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Phoenix Nexus  News Subspace Static - 209.41 |
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 The Detinus Games With the end in sight, we return once again to our coverage of the Detinus Games! Special Action/Lycosidae/Detinus Games/100 Metre Sprint/209 The contestants are lined up for this and all look pretty determined, though there has been a ruling against the Falconians and Cicindela has had her wings temporarily clipped. The Vehrenberg entry has opted for an unusual athletics costume - apparently a habit cinched by a thick rope and sandals. He really will need divine help if he is to be in the running - no pun intended. There are some lanky legged hive running for a few of the teams and our money is on them - though it is hard to tell without the stickers on their carapaces which is which without a pheromone translator. They are under starter's orders and taking the position, that is except the monk who has merely lowered his head and started praying. The gun fires, Cicindela has launched herself into the air in fright and has hit the overhead gantry - oh my God, the cables are coming down. It has hit the sprinters just paces out of the blocks - somebody cut the power before they fry! They are all down - no wait, the monk has finished his prayers and has started leisurely walking down the track. Seems the True One really does move in mysterious ways, and House Vehrenberg is the winner! RCF Under Attack The Imperial navy has launched a strike against an RCF ore freighter in orbit of the Falconian home-world. From initial Falconian reactions, it does not seem as if this strike was sanctioned, though it is unlikely they will put up too much of a fuss. The Detinus Games A prompt investigation by the DTR authorities has failed to uncover any evidence of tampering of the overhead gantry at the recently held 100 meter sprint final, prompting one organiser to shrug their shoulders and announce that maybe it was an act of God after all. Slightly more pragmatic observers continue to suspect black-ops involvement. Happily however it seems as if most of the competitors have gotten away with only mild burns, and a medical spokesman reports that they are almost certain that nobody will die. Vanus Flagritz forces continue to assault the Felini outposts of Vanus-1 and Vanus-2, though recent reports indicate that they have called in some orbital artillery support from a Mk4 Hegemony Class capital ship. Wolfpack The dread pirate Wolfpack has held his 1 year anniversary party at the Wolfs Lair recently, proudly celebrating 55 vessels captured in 52 weeks - an impressive tally by anybodies count. We are yet to hear a firsthand report of the celebrations, and ominously our reporter embedded with the Wolfpack is yet to make contact. Duel At Tortuga All manner of oddness has broken out around the recent duel challenge between the Baron LiQuan and Drake Takayama of the GTT. Rumours abound that the Baron has been temporarily detained by the Imperial Services at the behest of the Emperor-In-Waiting, Lysander, who apparently did not want his favoured advisor to be chopped into mince by the bookmakers favourite, Takayama. However, the story gets stranger, with the Baron LiQuan now being widely referred to as 'Baron Brownpants', for his failure to attend the duel, which lead to Takayama claiming victory, and Bookmakers groaning, not to mention an apparent declaration of war from the HLQ against the GTT. But given the Baron LiQuan appeared to be very very drunk whilst speaking from Imperial custody, we at the IGN newsroom are not sure if the declaration of war can be taken seriously or not. Were They Even At War Anyway? Imperial Press Release: Consul of the Falconian Republic, Goshawk, and Ike Krieger, Viceroy of the IMPerial Services have reached an agreement after minutes of exhaustive debate! Why are we at war? Why are we fighting? What kind of fighting is this, a slap fight between sorority girls? Does anyone remember why? Since no one can remember why the IMP-FCN war of ages ago is still only held at bay by a meagre Cease-Fire, using the wisdom of the owls, Ike and Goshawk have agreed that Peace makes far more sense than Cease-Fire. From this moment on let there be Peace everlasting between the Falconian Republic and the Stellar Empire. This electronic document and public broadcast will have to serve as our formal agreement until Ike and Goshawk can meet in person and sign the symbolic paper documents. Ike Krieger Viceroy Imperial Services. Agent Actions Following recent reports of agent actions at a number of DTR starbases, it seems as if the plaque has spread to IMP facilities. Though it seems as if the IMP have a fair idea of who is behind it, and have threatened retaliation. MacDud Travel Advisories Attention: Effective today the orbit of MacDud in the Kasmer system is under Imperial quarantine following an episode, shipping is hereby restricted to IMP/GTT/DEN and FET positions. All active markets will cease to trade openly from this point, ships not of the affiliations mentioned have until the end of the week to move about their business after which they shall be selectively targeted and destroyed, no compensation will be paid. This is your one and only warning. The following positions will be destroyed on Monday, I rather suggest you