RftG

First: from the previous Phase IV (Consume), Ryan does indeed choose to discard 2 cards for 2 VPs.

Orders for Round 6:

Ryan: Phase II - Develop
Laga: Phase II - Develop
omnis: Phase II - Develop
Connie Neil: Phase III - Settle
chrismg: Phase V - Produce

Ryan and omnis: Develop Bros! Ryan, omnis and Laga, in fact, now that the Explore Bros have all that exploring out of their system. So we start with Phase II (Develop).

Ryan plays Rebel Pact. This card has the new Explore power; when Ryan explores, he may now add his Explore draw to his hand before discarding. More important is its Settle power. Rebel Pact doesn't grant the ability to play military worlds as non-military; but if a player already has that power, Rebel Pact gives -2 cost when using it. Ryan has that power from Rebel Cantina.

Laga draws 1 card from Galactic Devbelopers, then plays Rebel Alliance for 5 discards. This 6-cost development allows her to play Rebel military worlds as non-military, at -2 cost. (Contact Specialist already lets her play other military worlds as non-military at -1 cost.) Its value at game end is 2 VPs per Rebel card plus 1 VP per other military world. It's currently worth 6 VPs in her layout.

omnis also plays a 6-cost development, Free Trade Association. He discards R&D Crash Program from his layout for -3 cost, to go with the -1 cost for choosing this phase. That means he needs to discard 2 cards from his hand to pay for it. This card lets him consume up to 3 Blue goods for 1 Vp and 1 card each, and lets him produce on a Blue windfall world in Phase V. Its value at game end is 2 VPs per Blue production world plus 1 VP per Blue windfall world, plus 2 VPs for a couple of specific cards. Its current value in his layout is 5 VPs.

Connie passes on Phase II.

chrismg draws 1 card from Interstellar Bank, then plays Space Mercenaries for 1 discard. This card gives +1 military strength (bringing it to 6), and lets him discard up to 2 cards to boost that strength by +1 each. With Mercenary Fleet, that means he could discard to bring his strength to 10 if need be. (It won't be, as the highest defence in the game is 9, for Rebel Stronghold.)

I need to check something before we move to Phase III (Settle).

RftG

Phase III (Settle):

omnis passes.

Ryan plays Primitive Rebel World. This is a Blue windfall world, 1 defence. He plays it for free with Rebel Cantina and rebel Pact. This card allows him to discard 1 card to gain +1 military strength.

Laga discards Colony Ship to play New Earth. This is a Brown production world that can consume 1 good for 1 VP and 1 card.

Connie plays Avian Uplift Race. This is a military Green windfall world with 2 defence. She plays it for free with Abandoned Alien Uplift Camp. She then draws 1 card for choosing this phase.

chrismg plays Rebel Base. This is a military world with 6 defence, which matches his strength after playing Space Mercenaries. With Hidden Fortress, this brings his strength to 7.

RftG

We finish the round with Phase V (Produce). Prepare for goods!

Ryan produces 1 Green good. He now has 2 Rebel worlds, so he draws 2 cards from Rebel Cantina.
Laga produces 2 Blue goods and 1 Brown good.
omnis produces 3 Blue goods; Free Trade Association allows him to produce on his Blue windfall world as well as the two production worlds.
Connie produces 1 Brown good and 1 Green good, and then draws 1 card for producing on Comet Zone.
chrismg produces 1 Blue good, and 1 Brown good on his windfall world, having chosen this phase. he then draws 1 card for producing on Runaway Robots.

And that concludes Round 6. (Administrative note: the goods and card draws from this phase exhausted the deck. I've reshuffled the discards.) Everyone, please send me your choice of Action card for Round 7.

RftG

End-of-round summary:

Round 6
Goals
Propaganda Edge - Most Rebel Military Worlds
Production Leader - Most Production Worlds
Overlord Discoveries - First to 3 Alien cards
Galactic Riches - First to 4 goods (Laga)
Uplift Knowledge - First to 3 Uplift cards (Laga)
Innovation Leader - First to have a power in each phase (Laga)

Ryan
Layout
Rebel Cantina (Non-Military World)
Merchant World (Non-Military World)
Distant World (Non-Military Green Production World) + good
Rebel Pact (Development)
Primitive Rebel World (Military Blue Windfall World) + good

Cards in Hand: 5
Military Strength: 0
Victory Points: 3
Layout Value: 6
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

