• Welcome to the new COTI server. We've moved the Citizens to a new server. Please let us know in the COTI Website issue forum if you find any problems.
  • We, the systems administration staff, apologize for this unexpected outage of the boards. We have resolved the root cause of the problem and there should be no further disruptions.

Far Frontiers Gateway sector

333-2510 Gateway News Service- Nidhogg

The Nidhogg Hovercraft festival has kicked off, with many of the citizens of this planet showing up for the three day fest of food, drink, music and hovercraft. And as usual there is the eel stuff, where a hovercraft is filled with Nidhogg eels for some unaccountable reason. The team that manages to get the most eels in the hovercraft, all the while avoiding being bitten by these venomous creatures wins a prize of 1,000 stellars.

Hovercraft races, the most decorated hovercraft competition, hovercraft jumping, and other fun sports are in full view. Why hovercraft you say? Well on Nidhogg, since most people are less economically advantaged as they say, hovercraft are easier to repair, more economical to purchase, and work just fine on the world river. With most hovercraft being TL 9/10 they are well within the repair capability of most “Shade tree mechanics” on this sparsely populated world.

There is also a hovercraft demolition derby which takes place, and while not exactly sanctioned by the festival staff, is always part of the fun. Injuries are usually minor, and explosions are rare, but when they do occur are a fan favorite. Also many youngsters take this opportunity to “scope out” potential mates as many young men and women show up in full plumage to attempt to attract the opposite sex. There are justices of the peace on hand for any marital events which might occur. Due to the nature of the fest, firearms are prohibited on festival grounds, but bladed weapons as long as they are “useful tools” can be brought on to the grounds. Last year Bubba Arnovsky was told that a halberd was not a “useful tool” despite his extreme protests to the contrary. The year before he had attempted the same thing, but this time with a Zweihander, which was also confiscated before he was allowed onto the fest grounds.

In other Nidhogg news, a mining consortium from New Drakkensburg has set up shop in the Wild Water Canyon area, and rumor has it they have found several rich deposits of tantalum, and other valuable ores on the near hot side. New Drakkensburg is starting to take more of an interest in this thinly populated world. They have set up several shops selling goods to the inhabitants, often times undercutting other groups which have been active on Nidhogg for decades.

Thevins Mining has also shown up, but they are concentrating on the asteroid belt, and gas giant rings at this time. Also they are providing support services for a number of independent belters operating in the rings. Gateway Industrial Metals, and Galaxy Metals of Xin Zhongguo have begun sending operating groups into this system.
 
336-2510 Gateway News Service- Gateway

The Travellers Aid Society has officially declared the colony vessel “Wings of Freedom” which was transported the 12,000 members of the Church of the True Believers to a pristine world to get away from the sinful effects of technology as officially lost. It was listed as “missing” in 2509 and per TAS rules, it has now been officially declared as a lost ship. The 50,000 ton vessel which had been built 200 years ago, and was progressively upgraded from TL 10 to 11, and before it had been chartered had just completed a complete overhaul at the General Products yard.

The leaders of the Church were an anti-technology group, and had hired the ship to take them to an unsurveyed world in the River Deep Subsector which they thought would be far enough away from the settled sector that they would not be contacted for at least 100 years which would allow then to develop the world of Paradise before the contamination of technology would arrive.

The Church finds any technology higher than TL 4/5 to be “Sinful”, and they have their own sacred texts taken from the Bible, the Hindu sacred texts, the Koran, and Buddhist scriptures which call on man to avoid “Soul destroying technology”, especially computers. The 12,000 believers took ship in cold sleep in an attempt to find a world to plant their colony on, so they would not be contaminated.
 
341-2510 Gateway News Service- Gateway

We can finally report on the secret meeting held on 327 day with the Prime Minister and his staff. The discussion was the recent increase in violence on certain balkanized worlds in the sector, and what actions that Gateway was going to take in order to assist in restoring peace across those worlds.

We have been told that there is a great deal of concern that the planetary instability of Marduk is going to have a ripple effect across the sector, and there are those who are concerned that New Drakkensburg is assisting in that very instability. Already, the government of the Gateway Federation is seeing some increase in separatist movements in the Gateway System itself.

