.

Similarly, the colony on Alenil II is reporting it's citizenry has settled down:

It's a good thing too, wouldn't want to lose high-quality worlds to the Arceans, especially when I spent so much time winning them from the Yor.

Intelligence reports indicate that Lord Vega has started pursuing the ultimate logistics technology:

However it will take 34 weeks for his researchers to complete this feat, whereas my team can complete their current research and beat the Arceans to the finish line with weeks to spare:

When I'm finished with Graviton Driver IV I will have access to one of the few remaining ship assist modules.  Not that I will want to start building a whole bunch of military starbases right now, but if I did, they would actually do something useful besides attract lots and lots of enemy squadrons (it must be the tractor beams that were installed last Tuesday).

You can see here that I've just about maxed out the four influence starbases around this Arcean colony and it's still not enough:

That's the power of native culture at work.  Still, there are other colonies which will soon see the light and change the channel to watch my awesome line-up of TV shows.  You can see on the minimap that I'm starting to poke some holes in the big cheese.

The Arcean colony on Martin I is now sympathetic to the Terran Alliance:

The influence starbases of the Terran Alliance are also working on converting the inhabitants of the Betelgeuse system:

I'm also able to catch a glimpse of a Precursor ship recovered by the LMT Corporate, which is cutting an impressive swathe through the Arcean Empire.

The colony on Hoth I is one of the latest additions to the Terran Alliance.  It's a fairly average world, but it is more than sufficient for my purposes.

Epsilon III has a number of pre-built Manufacturing Centres, which make it an excellent addition to the Terran Alliance.

 The change in loyalties at Hoth I brings my objective a little bit closer:

When the Ditla system joins the Terran Alliance, it will make the task of influencing Arcturus III a little easier.