Laga
Layout
Galactic Developers (Non-Military World)
Contact Specialist (Development)
New Vinland (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
Star Nomad Lair (Military Blue Windfall World) + good
New Earth (Non-Military Brown Production World) + good
Devolved Uplift Race (Military Blue Production World) + good
Insect Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World) + good
The Last Of The Uplift Gnarssh (Military Green Windfall World)
Rebel Alliance (6-Cost Development)

Cards in Hand: 3
Military Strength: -1
Victory Points: 1
Layout Value: 10
6-Cost Developments: 6
Goals: 9

omnis
Layout
New Sparta (Military World)
Free Trade Association (6-Cost Development)
Smuggling World (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
Galactic Resort (Non-Military Blue Windfall World) + good
Prosperous World (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good

Cards in Hand: 2
Military Strength: 2
Victory Points: 2
Layout Value: 6
6-Cost Developments: 5
Goals: 0

Connie Neil
Layout
Imperium Warlord (Non-Military World)
Outlaw World (Military World)
Abandoned Alien Uplift Camp (Non-Military World)
Comet Zone (Non-Military Brown Production World) + good
Reptilian Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World)
Plague World (Non-Military Green Production World) + good
Avian Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World) + good

Cards in Hand: 7
Military Strength: 1
Victory Points: 2
Layout Value: 11
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

chrismg
Layout
Epsilon Eridani (Non-Military World)
Runaway Robots (Military Brown Windfall World) + good
Secluded World (Non-Military Blue Production World) + good
Interstellar Bank (Development)
Mercenary Fleet (Development)
Hidden Fortress (Military World)
Space Mercenaries (Development)
Rebel Base (Military World)

Cards in Hand: 4
Military Strength: 5
Victory Points: 1
Layout Value: 14
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

VP Pool: 52

RftG

Orders are in.

Ryan: Phase IV ($) - Consume (Trade)
Laga: Phase IV ($) - Consume (Trade)
omnis: Phase IV (x2) - Consume (double VPs)
Connie Neil: Phase II - Develop
chrismg: Phase IV ($) - Consume (Trade)

Ryan and omnis both chose Phase IV, but different bonuses. Are they still Bros? I think now they are half-bros at best. We have two phases this round, starting with Phase II (Develop). Now, at the start of phase II, Laga and chrismg both draw 1 card. I'll pause before resolving to see if this changes their orders.

RftG

More on Phase II (Develop):

Ryan, Laga and omnis pass on playing a development.

chrismg plays Imperium Cloaking Technology for 1 discard. This lets him play a non-military world as if it were military, with a defence equal to its cost - 2. At present, that would let him play any non-military world in the game.

Connie plays Uplift Code for 5 discards. At game end, this 6-cost development is worth 3 VPs per Uplift card that also has a Chromosome symbol in the top left corner (like her card, Reptilian Uplift Race) plus 2 VPs for every other Uplift card. It's currently worth 10 VPs in her layout. It gives her a card draw in Phase V of 2 cards per Chromosome symbol. At present, that would be 4 cards.

RftG

Phase IV is where it's at, for four of the five players.

Ryan trades a Blue good. He gets +2 cards from Merchant World and +3 cards from Distant World, for 7 cards. He then discards 2 cards for 1 VP each on Merchant World.
Laga trades a Green good for 4 card. She then consumes 3 goods on Galactic Developers, New Vinland and New Earth for 2 VPs and 3 cards.
omnis consumes for double points. He consumes his 3 Blue goods on Free Trade Association for 6 VPs and 3 cards.
Connie is the only one not to choose Phase IV, having developed Uplift Code instead. She still consumes 2 goods on Outlaw World and Plague World for 2 VPs and 2 cards.
chrismg trades a Brown good for 3 cards and consumes 1 good on Epsilon Eridani for 1 VP and 1 card.

That almost concludes Round 7, except that Laga is 1 card over her hand limit. Laga, when you're ready, please let me know which card you discard. (Ryan would be 2 cards over his hand limit, but he tossed them for points in Phase IV.)

