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SubSpace Static Archive
214
Previous Years
Intergalactic News
Issue 33
Issue 32
The Dewiek Special
Issue 31
Issue 30
Older Issues
 
208.31 - 208.35


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Subspace Static - 208.31  [Recruit]


No issue for this week.

Subspace Static - 208.32  [Recruit]

Atrocity?

Disturbing rumours are reaching the IGN news-room of some sort of mass-slaughter of unarmed Flagritz civilians. It is said that the civilians were engaged in a largely peaceful protest when an orbital bombardment was called in on them by person or persons as yet unknown.
More news as we get it.

Flare Up In Twinkle
News agencies at highstar have been carrying the following story:
“Highstar defence command extends its gratitude to the crew of FLZ SHIP HK FREE FLZ (29009) for bravely sacrificing themselves in order to provide a light show for the inhabitants of Sapphire.
When we assumed governance of Twinkle the Tyrant in his generosity permitted the FLZ to continue to utilise the Stargate as long as they honoured the peace of the system, did not land any positions on planetary surfaces and avoided the orbit of Sapphire. They have violated this agreement and it would be reasonable to remove their transit privileges as a response. But the Tyrant is his wisdom has to consider the high possibility that this suicidal and pointless violation of Sapphire orbit was due incompetence or inexperience rather than malice and has not decreed such a ban....yet. Limitations may follow if it proves the FLZ are simply incapable of abiding by reasonable restrictions. .. If the FLZ have any comment which may effect his deliberations they are welcome to put them forward.
Rasshan, Pridesenior of Pride Starhunter, Overseer of the Twinkle system.”

The Flagritz Empire responded angrily to the destruction of a peaceful unarmed freighter on its way to trade with the Imperial Starbase Eagles Roost on the planet.
Since the departure of the Haynes family from Highstar, the Twinkle system has certainly been very quiet, could we be seeing the system become a flashpoint once again?

Raid
A single Flagritz warship has launched a raid on a small Felini outpost in the Skye system, inflicting light damage before successfully withdrawing. There are no reported casualties.

Piracy
Pirate orbital raiders have been destroyed by the AFT in the starling system this week, when they dropped onto the planet surface and launched an attack against the AFT Starbase Babylon.
It is unknown what the pirates were attempting to do, as they attacked with a force numbering twenty troops, which made for short work for the AFT defenders.

Treasure Chest
The Imperial authorities have released details of their interrogations of prisoners captured at Pirate Large’s hidden asteroid base, Treasure Chest.

Special Action/Ex-Pirate Base/IMP Interrogations/208.30.
The slaves are freed having given accounts of how they were captured
from ships and bases during pirate raids. The prisoners and employees give similar accounts - forced to choose execution, a life of slavery or join the pirates. It's a tough universe and when you work for a faction that does not protect its own bases, does not come to your rescue when it is assaulted, well then maybe you are better off looking after number one!

It is unknown how many slaves have been released in total, but the Imperial authorities are to be congratulated.

Pirate Scouts
A number of suicide pirate scouts have been intercepted and destroyed this week, including a scouting party that attacked the GTT Starbase Resurrection in the Starling system.

Wolfpack
The IGN are pleased to say that following negotiations, we have managed to get one of our IGN reporters embedded with the Wolfpack mercenaries to bring first hand reports on their activities.
Reporter Redd Harvest was picked up somewhere in the Yank system by an unmarked independent vessel, and delivered to an unknown destination (somewhere within 3 jumps) where a rendezvous was arranged with the Wolfpack maintenance and command and control facilities.
Their first transmission has since been received via coded untraceable lines:
“Here follows my report on the Wolfpack attack last week on the AFT in St.Dismas.
We left the maintenance station in a squadron of fourteen ships, heading for St.Dismas. According to Wolfgang we were due to meet up with another group of Wolfpack ships prior to the attack, the location of which they would not tell me.
We arrived in St.Dismas and within the hour the second squad of Wolfpack ships arrived bringing the number up to twenty one, all of the 100 heavy hull SoL design. All had since been heavily converted by the mercenary band with most having advanced torpedo launchers fitted.

We then moved off, it seemed that we were returning to exactly the same location of the last attack which I thought was a somewhat risky move for the group. As Springfield came into view the captain of my ship informed me that this time we were not to intercept ships leaving, but to enter orbit and go head to head with fixed defences and warships located there. Knowing how much the AFT had suffered in the previous seven months from the attention of the Wolfpack I thought this mission was going from risky to reckless. At this point my request to use one of the ships lifeboats was denied.