New Avalon has a separatist movement which has never reconciled itself to having been made a part of the Gateway Federation when Gateway invaded after the collapse of the Gate. Suspicion is falling on New Drakkensburg, which seems, for reasons of its own, to wish for there to be chaos across the sector, although why becomes the real question.

GNS was told that a naval task force with two assault carriers was being prepared for intervention in Marduk, with the 8th Marine Regiment, and the 197th Jump Brigade being sent by the Army. But we are cautioned, that the force would only be deployed at the request of a government on Marduk, or Amaterasu requesting assistance. The force is prepared to depart the Gateway system on 96 Terran Standard Hours notice.
 
345-2510 Gateway News Service- Xanadu

Police have finished the investigation into the death of Ahn Cho-Myeong who was the head of the Diamond Spear gang in Busan on Xanadu, which occurred on 240-2509. It was determined that he was targeted by Senator Leong over his refusal to pay the senator’s agreed upon “fee” for having the police ignore the gangs operations. We have been told by the police spokesman that Senator Leong had deep ties with certain organized crime figures who he used as “leverage” on his political opponents in the Senate and in city government.

We were told that the late Senator had also made a pact with Senator Pham’s brother that if Pham was “removed” from the political equation, and also had her interests in various businesses and the Foundation taken away, he (Leong) would ensure that her brother faced no difficulties from opposing members of the family. Pham’s brother apparently not only had corrupt policemen on his payroll, but members of the Red Phoenix gang.

Senator Pham on the other hand had JSS security which performed similar tasks, and also provided intelligence material for Dreamland her computer system which is reported to have stored decades of blackmail information on politicians, business people, and others which is partly why Senator Leong was so desperate to get his hands on Dreamland. When it was destroyed the senator thought that all of the information had gone with it, but when it surfaced as the so called “Guillotine Files”, the Senator panicked, and made an ill advised attempt to pressure Miss Anna Kim who he thought might have the files.

His suspicious death several days later, is still under investigation, but police tell us that they suspect it will end up with the Cold Case unit since there are no leads at this time. With the deaths of so many players in this sordid drama, the question then becomes; Who is the new power broker on Xanadu? So far there have been whispers that the power structure is in flux since the fall out of the Guillotine files has not yet been finished, with resignations of many formerly powerful business and political figures.

Elections have been called due to the requirement that when a certain number of seats in the Senate go vacant, an election is required. We are told by sources close to the matter that Miss Kim has met privately with several political figures who are suddenly retiring, and as to what was discussed between her and those people who suddenly found a need to “seek other opportunities, generally off world”? Could Miss Kim be the holder of the Guillotine File? At this time no one knows, but JSS security has her wrapped in very tight security wherever she goes.

She has been seen by members of the press on what appear to be several social outings with a certain handsome bodyguard, who is not acting exactly like a bodyguard, but more like a boyfriend. We attempted to meet with her, but Senator Pham’s former chief of staff refused all attempts by GNS to meet with Miss Kim, and we were told that any future attempts would be considered press harassment, and charges would be filed against us.

In other Xanadu news; Police Spokesmen did tell us that they have made arrests of certain persons who appear connected to the New Drakkensburg embassy, but are not diplomats, due to their involvement in organized criminal activity related to smuggling of high tech items which are on the embargoed list of items that cannot legally be sold or transshipped to New Drakkensburg. Some of the items were medical equipment used in biological and genetic work.

Also found were samples of various viruses, which are being used to produce vaccines for certain plagues such as the New Africa Plague, and the K’Grech Spotted Plague. The Customs office stopped all of the shipments after a tip off by an unknown person who gave police exact locations, shipping codes, and an itemized list of the material being shipped off world to eventually go to New Drakkensburg via Shiva, Britomart then to New Drakkensburg.

BioGen has issued a press release that six employees have had their employment terminated since they were caught accepting bribes to allow access to very secure corporate data involved in BioGen’s efforts to combat several diseases, as well as plant genetic modifications for both low and high gravity worlds in addition to plants resistant to the Huang Di fungus. Police tell us that the employees were arrested and three have confessed completely, leading police to be able to roll up the ring involved. Our source inside told us that certain un-named outside specialists were the ones who blew the whistle on this smuggling ring.
 