RftG

End-of-round summary:

Round 7
Goals
Propaganda Edge - Most Rebel Military Worlds
Production Leader - Most Production Worlds
Overlord Discoveries - First to 3 Alien cards
Galactic Riches - First to 4 goods (Laga)
Uplift Knowledge - First to 3 Uplift cards (Laga)
Innovation Leader - First to have a power in each phase (Laga)

Ryan
Layout
Rebel Cantina (Non-Military World)
Merchant World (Non-Military World)
Distant World (Non-Military Green Production World) + good
Rebel Pact (Development)
Primitive Rebel World (Military Blue Windfall World)

Cards in Hand: 10
Military Strength: 0
Victory Points: 5
Layout Value: 6
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

Laga
Layout
Galactic Developers (Non-Military World)
Contact Specialist (Development)
New Vinland (Non-Military Blue Production World)
Star Nomad Lair (Military Blue Windfall World) + good
New Earth (Non-Military Brown Production World)
Devolved Uplift Race (Military Blue Production World)
Insect Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World)
The Last Of The Uplift Gnarssh (Military Green Windfall World)
Rebel Alliance (6-Cost Development)

Cards in Hand: 11
Military Strength: -1
Victory Points: 3
Layout Value: 10
6-Cost Developments: 6
Goals: 9

omnis
Layout
New Sparta (Military World)
Free Trade Association (6-Cost Development)
Smuggling World (Non-Military Blue Production World)
Galactic Resort (Non-Military Blue Windfall World)
Prosperous World (Non-Military Blue Production World)

Cards in Hand: 5
Military Strength: 2
Victory Points: 8
Layout Value: 6
6-Cost Developments: 5
Goals: 0

Connie Neil
Layout
Imperium Warlord (Non-Military World)
Outlaw World (Military World)
Abandoned Alien Uplift Camp (Non-Military World)
Comet Zone (Non-Military Brown Production World)
Reptilian Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World)
Plague World (Non-Military Green Production World)
Avian Uplift Race (Military Green Windfall World) + good
Uplift Code (6-Cost Development)

Cards in Hand: 3
Military Strength: 1
Victory Points: 4
Layout Value: 11
6-Cost Developments: 10
Goals: 0

chrismg
Layout
Epsilon Eridani (Non-Military World)
Runaway Robots (Military Brown Windfall World)
Secluded World (Non-Military Blue Production World)
Interstellar Bank (Development)
Mercenary Fleet (Development)
Hidden Fortress (Military World)
Space Mercenaries (Development)
Rebel Base (Military World)
Imperium Cloaking Technology (Development)

Cards in Hand: 7
Military Strength: 7
Victory Points: 2
Layout Value: 15
6-Cost Developments: 0
Goals: 0

VP Pool: 40

Imperium Cloaking Technology: This lets him play a non-military world as if it were military, with a defence equal to its cost - 2.

Obviously this is Grand Admiral Thrawn's "no really, we can shoot right through your planetary shields" trick.

RftG

Orders for Round 8:

Ryan: Phase III - Settle
Laga: Phase III - Settle
omnis: Phase III - Settle
Connie Neil: Phase IV ($) - Consume (Trade)
chrismg: Phase III - Settle

Connie is the odd one out for another round. We have two phases, Settle and Consume. Starting with Phase III:

Ryan plays Rebel Outpost. This is a 5-defence military world. Ryan can play it as non-military using Rebel Cantina, and Rebel Pact gives him -2 cost; it costs 3 discards. This card gives him +1 military. He then draws a card for choosing this phase. That will be a recurring theme.

Laga plays Clandestine Uplift Lab. Unethical medical experiments! This is also a military world, 3 defence; she plays it using Contact Specialist at -1 cost, for 2 discards. This card lets her draw (but not keep) 1 extra card when exploring, and consume 1 good for 1 VP and 1 card. It also gives her extra cards when trading a Green good. This bonus is equal to the number of cards in her layout with a Chromosome symbol. That would currently give her +4 cards. She then draws 1 card for choosing this phase.

omnis plays Deserted Alien World for 1 discard. This gives him +1 card draw when exploring. It also gives him +2 military against military Alien production and windfall worlds (current total of +4), and -2 cost for non- military Alien production and windfall worlds. He then draws 1 card for choosing this phase.

Connie passes. Her turn will come.

chrismg plays Malevolent Lifeforms. This is a 4-defence military world. He has 7 strength, so can play this easily. This is a Green production world, and gives him 1 extra card draw when exploring. He then (say it with me) draws 1 card for choosing this phase.

Phase IV is next. There are a couple of people with choices to make here, so we'll pause for them to do so.