Upon entering orbit all hell broke loose, a platform was located in orbit and began firing while the ships moved forward to engage the multiple warships located in the orbit. At this point several outposts located on the planet opened up too, sending huge numbers of missiles towards us. The ship next to us was singled out by the largest of the defensive outposts and well over a thousand missiles streaked towards it. I did not anticipate it surviving very long.

Our ship locked onto the AFT ship Erzherzog and started firing salvos of torpedoes. The AFT ship had also been targeted by a several other Wolfpack ships and after three batches of torps had been launched the Erzherzog imploded leaving little other than space dust and scrap metal floating in orbit. Our captain switched targets to the AFT ship High Noon, which was already under attack from other Wolfpack members. Our last salvo streaked towards it, two thirds of which scored hits and the High Noon broke in two, her integrity having been compromised from the massive damage she was receiving.

The call was given for the retreat. All surviving Wolfpack ships turned to leave orbit as the AFT ships and defences fired one final time. As the cloaks activated to avoid any incoming reinforcements the last few shots from the planet streaked past us, several ships taking light damage from this long range fire. The large defensive outpost gave one of the ships a final goodbye, sending several hundred missiles into it seconds before the cloak engaged. Luckily the captain of the targeted Wolfpack ship confirmed over the comm that his integrity was holding and nothing of any great importance had been destroyed onboard, so he could maintain position within the squadron and escape from orbit.

Once out of orbit and safely on the way back the squadron damage report started coming in. Several ships had taken light damage, one had taken serious damage and the ship that took all the incoming missiles and gone down in flames. The AFT also had several ships showing light damage and one serious damage, but had lost two main line warships along with two escorts. So despite the heavy defences the wolfpack had lost one ship and taken out four. It seems that my initial appraisal of the mission had been incorrect, although quite reckless they had entered an enemy orbit and pulled off a victory when you compared the size of both forces and the number and size of ships involved.

To be honest I was pleased to be out of the warzone and was looking forward to getting back and sending my report to the editor. I just needed to make sure that I completed that form for danger money this time. I earned it.
Redd Harvest
SSS Reporter
cc.
Wolfgang,
Wolfpack Squadron.

Architects
The ARC continue their mysterious investigations of stargates throughout known space, with several affiliations now having tried and failed to open communications with them.
The Detinus Republic are understood to have a secret plan underway to attempt once more to open a line of communication with these ancient aliens. Cassius Jerusalem, the Detinus Foreign Minister, has angrily denied rumours that his secret plan might involve the Grand Fleet in some way.

**Periphery Classifieds**

RIP Want To Talk To Pirates
Could the owner / operator of :
PIRATE SHIP GHOST OF ST DISMAS (52709) - {3 Heavy Hulls} - Attacking
Please contact me at the (censored) Room...
Many thanks...
RIP GT Spugman.

Prisoner Repatriation
On going through the logs on one of my starbases I have discovered a group of "Prisoners".

They all claim to have awakened on various dates in the alley behind a den of iniquity whose name we won't mention. They were severely beaten by two 150 kilo cyborgs and told to "pay up or else." The amounts varied between 500 and 50000(!) stellars for a one night binge none of them remember. This includes one person who said her last memory was drinking iced tea, no sugar.
Apparently the only recourse is to pay up or fake your own death then ask Archangel to put you in protective custody.
If anyone is interested I would like to repatriate these individuals.
Strangely enough the RIP members asked to be shown the nearest airlock without a space suit rather than go back.
FGZ - Boater
FEL - Sau'nton
GTT - Elizabeth De Burgh, Helen French
RIP - Gideon Fairchild, Tyramut, Henry BoneFinger
If you are interested in retrieving these individuals please contact me.

Strangely enough there is one more in the protective custody section.
The tag on his door says:
ICE - Pete
From the surveillance record he has not said a word in the past two years. The record does not go beyond that time. I've never heard of the ICE. Can anyone tell me anything about them?
Cirdan

**Special Feature**
Rebirth Of A Nation, the Log Of Darius Shirazi.

Part 2.
I was pacing the makeshift office I had set up in Whitegold, when he walked in with a beaming smile and arms outstretched.
"Brother!" Kuris exclaimed as he gave me one of his infamous bear hugs and kissed me on both cheeks. It had been merely a couple of months since I last saw him at our family home but so much distance and the heavy burden of work made my brother's embrace all the more welcome.
"How is Fatama? And the kids?" I enquired after getting my breath back and checking my ribs in mock concern as I always did when my brother showed me affection in his usual style.
"Good, good. Everyone is well. And so proud of you," he beamed back at me.
"Well, lets get to business," I went on brusquely.
"Same old Darius, little time for pleasantries when it comes to the family business."
I nodded, half-acknowledging my imperfect nature. It was well understood that I was the focused one between us. My brother, who was by my own admission, smarter, more charming and more noble than I could hope to be lacked my hunger and devotion. Content with a life amongst the stars he abhorred the political game and his brief flirtation with management had driven him into a nasty drug habit which had taken many stellars to cure and hide from the public.