347-2510 Gateway News Service- Gateway

Home Robotics Inc, has issued a recall for certain fixtures in its “Whole Home System 2510”, it seems that the bidet module has a software glitch, that causes the spray feature to turn on in “turbo mode”, and as one wag stated: “Rather than just gently cleaning ones bum, it gives you the fire hose treatment, which while leaving one sparkling clean, also tends to cause an awful mess in the loo”.

Replacement software and fittings can be had with an appointment at the local dealer of the Whole Home 2510 system, and Home Robotics is not charging for either the service call or the software replacement. Home Robotics systems are the most popular home system across the Gateway Federation.
 
349-2510 Gateway News Service- Esperanza

Fromage et Cie, the maker of Fromage Vert et Blancs has released its 2510 cheeses, and at this time, cheese eaters are raving over the quality of this years cheese offerings by this world, and subsector famous cheese maker. Well known for the most pungent, or as some call it “The most vile smelling cheese ever made”, Fromage et Cie has a following on multiple worlds, and its cheeses are made with travel in mind.

As one reviewer stated of the Fromage Blancs et Vert: Once you get past the gag reflex, this cheese has it all! A long lingering finish, which pairs well with a nice robust port or well aged Cabernet Sauvignon, the only side effect is to remove the stench from the clothes, furniture, and room once you have finished the cheese.
 
350-2510 Gateway News Service- Dunwich

The Overlord of the City State has opened the Pre-Christmas fair in this decidedly odd colony, which has attracted quite the number of tourists from both on and off planet. The Fair which will run until Christmas Eve will showcase local artisans, as well as those from outside of the City State who want to attract notice of their handiwork.

The “Elves” and “Dwarves” who are escaped genetic experiments also put on various shows during the fair which have proven popular. The Dwarven pipers of Loch Hammond always draw a crowd, especially when they do a battle of the bands with the Elven band “Warbride” which has put out several recent albums which have garnered positive reviews from the Music Press, and had even opened for Veedback in their last tour.

The City State has become one of the bigger tourist attractions on Dunwich, and has been a home for many escaped genetic slaves who are on the decidedly “different” spectrum. All have found a home here, and seem to be fitting in with the overall ambiance. The city has a strong economy thanks to the rich mines which the “Dwarves” have opened which have provided much of the money for the colony.

Another feature of the Fair is the 24 hour Roleplaying Master level games, where the best players from all around meet in the great hall of the Cryptic Citadel and play against each other. The prize for the best all around play is 500 stellars, and free rides on all of the attractions of the City, including a guided tour of the dungeons.
 
352-2510 Gateway News Service- Grande France

Both the colonies on this planet are in vigorous competition between each other with vineyards, and cheeses. Both colonies are working on developing products which would be attractive off world to attract investments, and free traders to visit the world. There was a “rumble” between the two over a border issue where some children belonging to the New Parisian colonists crossed a brook to steal fruit from the France Apple trees which are a tasty local fruit that have no relationship to Terran Apples.

The New Quebec authorities detained the children for “theft of their sacred patrimony” which led to a sharp exchange of invective between the two colonies, and eventually the children, who were allowed to eat all the sugary snacks they wished and then sent home unharmed to their parents both hyper and with severe stomach issues, to the great annoyance of the New Parisian colonists.

A fence was erected along the brook by the New Quebec colony, but the New Parisians claimed that the fence actually encroached on their colonial lands, and tore it down, which led to a spirited round of fisticuffs between those in New Quebec who wished to restore the fence, and those New Parisians who wanted it torn down. Since the New Parisians could call in more reinforcements, they temporarily held the ground, and dismantled the fence which was 12 meters beyond the brook, and the New Paris colony claims the brook is the actual border between the two colonies.

Things are certainly lively on this border world, and both sides are looking at using the France Apple trees as the basis of some rather potent liquor, which is being distilled into a rather high octane, if tasty local drink. We at GNS will keep you informed of the latest in this continuing saga of colonial disputes.
 
Back
Top