Far Frontiers Gateway sector

[Murph]

215-2510 Gateway News Service- Gateway

Oliver Unwin, the Chief Post Officer for the Gateway Mail Service said that at this time the service has 100% coverage of the sector to include Grande France and Broken Drive. The latest Pony Express class mail boats with the Jump 3 drives have finally reached areas in sufficient quantity that they can move across areas that formerly required a carrier to move them.

The new ships, which are 250 tons, with Jump 3 engines, and 6g’s of power are essentially just a crew cabin attached to engines and fuel tankage. Able to carry a maximum of 4 tons of cargo, the newest mailships are granted access to every world by treaty.

Mr. Unwin tells us that the mail service can now reach each planet at least on a bi-weekly basis, if not even sooner, with some worlds getting mail within a week of it leaving Gateway since the mail service uses the Pony Express fuel stations which are located at the jump points, transshipping mail and downloads to a Type S for transit into the system.

While package delivery is still unrealistically expensive, Mr. Unwin hopes to be able to drop costs within a decade, while still living up to the motto of the service: Mail, delivered fast, reliably, despite ion storms, black holes, pirates, and giant space amoebas! The mail must go through!

 

[Murph]

210-2510 Gateway News Service- Britomart

The government of Britomart, has voted to allow their planetary security to be handled by the Black Sun Group. The company Black Sun Security will be taking over the starport contract from Omega Tech in what some are describing as a hostile takeover where Omega Tech was given a mere 8 hours to vacate after being told that their contract to run the starport which includes both the downport and orbital port, the main Starport hospital, and the EMS service for the capital city of Stonerwood. There is an apparently great deal of confusion as to why the sudden change when Omega Tech had run their starport for the last 35 years with no issues.

But experts agree that New Drakkensburg and its associated companies is becoming much more aggressive in seeking contracts to run starports, customs services, provide private military contractors, mercenary services, and military advisors to balkanized worlds across the sector as a way to gain influence, flex their muscles, and also allow for New Drakkensburg companies to gain traction on those worlds.

Omega Tech has vowed to not let this stand since the reasoning behind the sudden dropping of their contract appears to be some not so very subtle influence on the rulers of Britomart. Rumors are flying that in exchange for allowing New Drakkensburg essentially a free hand, certain members of the government have been gifted “specially talented female assistants” or male assistants as requested. We are being told that the assistants are exceptionally attractive, eager to please, and generally skimpily dressed.

Also large sums of money have been found to have been spent on “greasing the skids” over the last six months. As recent as the new year, Britomart has directed that cargoes from New Drakkensburg get diplomatic protection, which had led to rumors that slaves are being shipped out via Britomart instead of New Drakkensburg to allow for some deniability if they are indeed shipping genetically modified humans as slaves. It is known that shiploads of the “special cargo” have been intercepted as far away as New Africa.

New Drakkensburg is also eagerly courting many of the governments on Shiva, which has caused a level of concern on New Paris, New Joseon, and Freedonia. Just why New Drakkensburg has undertaken this aggressive diplomacy is unclear, but has caused concern across the sector.

 

[Grav_Moped]

giant space amoebas!

Amoeba Wars shout-out!

 

[coliver988]

Amoeba Wars shout-out!

I actually have that game! though never played (like so many of my games)

 

[Murph]

218-2510 Gateway News Service- Gateway

System Defense Boat S-113 has been found drifting in space in the Gateway System. The vessel which vanished from the Dusk system, has been found in the Gateway Kuiper belt drifting, powerless, and apparently abandoned. All attempts to reactivate the computer system have been to no avail, and the S-113 has been towed to Red Dirt Station where it will be examined under strict Quarantine protocols.

There is no trace of the crew, and it appears that the vessel is otherwise undamaged, but the crews personal effects are in their staterooms, and a meal had been left in the warmer system, but all power was off on the ship, with the fusion reactor shut down. There was over 80% fuel left in the tanks, so there is no explanation on why the reactor was shut down, since there was no damage, or other evidence which would explain this.

The computer appears to have had all of its circuitry fused, and all backup storage has been fused as well. We at GNS are being told that there is no way to recover any data from the computer system. Also destroyed were all personal electronic devices which could be used to record data.

Authorities are tell us that it is a complete mystery how a non-jump capable vessel managed to cross two parsecs and end up derelict in the Gateway System. The authorities have released the names of the missing crew, and are officially calling them missing presumed dead.

The whereabouts of the Green Vale are still a mystery since that vessel has not yet been found, but based on the location of the S-113, additional search vessels are being sent to the outer portion of the Gateway System. All vessels have been alerted to not board, but to call the Gateway Quarantine Service to handle the vessel if discovered due to fears of some sort of contamination.

 

[Murph]

219-2510 Gateway News Service- Xin Zhongguo

The Galaxy Metals saga seems to have finally been settled as the Imperial Administrator for the company has made his report to the Emperor, that all of the “bad actors” have suffered such punishments as appropriate for bringing disgrace and calumny upon the Empire, and the interstellar loss of face that entailed.

We are told that over three dozen executives and managers have been sentenced to terms ranging from five to fifty years at hard labor in the Imperial Penal System. Also the Imperial Administrator has addressed the vast majority of the major grievances by the miners, and employees of Galaxy Metals.

The cost of station upgrades, and facility safety improvements has been borne by the Imperial government, but Galaxy Metals has agreed to a 100 year pay back plan to cover the exceptionally large cost of bringing stations and facilities up to just the bare minimum of safety standards. The striking workers have agreed to return to work and to attempt to increase production as long as there are continued efforts to improve the standard of living among those working in the Serenity Belt.