I picked up a data chip sitting by the almost-obsolete terminal I was afforded upon my arrival and handed it to my brother. He placed it into a shiny portable device, which I noted probably cost more than my entire office.
"You are to take command of the ship Persian Explorer I, brother..." I began.
"One? There are others?" he interrupted.
"Not yet," I replied and ignoring his knowing smile continued before he could interrupt again, "Anyway, you are to take this courier ship and once refitting is done, go to the CLASSIFIED system and begin immediate exploration. Report your findings to the CC and myself, please."
"OK. Anything else?" he asked as I turned my attention to some recent communication from a potential friend who had been sympathetic to our cause.
"Hmmmm? No, no. Everything you need to know is on the files on that chip. The CC will be assisting us with a few additional resources in due course but I'm putting you in charge of the overall exploration."
"Very well. Just like old times. The techs a bit different but I'm sure I'll get the hang of that soon enough," he told me as I half-listened. I looked up and gestured with my eyes at the pile of reports on my desk and my brother got the hint and quickly left. I suppressed an immediate pang of guilt and comforted myself in the knowledge that of all people in the universe, Kuris would be the one who would most understand that I had to stay focused at this critical juncture. There would be time for family reunions and small talk in due course. I was not about to waste this opportunity.
Things had been developing quickly since the CC had entrusted Corunna to my care and yet I felt the urgency of our cause pressing down upon me. My first act had been to bring our two remaining family vessels to Corunna where they would begin the necessary shipping of goods for sale at a local RIP base. I smiled at the thought of trading with the RIP, legitimately and without fear of being discovered by IMP spies. How times change.
The captain of the caravel Persian Trader I, another allusion to future ambition, was a good man but his attention to detail was less than inspiring. I read his report and saw that the recent refitting at Moria had gone awry as they had forgotten to install the latest thrust engines after removing the old model. This meant more time wasted in an additional maintenance complex visit but I remained calm still buoyed by my brother's arrival. In my good mood, I merely admonished the captain and docked his pay for the month and ordered him to take some Attitude Adjustment Training at the nearest terminal. I wondered if I had softened in my middle age.

Our other ship, the Persian Protector I, a heavy cruiser was also in the process of refitting and whilst that didn't seem to suffer from the same ineptitude it did mean our entire family fleet was grounded at the moment. Switching to the outdated accountancy package on my terminal, I was glad we had some savings built up to cover this period. Yet, there were many expenditures due to be made and unsurprisingly, the trading situation in the Peripheries seemed to have worsened because of the outbreak of peace and the strong presence of pirates. I marvelled at the prices on open markets and wondered how free-dealing captains made a stellar anymore.

I sighed and looked away from the terminal to stare through my small window onto the world beyond the mountain retreat of Whitegold with its gleaming towers. The boredom of looking at financial papers and reports from ships docked for R&R was beginning to get to me. Perhaps, I should have not been so hasty at dismissing my brother but I knew he would need time to adjust to his own command again. Besides, his work would shortly bring me plenty of exciting reports from this new star system. Reinvigorated by the thought of exploration and the potential of new outposts of our own creation, I returned to my terminal and went to check through my reports again when I saw a new message from the CC. Amongst the many exciting revelations was a cursory note stating a couple of Hauler class ships would be added to my portfolio.

I smiled at the potential and on a whim I got Kuris on his private comm channel and arranged to meet for drinks. There would be time for reports, simulations and trade negotiations tomorrow. Today, my brother was in town.

******
Contacts:
Editor: Simon Field - sss [dot] editor [at] googlemail [replacetoavoidspamdot] com

Subspace Static - 208.33  [Recruit]


No issue for this week.

Subspace Static - 208.34  [Recruit]

Large Unmasked! Imperial Services Named!

