259-2508 Gateway News Service- Britomart
Very odd things happened on this border world today. Five Royal Sutekh Merchant Marine Tradewinds jumped into the system and did some very odd things. First one of the ships broadcast the following phrase on an open channel: Les sanglots longs Des violons De l'automne. Then the ships headed into the system where they were challenged by system defense command, and they said they were coming to visit Britomart “For the waters”. The French phrase is from a poem by Paul Verlaine; Chanson d'automne.
This caused some confusion, but they were authorized to land at the starport. As the ships approached the planet, they sent out another communication: Blessent mon cœur D'une langueur Monotone. Again there is no idea what this communication means. But two of the ships instead of landing at the starport split up with one landing in a mountain lake where there were just cabins. When police arrived, they found the ship sitting in the lake floating, with crew fishing from the open cargo bay doors.
When asked what they were doing, the crew told the responding police that they wanted fresh fish for dinner. The police ordered them to the starport, at which time the crew said they would just as soon as they made a few more casts. A game warden arrived an issued a citation for fishing without a permit. The ship then departed, with its backwash blowing the police off their grav sled into the lake. A citation for unsafe operation of a space vehicle in atmosphere was issued.
The other ship then proceeded to do aerobatics off the coast before landing in a remote area of the main continent where police found them, walking about collecting pine cones. When asked what they were doing, the captain told them they were just: “Grooving to nature, man, like you dig?” The police demanded that the ship head to the starport and report to customs, with the captain complying but telling the sergeant in charge that he was putting out: “Too many negative waves, like you dig me?” The ship then headed to the starport.
A third ship landed at the Starport and immediately opened its cargo doors, and began what the crew called “a Black Globe Generator Drill”. An unknown item of equipment was seen being moved into the bay, where it was connected to fittings and the crew yelled “Stand Back IT is going to start!” At which point a crewman ran to the device opened a hatch and went inside for what seemed much longer than the 10 minutes he was actually in the device.
A customs party entered as the crewman came out and commented: "Well I certainly blew that up!" and discovered that the “Black Globe” was actually a turbo flush system, complete with a High Fidelity sound system after EOD units were called to defuse the "bomb". A fine was issued for the use of an authorized toilet device which the starport is unsure meets space safety specifications. The crew then protested, and was told that their landing bay was not an authorized spot for unauthorized modifications to their ship in violation of Britomart law.
The other two ships remained in orbit in different locations, and when Space Control asked if they were going to land, merely replied that they were “taking in the view”, and for space control to " go find other things to pay attention to than two ships just orbiting". Black sun and Britomart police have been going crazy running back and forth to the various locations, and searching buildings and homes near where the ships have landed. We are unsure what they are searching for at this time. But apparently the search was fruitless.
An incident happened when a fisherman in a remote coastal area of Pottersville came ashore claiming that “Fiends from the deep” had tried to overturn his boat. Mr. Villers Carsten was fishing and enjoying “a beer or two” when he claims an enormous starship emerged from the water, almost swamping his small craft. He then said that the ship took off headed straight up but then immediately vanished like it had turned invisible. Police did a sobriety test, which Mr. Carsten failed, and was later found to have a blood alcohol level of .22, he was cited for boating while intoxicated. Mr. Carsten is well known to indulge in the amber nectar, and tell tall tales.
Suddenly all of the RSMM ships decided to leave without taking on a cargo, and despite repeated warnings from Space Control, vectored outbound to the jump point without clearing customs. As they were headed out, a New Drakkensburg frigate jumped in system, and claimed it was there to “assist Britomart Space Control”, ordered the RSMM ships to heave to and be boarded. The one ship stated to the Frigate Grand Veldt; “Leck mich am Arsch!” The RSMM ships headed out without stopping.
The Grand Veldt fired a warning shot at the lead ship. All five RSMM ships, of which two happened to be Nightwind Frigates, opened fire, and completely destroyed “the pirate vessel” which had fired a warning shot against them. The Grand Veldt was hit by x-ray lasers from ten detonation missiles and blew up with the loss of all hands. The RSMM ships made it to the jump point and jumped out.
Authorities on Britomart are scratching their heads at this, since RSMM ships never leave without haggling for cargo, and Nightwind class ships are never seen outside of Sutekh or Hades Station. The Nightwind and Tradewinds are 1,999 ton ships that appear identical to casual observers. Their behavior was very unlike the RSMM. GNS asked the on planet factor for the RSMM what was going on, and all he would say was that “Apparently there was nothing to be found usable on Britomart, and it was such a pity about that pirate, but the RSMM does not like pirates.” When told it was a New Drakkensburg ship, his response was: “Says you! We know it was a pirate, if we were somehow, and I doubt we were, mistaken, then we will issue a most polite apology.”
The factor then paid the fines of 2 million Britomart francs, which comes out to 5,000 stellars, and claimed that the RSMM would be nicer next time it came to a visit. When asked about the cargo of Britomart beer that was looking for a shipper, his only comment was: “Find the horse and pour it back in! We can’t even sell that stuff to blind drunk asteroid miners!” Then he added insult to injury by offering to sell them some New Quebec smelly cheese which "smells better than this beer!"