move. No compensation will be paid, bitch and whine all you like for all I care, you have had ample time and warning. SMS SHIP EI-M HAULER (3570) - {100 Light Hulls} RIP SHIP SOCIALLY POSITIVE (31002) - {100 Light Hulls} RIP SHIP LIMELIGHTERS (31621) - {100 Light Hulls} RIP SHIP KIANG (52480) - {40 Light Hulls} RIP SHIP HOLY SMOKES (60739) - {20 Normal Hulls} RIP SHIP MOON WALK (61083) - {10 Light Hulls} This orbit is now locked in consideration of the above, I do rather hope you have all been paying attention. RIP Press Release Greetings, The RIP are is deep discussions on how we can take on board recent suggestions in order to prove we are both trustworthy and honourable. These discussions are ongoing ... and will be continuing for a number of days yet. Once completed we will publish the results here. I would like to thank the FCN and DTR for their suggestions and assistance. Thank you. GT Spugman Pirate Outpost Captured The Falconian Republic is announcing the capture of a pirate outpost this week: "Greetings, A PIR outpost at an asteroid in the Curly system was captured today by Hawk Special Forces. It contained amongst a number of basic supplies an odd assortment of slaves which will be freed at a more hospitable location. The slaves were Falconian, Human, Felini, Flagritz, Krell, Kastorian and Naplian in origin. The defending troops were human soldiers and veteran human marines. Goshawk." Prince Lysander Greetings one and all This momentous event will be happening in the week before the yearly get together. Week commencing 16th November at House LiQuan on Masda in the Fortress system. Transport can be arranged for all, Has everyone is invited to attend this great occasion. All confederate and Imperial block affiliations have knowledge to get there, has do the MOH the Princes favourite. If transport can't be obtained by any one these please contact the myself and I will arrange transportation from our base in Yank. Security for this occasion is being handled by Mr Laton of the CIA. Any requests concerning this are to be directed to him. Baron LiQuan Lady Isabella Secudus The press is abuzz this week as news of Lysanders bride to be has finally been unveiled in the following Imperial press release: "The daughter of the famous Imperial Admiral Secudus, responsible for decisive action against the Tate and Detinus rebels. (An Imperial mega hero) Much of her life has been spent in the Peripheries. She has received the most sophisticated training in all aspects of politics, society and history that the Imperial Services has to offer. Just the girl to navigate the pitfalls of an Imperial Court." News agencies within the Detinus Republic have raised more than a few eyebrows at this, as from their perspective the 'decisive action against the Tate and Detinus rebels' involved rather a lot of orbital bombardment of civilian population centres and widespread torture and murder. It is probably no co-incidence that some of the more scurrilous Detinus tabloid news agencies have been running a series of photographs allegedly of the Lady Isabella failing to fit into her wedding dress. IND Destroyed The IND caravel class freighter the Let's See, has been destroyed in orbit of Dressler in the Aladdin system by a Falconian patrol. IND Vessels are reminded they are not allowed in any Falconian claimed systems. DTR Statement To The House Senators, Speaker of the House, esteemed sentients of the Peripheries. As you might be aware forces of the DTR Stellar Patrol have recently been engaged in detecting and capturing a hidden asteroid base belonging to Pirate Large in the Titan system. Uncovering this base was a long and arduous effort, requiring the construction of a 2000 hulled platform in the D-14 orbital quadrant. Throughout this operation, the Imperial Services, with whom we were working closely, declared D-14 strictly off limits, and actively engaged all trespassers. Notice of this was widely broadcast across all media services. It did not take long for the pirates to become aware of the presence of a large number of APTF warships in the quadrant, and they started to tickle our defences with a few scouts. The following vessels were destroyed by the platform: Date 16.4: PIRATE SHIP GHOST OF TITAN A (97063) PIRATE SHIP COURIER GALAXY (97363) - {20 Normal Hulls} It was at this point that we realised that the pirates must have known we were onto the location of their hidden base. Which is why we raised an eyebrow when the following turned up in D14 a short whilelater: Star Date 209.18.1 RIP SHIP MIDNIGHT ARRIVAL (93071) - {100 Light Hulls} - Attacking RIP SHIP MIDNIGHT EXPRESS (3917) - {100 Light Hulls} - Attacking RIP SHIP MIDNIGHT DELIVERY (53520) - {100 Light Hulls} - Attacking RIP SHIP MIDNIGHT DISPATCH (57365) - {100 Light Hulls} - Attacking RIP SHIP MIDNIGHT COLLECTION (61975) - {100 Light Hulls} - Attacking RIP SHIP MIDNIGHT HAULER (88293) - {100 Light Hulls} - Attacking RIP SHIP MIDNIGHT TRANSPORTER (95278) - {100 Light Hulls} - A number of these vessels were successfully engaged and destroyed, but the rest were able to run the gauntlet. An attempt was made to track them to the hidden asteroid base, but due to the difficult sensor environment that is the Titan system, this was unsuccessful. We might have considered the presence of this many RIP freighters to be a co-incidence, were it not for the