The blog of renowned pirate hunter and FET security director Mike Storm this week broke shocking news regarding the identity of Pirate large.
With no warning to any of the Periphery news outlets, Director Storm revealed intelligence that directly implicated the IMP as being the affiliation providing support and protection to the dread Pirate.
By kind permission we have been able to bring the full transmission of this, and present it for our readers:

***

Mike Storm looked down at his file of classified reports. He could not believe so much had happened to him in such a short time.
Just over two years ago he had joined the FET and rapidly taken on more responsibilities until being made security director. The FET had not taken any part in the war for some time so he had quickly made himself busy hunting pirates.
Pirate Large had sent his old ship, named Small, in to take an FET ship. It had failed and was destroyed approaching the target. A proud day for the new security director. He was asked to join the APTF.
He remembered the day he spent sat at his terminal, publicly arguing with Jack Ryan the independent trader on the com channel. An IND ship had shown up in Dryad, followed the next day by multiple pirate boarding ships who attacked the FET freighters in orbit. Unknown to the pirates many of the FET ships had been fitted with missile launchers and they had warship captains on board with orders to defend each other at any cost. Two freighters had been lost to the boarders, but two pirate boarding ships had been destroyed as they closed on their prey.

Under the illusion of wanting to compare reports a request had been sent out for any reports from ships that had been boarded. The Falconians and the independent Jack Ryan had sent them in. The following day all ships in orbit were scanned as the APTF ships arrived to prevent the captured freighters from escaping and attempt to intercept the pirates. Surprise, surprise, the report from the IND captain did not match his ships configuration. It was a faked boarding report to divert attention from the ship who had spotted the targets for the pirates. The APTF had destroyed an IND ship in orbit that was also controlled by Jack Ryan, it had been attempting to deliver a bridge to one of the FET freighters captured the day before. By interacting with the pirate ship it showed it’s true intentions. Game over.

Shortly afterwards the pirate ship Black Dog had attacked an FET convoy under his control. Boom! One more dead pirate. An attack that seemed to be motivated by revenge rather than sense as the FET convoy consisted of twenty ships.
Then there was the asteroid he had found in Blagard being used as a supply dump by pirates. The information had been shared with the APTF and the pirate outpost had been destroyed quickly. His first attempt at using a ground party.
He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. Then there was the other asteroid in Erasure that was host to a pirate base owned by Large. He wished that he had never seen it. Ever since that scan first came in things had become more complicated. Then they went from bad to worse.

Large, he repeated that terrible name to himself.
He got up and walked to the window. Outside was the desolate asteroid that he had been living on for the last few months.
Ever since the attack on the Erasure pirate base he had not been back to an FET starbase. They were too public, too much chance of a well funded assassin taking him out.
Of course, he regretted keeping everything from the other FET members, but some information is just too dangerous and would make them targets for Large too.

Why did Large have his main two hundred hull boarding ship over that asteroid where his base was, and why were there ten imperial ships also in orbit. Yes, it made life difficult from then on, not helped by the fact that most of the ships were Carrack class freighters with a couple of Flea class two hull scouts thrown in for good measure.

He had known straight away the problems this would cause. If you were dealing with pirates you would not send ten ships to the location, including a couple of scouts. You would be in and out of there like a shot. Not that any pirate as well known as Large would actually let you know where his main base of operations was, and then let you enter orbit while his famous boarding ship was sitting in orbit.
He had thought it better to ignore the asteroid and the ships there, but his conscience would not let him.
The IMP were powerful, much more so than the FET.
He had asked Large for the hyperdrive back from a captured FET freighter. Actually he had asked many times, each time being brushed off. Man, he hated that, being brushed off by a no good pirate. It’s not like he was asking for a lot.

Then he got tricked into collecting three thousand marines from Pompeii and some APEX while it was under pirate control using his teleporters. He felt dirty. He realised that he’d put the whole of the FET at risk, sure they had a shady past, but they didn’t deserve it. They had made him one of their own, trusted him.
After the third request for the hyperdrive something inside him snapped.
He sent the security fleet to rough up the pirate outpost. Of course, no imperial ships were there this time. In fact they probably had not been back since they saw his FET sensor ship enter orbit last time. Needless to say the big pirate ship called Large was not in orbit either.

Then he contacted the APTF about the pirate base in Erasure.
The next day everything went crazy. The IMP, GTT, FET and DTR had all answered the call to help attack the outpost and arrived in orbit. The data for the asteroid had been sent to all four affiliations first thing. Three of them had received it before the ships arrived in orbit. One of them never did receive the asteroid location, but their ships found it anyway. The data went to the CIA by mistake.