Very odd things happened on this border world today. Five Royal Sutekh Merchant Marine Tradewinds jumped into the system and did some very odd things. First one of the ships broadcast the following phrase on an open channel: Les sanglots longs Des violons De l'automne. Then the ships headed into the system where they were challenged by system defense command, and they said they were coming to visit Britomart “For the waters”. The French phrase is from a poem by Paul Verlaine; Chanson d'automne.
This caused some confusion, but they were authorized to land at the starport. As the ships approached the planet, they sent out another communication: Blessent mon cœur D'une langueur Monotone. Again there is no idea what this communication means. But two of the ships instead of landing at the starport split up with one landing in a mountain lake where there were just cabins. When police arrived, they found the ship sitting in the lake floating, with crew fishing from the open cargo bay doors.
When asked what they were doing, the crew told the responding police that they wanted fresh fish for dinner. The police ordered them to the starport, at which time the crew said they would just as soon as they made a few more casts. A game warden arrived an issued a citation for fishing without a permit. The ship then departed, with its backwash blowing the police off their grav sled into the lake. A citation for unsafe operation of a space vehicle in atmosphere was issued.
The other ship then proceeded to do aerobatics off the coast before landing in a remote area of the main continent where police found them, walking about collecting pine cones. When asked what they were doing, the captain told them they were just: “Grooving to nature, man, like you dig?” The police demanded that the ship head to the starport and report to customs, with the captain complying but telling the sergeant in charge that he was putting out: “Too many negative waves, like you dig me?” The ship then headed to the starport.
A third ship landed at the Starport and immediately opened its cargo doors, and began what the crew called “a Black Globe Generator Drill”. An unknown item of equipment was seen being moved into the bay, where it was connected to fittings and the crew yelled “Stand Back IT is going to start!” At which point a crewman ran to the device opened a hatch and went inside for what seemed much longer than the 10 minutes he was actually in the device.
A customs party entered as the crewman came out and commented: "Well I certainly blew that up!" and discovered that the “Black Globe” was actually a turbo flush system, complete with a High Fidelity sound system after EOD units were called to defuse the "bomb". A fine was issued for the use of an authorized toilet device which the starport is unsure meets space safety specifications. The crew then protested, and was told that their landing bay was not an authorized spot for unauthorized modifications to their ship in violation of Britomart law.
The other two ships remained in orbit in different locations, and when Space Control asked if they were going to land, merely replied that they were “taking in the view”, and for space control to " go find other things to pay attention to than two ships just orbiting". Black sun and Britomart police have been going crazy running back and forth to the various locations, and searching buildings and homes near where the ships have landed. We are unsure what they are searching for at this time. But apparently the search was fruitless.
An incident happened when a fisherman in a remote coastal area of Pottersville came ashore claiming that “Fiends from the deep” had tried to overturn his boat. Mr. Villers Carsten was fishing and enjoying “a beer or two” when he claims an enormous starship emerged from the water, almost swamping his small craft. He then said that the ship took off headed straight up but then immediately vanished like it had turned invisible. Police did a sobriety test, which Mr. Carsten failed, and was later found to have a blood alcohol level of .22, he was cited for boating while intoxicated. Mr. Carsten is well known to indulge in the amber nectar, and tell tall tales.
Suddenly all of the RSMM ships decided to leave without taking on a cargo, and despite repeated warnings from Space Control, vectored outbound to the jump point without clearing customs. As they were headed out, a New Drakkensburg frigate jumped in system, and claimed it was there to “assist Britomart Space Control”, ordered the RSMM ships to heave to and be boarded. The one ship stated to the Frigate Grand Veldt; “Leck mich am Arsch!” The RSMM ships headed out without stopping.
The Grand Veldt fired a warning shot at the lead ship. All five RSMM ships, of which two happened to be Nightwind Frigates, opened fire, and completely destroyed “the pirate vessel” which had fired a warning shot against them. The Grand Veldt was hit by x-ray lasers from ten detonation missiles and blew up with the loss of all hands. The RSMM ships made it to the jump point and jumped out.
Authorities on Britomart are scratching their heads at this, since RSMM ships never leave without haggling for cargo, and Nightwind class ships are never seen outside of Sutekh or Hades Station. The Nightwind and Tradewinds are 1,999 ton ships that appear identical to casual observers. Their behavior was very unlike the RSMM. GNS asked the on planet factor for the RSMM what was going on, and all he would say was that “Apparently there was nothing to be found usable on Britomart, and it was such a pity about that pirate, but the RSMM does not like pirates.” When told it was a New Drakkensburg ship, his response was: “Says you! We know it was a pirate, if we were somehow, and I doubt we were, mistaken, then we will issue a most polite apology.”
The factor then paid the fines of 2 million Britomart francs, which comes out to 5,000 stellars, and claimed that the RSMM would be nicer next time it came to a visit. When asked about the cargo of Britomart beer that was looking for a shipper, his only comment was: “Find the horse and pour it back in! We can’t even sell that stuff to blind drunk asteroid miners!” Then he added insult to injury by offering to sell them some New Quebec smelly cheese which "smells better than this beer!"