The Emperor is planning on visiting the belt sometime next year to meet with the citizens and give them his personal assurance that things will not be allowed to regress to pre Imperial intervention levels. The former Governor was executed and his family forced to pay back to the Imperial Government all of the money he had extorted or been paid in bribes from Galaxy Metals, and the inhabitants of the system. But he ensured that the family was not made destitute by the fines, although they were quite severe.

 

[Murph]

223-2510 Gateway News Service- Xanadu BREAKING NEWS

We are being told that the government of Xanadu is in an uproar after several events which occurred that have caused massive fear and loathing across this planet. GNS has been told by sources inside of the planetary police that Senator Leong’s body was found hanging from a tree in the Wu Li nature preserve. His body had been found by a hiking club as they were preparing to stop at the break area.

Senator Leong’s body, according to police had been there for no more than six hours. His body was facing the rising sun, and we are told that this morning there had been a spectacular sunrise which at this location, which is a prime viewing area for such would have been a wonderful last view. We are being told that the police forensic unit is on scene, and they have identified from footprints an estimated five other people who were present, or which all have been determined to be male.

Senator Leong has been missing for several days, having not shown up for a vote in the Senate, and he was last seen at his residence three days prior. The police found a note at the location stuffed in his suit pocket where he said that he could no longer live with the “sins” he has committed, and he admits that he had committed crimes against Xanadu, and his fellow Senators. No evidence of foul play has been found by the police.

Word has finally been released by JSS security that Senator Pham and her husband were in the lower level of the building when the blast occurred, with her husband bringing the explosive device inside of the reinforced room where Dreamland was located. We are told that she had been shot in the stomach before the blast.

Lawyers for JSS Security, Cho and Win Industries, and the Choi Foundation are telling GNS that Anna Kim, the stepdaughter of Senator Pham is the legal heir to all three, and that a will has been released stating that Ms. Kim is the sole heir, which makes this enigmatic young woman suddenly ascend to being one the wealthiest women on Xanadu. Ms. Kim’s location is unknown at this time, but we are told that she is being guarded by some of the most elite forces JSS can provide.

Additionally news has broken that the half brother of Senator Pham, who was the only one who might have contested the succession of Anna Kim was found dead in his grav limousine with a single gunshot to the head, and three to the chest. Security cameras were not working at the time, but it did not appear that he had been forced into the vehicle, it appears he might have been surprised.

Chen Yu-Chan of the Red Phoenix has been released from the Central Jail after questions have arisen over the police investigation. However, we have been told that Chen was not supposed to have been released, only taken to the Central Police station where he could meet with special investigators. After he walked out the gates, police swarmed the area, but Chen had made good his getaway. He was greeted by several of his underlings with the traditional get out of jail offering of a block of tofu. Police are attempting to locate Chen, and determine who or how this mistake was made to allow the most dangerous criminal gang leader back out on the street.

The question other than who has removed all of these players from the board is where is the Guillotine file? The search for the file has turned Xanadu upside down as players from all factions look for the file since we are being told that the file could turn the power structure of Xanadu upside down as all of the illegal acts and questionable dealings are released. The potential for blackmail has never been higher.

 

[Murph]

226-2510 Gateway News Service- Dustball

Dakaar Minerals has been fined 50,000 stellars for violation of the claim belonging to the Dustball Speculative Mining company run by Bill Matoshi and his family. GNS has been told that the Dakaar Minerals team had moved their mining crawler up into the Matoshi claim and was removing valuable minerals in the Chagas Canyon area when a Matoshi crewed crawler showed up. The Dakaar Minerals crew attempted to flee, but was chased across the erg by the Matoshi crew who had called the Constabulary who were able to catch up with the crawlers, and arrest the Dakaar Minerals crew.

The cargo of platinum ore was impounded by the magistrates court in Low Wall, with the ore eventually being given to the Dustball Speculative Mining company after protests by Dakaar Minerals. Dakaar was claiming to the judge that even though they were claim jumping, and illegally mining on Matoshi’s lease, they should be allowed to keep the ore since they had “worked hard for that rock”.

The judge was unpersuaded as to this line of argument, and in the end decided that the ore would be given to Matoshi. He also imposed a total of 50,000 stellars in fines for claim jumping, illegal mining, disabling the locator beacon in the mining crawler, and firing a mining laser at the Matoshi crawler. Mr. and Mrs Matoshi were in the courtroom, and while Mr. Matoshi took the judgment like a gentleman, his wife Lishar R’Karnish kint Tolmarish mep Matoshi was less restrained, and told the Dakaar minerals crew that “her people would stake them out for the sand crawlers to eat if she ever saw them again on their lease”.

Like most K’Grech women, she can be a little forceful in defending what is hers and her families. Lishar is known to be one fiery spark plug to quote Hammerhead. After the verdict, he and his crew headed to the assay office to claim the ore. The Dakaar Minerals crew had no comment, but they were overheard stating that “this is not over, that Matoshi has foiled us for the very last time”.

In other Dustball news, the Grand Poobah and the New Texas ambassador have signed a trade agreement between the two worlds, which give products from Dustball tariff free access to New Texas markets, with reciprocal terms for New Texas products sold on Dustball. Also the New Texas government has obtained permission to increase the number of troops on Dustball at their deep desert training facility. The New Texas Army is also very involved in training the native forces. A sale of a dozen system defense boats to Dustball has been finalized, with the crews composed of humans and specially trained K’Grech. This will allow New Texas to slowly draw down its system defense units in system over the next decade.