Large admitted to the APTF that it had been his main base for pirate operations, which made the ships seen in orbit even more suspicious. If that was possible.
Mike went back to his desk in the remote outpost. Since that day he had only felt safe there, away from the masses. He closed his eyes again. He realised now that he had let everyone down, his fellow FET members, his good friend Cirdan in the AFT, all of the GTT and the VSC chief Max Price, who like all traders, he had protected by hunting pirates with a fanaticism rarely seen in the peripheries.

He should have sent that first sensor report on the asteroid in to the APTF immediately. Or kept it to himself. No, he knew he couldn’t do nothing with the information, but he respected the Viceroy very much and had not wanted to cause him trouble.
Damn his conscience, here he was living on a rock rather than mixing with his friends in Port Royal.
His only hope was that the person backing Large was working alone. Sure, he had many assets and was a powerful man, but if all of the IMP were involved he was a dead man as soon as they found him.

***

With the cat out of the bag, events then unfurled rapidly throughout the rest of the day, as more and more evidence of Imperial collusion in Pirate Large’s operations was revealed.

Initially the primary thrust of the Imperial response appeared to be aimed at bringing Mike Storm to justice for admitting to working with pirates, but as pressure mounted on the Imperial Viceroys office, the Imperial security forces turned their attentions inwards towards identifying the guilty party or parties within their own ranks who were responsible for the depredations of Large.


Anti-Piracy Task Force Disbanded
Amidst chaotic scenes at the APTF headquarters, the multi-affiliation task force is now reporting that it has been suspended, pending a full disbanding, following the revelations of the potential identity of Pirate Large and his backers.
An un-named source within the APTF has indicated that for almost 12 months now there has been strong evidence that somebody within the APTF was sharing sensitive data directly with the pirates themselves, and that the operational integrity of the organisation was hopelessly degraded.
A disgruntled member of the APTF has been quoted off the record as saying ‘Well this at least explains how Large was always one step ahead of our patrol forces.’

Pirate Large Revealed!
The game is up for Pirate Large, as events following Mike Storms disclosure snowballed, the following transmission was received across open comms networks from the office of the Imperial Patrol Commissioner Gandolph:

IMPERIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Suspected Pirate activity relating to a member of the Imperial services……….
It be comin to our attention……..(cough cough)……
It has come to our attention that information relating to pirate activity has been forwarded to our offices and a full investigation is underway.
A lock down aye there be an appenin an the ……………(cough cough)

Rephrasing my last statement
A full lock down has started within the Imperial services to route out the imposter by our security director who will no doubt very shortly, any minute now, be ar knockin on me door ahhargghhh………(cough cough)
(in background) (squawk squawk)
Keeps the noise down Doubloon yee little fooker, im live ere aye I be………..
Anyway, I as decided that me days be a numbered, I is comin out o the closet, a scheming fella as dropped me in it, I just wished I ad come out 24 hours earlier than he and squealed maybe I would have had people saying I was a hero, but alas I can talk the true talk.
(Dons aye patch, lifts up left trouser leg and exposes wooden leg, loud thud as cock hits the floor)

Ahharrgghh me hearties…………….
It be aye……………….
Pirate Large……………..

I is no longer in the IMP, I as pre-empted me security visit an hopefully if yee gets this feed aye, I as escaped to me hide out. All my private assets will come with me, this is everythin I as nicked.
I is telling yee one thing though, I worked alone, its been the only way aye that I was able to succeed for so long. The moment I started tradin supplies, tradin information aye I was eventually doomed as some under handed shite who fesses up after a conscience problem drops the bomb shell.

I is sayin aye that by this very ere night that me affiliation assets will be seized and the IMP will be free of me, or as I see it me free from the IMP, the shackles be loosed, my own conscience of not attakin peoples I be fightin along side they be gone. If Mike Storm does some how survive the criminal enquiry, he as the whole criminal underworld to answers to aye he as. A squelin pig always as its throat slit, an he an his friends who dropped me down this path will be getting a visit from me.

Yee may thinks hows he going to do that then………..well I tell yee now that nothing troops wise be missin from IMP stocks, my troops be generated by me and will still be by me. Wen I took Freedom City it came with the tech required for me to enhance me pirates, train me lads, not just to shag the livin daylights out o the prisners, which quite frankly I be top dog at, when you got the tackle I as, but to kill, and kill we will be doing aye……….

I be a fair pirate, well reasonable fair, an I won be doin anything underhand to try an takes anything from the IMP (at this stage anyway) I as moved things to enable the people I is leavin behind to try and sort out the mess. Anything that be mine and mine alone comes with me.