occasion a few days later when the following were also engaged whilst attempting to run the gauntlet of D-14: Date 18.3: RIP SHIP BESSIE (52516) - {50 Light Hulls} - Attacking RIP SHIP BRIGHT BUTTON (75099) - {50 Light Hulls} - Attacking RIP SHIP BOREDOM (31123) - {50 Light Hulls} - Attacking And then yet again: Date 19.1: RIP SHIP COCKNEY GEEZER (47114) - {20 Normal Hulls} - Attacking It seems clear to us that the RIP were either employed by Pirate Large or Wolfpack to assist in evacuating the hidden asteroid base, which we now know to have been named Ocracoke Island, or they were providing their assistance for free as an act of friendship and support towards the pirates. A few days later it seemed as if they had finally learnt their lesson not to keep using RIP vessels, as PIR freighters started to arrive in large numbers: Date 20.3: PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 01 (75384) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 02 (5092) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 06 (14211) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 16 (21248) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 07 (22277) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 08 (23178) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 18 (26210) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 04 (31043) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 10 (43255) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 12 (46651) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 03 (57261) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 17 (69543) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 13 (72699) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 05 (77430) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 15 (82851) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 11 (83850) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 14 (87856) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP CARRACK 09 (91199) - {40 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP BLACK BESS (85215) - {50 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP FREIGHT (58259) - {50 Light Hulls} - Attacking PIRATE SHIP BHD PACK ANIMAL (1488) - {150 Light Hulls} - Attacking IND SHIP PARAGON PRINCIPLE (12510) - {75 Light Hulls} - Attacking IND SHIP CARLY (75412) - {75 Light Hulls} - Attacking Star Date 209.22.2 Targeting PIRATE Krabby (52578): Targeting PIRATE Krabby (40997): Targeting PIRATE Krabby (71487): Targeting PIRATE Krabby (22752): It is our belief that we only intercepted the tip of the iceberg in terms of vessels that were transiting D14, as we strongly suspect heavy cloaking activity was going on - a belief supported by the fact that when we finally detected Ocracoke Island, we found the remains of what was clearly a major pirate shipyard and construction base, quite possibly Pirate Larges main base of operations, that had been stripped of all useful materials and renamed 'Pirate Large Was 'Ere'. Also DTR patrol vessels detected a number of RIP freighters loitering in neighbouring orbital quadrants, which again points towards cloaking activity. Senators, fellow sentients, I put it to you that the RIP stand guilty of providing material support and assistance to the Pirates, of evacuating Pirate Larges main base of operations right out from under the noses of a combined DTR/IMP/GTT/SMS/FCN Anti-Piracy Task Force. I put it to you that for too long now the RIP have been skirting the edges of what is lawful and decent, and that finally they have shown their hand as the front for large-scale piracy that they are. Senators, Speaker of the House, I put the motion to you that unless the RIP immediately reveal where they evacuated Ocracoke Island too, that we publicly declare them to be a Pirate Organisation and ban them from DTR space. I have spoken to the Imperial Viceroy, and he stands ready to take similar measures against the RIP within Imperial space, and I would hope that the Commonwealth as a whole might take similar action. Yours, Cassius Jerusalem. DTR Foreign Minister. A vote on this issue then proceeds on the floor of the Detinus Senate, and is carried 'yay' by all hands. Pressure Mounts On RIP IGN sources within both Imperial and Falconian news agencies have told us that a ban on RIP positions within their respective spaces is imminent too, on top of the proposed DTR ban. And while the DTR ban is largely symbolic - the number of RIP positions seen routinely in and around DTR space is relatively low - the ban by the IMP and FCN would be far more serious, threatening several major RIP facilities. A further source has indicated the GTT may already be planning a major operation against RIP holdings. Whatever happens, it seems as if the very survival of the RIP is at stake, unless they can come up with some sort of information that appeases the wolves at their door. Though the RIP continue to state their innocence of any involvement in piracy. Abolishing Indentured Servitude With political pressure also mounting on him, the Baron LiQuan has moved to try and quell the increasing clamour against his use of indentured servants at his starbases - an act which is tantamount to slavery according to several Periphery governments, including the IMP/FCN/GTT/DTR/etc. The baron has issued the following statement: I have instructed