Well me time comes, I is betrayed my son, I can try an sort out me new life on the run, an exciting time it be, as yee al be me fair game, well some more than others aye……
IMP Gandolph……….garrr I means Pirate Large.


Viceroy Responds
The following transmission has been released by the Imperial Authorities regarding their official response to the Pirate Large Revelation:

***

The Viceroy's personal security staff has unearthed evidence implicating the Patrol Commissioner, Gandolph (37710), in piratical activities. The Head of Security and his team go to IMP Sevastopol (4997) with a Viceregal warrant to arrest and detain the Patrol Commissioner on charges of Aiding and Abetting Pirates, Misuse of Imperial Assets, Conduct Calculated to bring the Imperial Services into Disrepute and Conduct Unbecoming to an Officer of the Imperial Services. The Patrol Commissioner's offices and residence are to be secured under Scene of Crime regulations and to be subjected to full forensic and data examination. The members of the Patrol Commissioners personal staff are all to be arrested pending helping the security services with their enquiries.
Result:
Special Action/IMP Sevastapol/Arrest IMP Patrol Commissioner Gandolph
(37710)/208.33.4
Startled faces greet the jackbooted troops that flood the offices of the Patrol Commissioner with an imperial warrant to detain Gandolph on charges of Aiding and Abetting Pirates, Misuse of Imperial Assets, Conduct
Calculated to bring the Imperial Services into Disrepute and Conduct Unbecoming to an Officer of the Imperial Services.
Unfortunately the Commissioner is not currently in residence and the base is undergoing a routine security lockdown, hence the lack of incoming and outgoing communications.
The Viceroy's security team force the door to Gandolph's office but as already discovered, he has fled and all they manage to arrest is Doubloon, his parrot.
A quick search of the office reveals his executive toy gallows and a lot of corrupted data archives.
Failing to find the man himself, they will have to be content with his staff who all seem quite shocked by the turn of events.

The (now former) Patrol Commissioner appears to have left the Starbase one jump ahead of my security team. Investigations will continue but might take some time.
His rapid and apparently unplanned departure is considered as an admission of guilt and the paperwork is in progress to formally discharge Gandolph from the Imperial Services with ignominy. Once he has been apprehended a full trial can take place.
The Viceroy is offering a reward of 250,000 stellars to anyone who delivers the live body of the former Duke Gandolph to an Imperial installation, we are most anxious to interview him in depth.

***

Questions remain however about the convenient escape of the Imperial Patrol Commissioner, with several sources reporting that he had been tipped off as to the arrival of the Imperial security services, and allowed to escape.
The Peripheries wait with baited breath to see how civilian populations will respond to the shocking revelation of the true identity of Pirate Large.

Imperial Viceroy Forbids Independent Investigation

Following an angry exchange between the Detinus Republic Foreign Minister Cassius Jerusalem, the Imperial Viceroy has absolutely denied that there will be any sort of independent third party investigation into how deeply into the Imperial Services the activities of pirate large have penetrated and how much collusion there has been amongst the higher echelons of the Imperial command hierarchy.

Despite suggesting the investigation could be carried out by the closest Imperial allies, the GTT, Admiral Lord Simms has stressed that his own security forces are perfectly capable of running the investigation.

Mike Storm
Reports have surfaced that Mike Storm has been recalled to FET Headquarters following the fleeing of the Imperial Patrol Commissioner, with the FET confident that reprisals will not be forthcoming.
The future safety and security of Mike Storm is however open to question, as the man who exposed Large and brought such embarrassment upon the Imperial Services, our sources within the shadowy criminal underworld are already indicating that substantial sums of money are being offered for the successful assassination of the FET Security Director.
We should stress that there is of course no evidence at all that the Imperial Viceroy has put out a hit on the FET Security Director.
But it would be a pretty cool story if he had.

Doubloon In Hot Water
Parrot Doubloon, Pirate Larges henchparrot, remains the only guilty party to have successfully been taken into custody by the Imperial security forces following the greatest shock in Periphery history.
With mounting pressure to bring more guilty parties to trial, things are looking bleak for Doubloon, as rumours circulate that the parrot is about to be indicted for crimes against humanity, and face a show trial.
Already a fledgling ‘Free Doubloon’ organisation has sprung up, citing a special interest in protecting innocent parrots from Imperial aggression.
The Imperial Viceroy Admiral Lord Simms has declined to comment on stories that he is a parrot-hating psychopath.
Admittedly because we haven’t asked him to.

Slave Rescued
A captive has been rescued from the offices of Pirate Large/IMP Gandolph. The prisoner, a young woman, is understood to have been a captive FET prisoner taken by Large, and kept at the Imperial residence.

GTT Funding Pirates?
The Rip News Network, whose reporting we here at this fine publication never call into question, are running the following statement from the RIP command hierarchy:
Three sources have brought certain information to our attention recently, although one of those is undeniably untrustworthy, and as such we publicly ask the GTT to prove they are not funding pirate activities within the peripheries.
We will be forwarding our data to the owners of the respective space where this disgraceful acts of betrayal took place and will assist them with following it up in whichever way they choose.
I personally hope that the corruption within the GTT is limited only to a few, or less, political positions and that they act quickly to prevent tarnish to their good name.

**Periphery Classifieds**

Contact
Would the owners of the GTT outpost Basteel (77657) and the FEL outpost Steel
Station (88270) please be kind enough to contact me privately? Many thanks.

May your profits ever grow,
Inyja Norema
Governor, AFT Novasol (4781)
Steel, Twinkle

Jacium Wanted
Gentlefolk of the peripheries,
I have a customer who wishes to purchase Jacium. Would anyone with
surplus capacity that would like to convert it to stellars please
advise me of price and quantity.
zz

Zachariah Zupkern and Uncles third cousin
Fully Independent and Trustworthy.
My Word is My Bond
Traders to the Universe.

Contact Request
Will the Captain of the StarShip JW FLOSSY (80722)
please contact Big BUZZ at gandalf-white@msn.com
Thanking you !

Contact Request
Falconian contact requested
Baw'Xok
Imperator
Flagritz Empire
Glory to The Empire

**Message From The Editor**

I think I’m close to the word limit for this edition. So I’d better stop here.
More catch-up news next week. Along with hopefully a special edition today.
Simon.
******
Contacts:
Editor: Simon Field - sss [dot] editor [at] googlemail [replacetoavoidspamdot] com

Subspace Static - 208.35  [Recruit]


No issue for this week.

 
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*** Inter Galactic News ***

Claims settle in Solo and Faery

With the NHS bringing in almost a million troops into Solo and the GTT choosing it's moment to contest Faery at the same time, it seems the DTR and it's alllies either found it hard to find enough troops to respond or quite simply decided it wasn't worth the hassle as there were far more important matters to deal with in the Senate. Who knows what other life threatening topics they have to discuss, such as the correct biscuit to have with afternoon tea. The end result is that Solo and Faery, both systems with significant incomes, are now under control of Empire based affiliations.

GTT move to clear out the Dewiek Pocket Pheriphery

Having resorted to bribery to get other affiliations to move out of the DHP, with rumoured multi-million stellar amounts being offered, the GTT now appear to have cranked the pressure up. An AFT base has been attacked and a few of the nearby ships have been blown up and damaged by GTT warship class ships patrolling the area. As we write this report, information we have seen shows that the GTT have already taken 20% of the AFT base and fighting continues. We approached the GTT to ask why they are resorting to force and were told that they have had to move significant military power into the DHP to deal with ANT forces, so now they are mopping up all the resistance of other affilaitions that were asked to leave and decided not to.

BHD relics and trophies

Pope Akhenaten of the Brotherhood has been touting more and more wares that are unique to the BHD. If you are missing a holy relic and have no idea how to fill that little space in your living quarters then you know where to go. From robes to candles, literature to wine and novelty ornaments, it's never been easier to bring a little bit of the Brotherhood home and exchange your stellars for spiritual well being.

*** Affiliations ***

AFT Association of Free Traders (54) - Marion Tweedy
BHD - Brotherhood (63) - Akhenaten
CIA Combined Intelligence Agency (64) - Laton CIA
DNA Displaced Natives Asylum (66) - DNA people
DTR Detinus Republic (58) - Morley Decker
DWK Dewiek Packs (19) - <Unknown>
FCN Falconian Republic (70) – Graspien
FEL Felini Tyranny (49) - Kr'Shan
FLZ Flagritz Republic (47) - Kayxaer
FET Frontier Exploration & Trade (56) - Cu Chulainn
GTT Galactic Trade & Transport (52) - Xavier Fox
HEX Hexamon (23) - Hexamon
KRL Krell (30) - Namica
KRT Krell of the Reverence Temple (37) - Cyn
KST Kastor Kastorians (12) - Kastor
MOH Mohache (73) – Listens
NHS Noble Houses (41) – Roy Roberts
NLF Naplian Liberation Front (38) - NLFHQ
SMS Stellar Mining and Smelting (53) - MikhailM
WMB Wimble Nations (25) - zz

* Leader MAY be inactive, affiliation may be active
** Only known contact, please update us if this is incorrect.