my expert in Human Socio-Political Manipulation Prof. Victor Devitt to conduct a study into the best way to solve this problem. His lengthy report goes into detail about the system and how it works. Currently the law is such that anyone ending up in debt can have his (or her) debt turned over to a legal work management scheme. These effectively pay off the debt on behalf of the person and then set the person to labour, collecting their wages until such times as they are paid. They must provide housing and shelter. In the case of criminals, instead of a prison sentence they can be given a fine to be paid to the state. This effectively dealt with in the same manner though there are government enforced labour management schemes. This systems helps keep people out of the prisons so lowering the number needed saving tax payers stellars. It also generates an income from the legal management scheme. Changing this system will create a large cost to local the population has criminals will now have to be sent to prison. more prisons will have to be built, manned and maintained. The cost of living will increase has local manufactures will lose cheap labour and will have to pass the cost on to the customer. This can of course be done, it will mean doing an extensive program of re educating the local populations so they can adjust to having this system removed, and absorbing the downside to the standard of living to "one of those things". This will take a great deal of time when the re educating is done it will take 3-5 years to become fully effective. The scale of this project is huge and will take a very long time to achieve unaided. Has the population of Jericho number over 56,000,000 and Masda over 14,000,000. That is only the Fortress system, it does not include the systems of the inner confederacy. HLQ will start on the project next week I have already issued the orders to get the ball in motion. I am more than willing to go alone but that would take me close to 20 years to complete. That being the case I am more than willing to except help from the galactic community in this matter. You can contact me direct with your pledge or contact me on this channel if you wish to help. Baron LiQuan. It remains to be seen if this will help the Barons case, as several observers have commented to us in the press that there are two issues at stake here - one with planetary populations, and the other with workers at starbases - and that it would be relatively easy for the Baron to free and/or start paying the workers at his starbases. Well, we say relatively easy, it would probably bankrupt the HLQ. Particularly after those horribly expensive palaces he built for Lysander and his bride-to-be. Fancy Dress? With the annual DTR Halloween celebrations gearing up, several reporters have caught site of the Detinus Speaker Sivar and Foreign Minister Jerusalem dressed up as pirates, leading to a few red faces amongst the Detinus Press Corp. Breaking News Sources indicate there has been an accidental weapons discharge in orbit of Egghead. More details to follow. **Periphery Classifieds** To the GTT, With Hugs And Kisses The DLO accuses the GTT of SLAVERY of both the Krell and the Wimbles. Claiming their systems and forcing them to live under the laws imposed by the GTT amounts to involuntary subjugation. The GTT exploits the resources of the systems of these two races without asking permission or offering any compensation. The KRL and WMB are both powerless to object. This control amounts to slavery. We call upon freedom loving races of the peripheries to stand up to the GTT. Return control of these systems to the sentient indigenous peoples who deserve the right to determine their own destinies, free of external control, coercion or exploitation. We call on the GTT to turn over all assets within these systems to the indigenous races or to negotiate fair trade agreements. Free those under your yoke of oppression. The DLO. Goods Wanted Greetings, I am looking for a helpful soul who will supply large quantities of Consumer (less than $1 source value) and Luxury goods ($1 or more source value) without an origin planet / system. Please PM if you can assist. Goshawk Contact Request I would be very grateful if a member of the QNG could contact me regarding a trade matter. Thank you. GT Spugman Ships For Sale Greetings, I have three barges for sale immediately - $25,000 each. Quantum Jump Engines and Cyropods available separately. Please contact me by PM if you would like to buy. Goshawk REE Wanted Delivered to HQ (467) in Capella System. Bulk loads, PM me your prices and amounts please. Garcia Industries Shipping Have something that needs moving but just do not have the freighters to haul them at this time? Busy with other projects? The GCE currently has some 60k mu of shipping available at very reasonable rates. I do not have Stargate Keys so all shipping must be accessible without these. All shipping is completely confidential. PM for freight requests. DLG **Message From The Editor** Apologies for the tardiness of this edition. I have been away from my computer for much of the last couple of weeks. I think I've caught up with everything with this extra-length edition, but if there is anything outstanding that I haven't mentioned, please just drop me a line. Simon. |
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