NPC / FoC: ARC, CIV, CGT, FRE, HBO, HEF, IND, ISP, JCN, MEK, MRC, PIR, PRV, TCA, TRN, KAS
Inactive: ANT, COD, BHD, DEN, DOM, GCE, HVE, IDC, IMP, RIP, RCF, SKW, TAG,

*** Submissions ***

By private message to The Editor or via Mica if you prefer to remain anonymous.
 
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*** Inter Galactic News ***

Solo claim swings back and forth

The situation in Solo appears to be getting even more heated. First the NHS dropped 600,000 troops to contest the system and then the DTR answered with enough troops of their own to trump the NHS claim. The NHS found yet more troops, taking the contesting claim up to 750,000 and once again the DTR answered, bringing Solo back under DTR control. Now the NHS have had a look down the back of the sofa and found yet more troops, taking the contesting claim to a massive 900,000 trained troops. We wait to see if the DTR have an answer to this. We can only guess where all these troops are coming from, but what is clear is that the established affiliations clearly have far larger armies than many thought.
 
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*** Inter Galactic News ***

NHS attempt to claim Solo away from DTR

In a shock move the NHS have contested the Solo claim with a huge garrison of 600,000 trained troops. In a move that nobody saw coming, especially as it was unknown the NHS had such a large force of troops to draw upon, the NHS seem to be provoking a response from the DTR. Currently there has been no word from the DTR in how they are going to deal with this claim jumping, although rumours are that they are pretending the Solo claim doesn't really matter to them and so action is unlikely. However this may be a smokescreen and we may yet see the DTR's powerful fleet cause havoc in the system of Solo, which has for a long time been an important junction and fought over by many different factions.

DNA Chairman TonTon resigns

The following communication has been leaked from the DNA to the GTT's PD.

Greetings CEO Fox.
It regrets me to have to inform to you that the DNA nation state will be renouncing its claim on Aladdin system following a ceremony planet side, shortly.
However, it gives me great pleasure to have to inform you that these ceremonies are being planned by Vladimir Tavikovitch, the South Road Traffic Coordinator. He is also responsible for all DNA and .ore. assets in the Outer Naplian (Capellan) periphery so if there are any further issues, please take it up with him.
For any and all other matters, please forward your request directly to the DNA directorate services at NexusID: DNA people.
The Foreign Ministry objects one last time to your illegal claim jump of Aladdin, but we realise it is time to de-escalate.
Normally i would sign off with Naambta, but doing so would be hypocritical. Let me say good riddance instead.
I hereby resign in protest!

Chairman TonTon,
Foreign Minister, DNA
cc: Directorate Services personnel coordinator - !urgent resignation!


DTR threaten WMB with fines for multiple breaches of DTR Law

Lady Sylvansight of the DTR has issued a fine of 1,000,000 stellars to the Wimbles for multiple breaches of DTR Penal and Territorial Law. This seems a very brave move of the DTR to risk upsetting the huge and warlike WMB when they also have the rival NHS Solo system claim to deal with. No word has been recieved yet that the Wimbles are going to pay, but if the formidable WMB warfleet is seen heading for the DTR home systems we will know what their thought are on the matter. The DTR and WMB fleets going head to head would be a sight to behold.

*** Affiliations ***

AFT Association of Free Traders (54) - Marion Tweedy
BLG Bolg Organisation (22) - Akhenaten
CIA Combined Intelligence Agency (64) - Laton CIA
DNA Displaced Natives Asylum (66) - DNA people
DTR Detinus Republic (58) - Morley Decker
DWK Dewiek Packs (19) - <Unknown>
FCN Falconian Republic (70) – Graspien
FEL Felini Tyranny (49) - Kr'Shan
FLZ Flagritz Republic (47) - Kayxaer
FET Frontier Exploration & Trade (56) - Cu Chulainn
GTT Galactic Trade & Transport (52) - Xavier Fox
HEX Hexamon (23) - Tranquility
KRL Krell (30) - Namica
KRT Krell of the Reverence Temple (37) - Cyn
KST Kastor Kastorians (12) - Kastor
MOH Mohache (73) – Listens
NHS Noble Houses (41) – Roy Roberts
NLF Naplian Liberation Front (38) - NLFHQ
SMS Stellar Mining and Smelting (53) - MikhailM
WMB Wimble Nations (25) - zz

* Leader MAY be inactive, affiliation may be active
** Only known contact, please update us if this is incorrect.

NPC / FoC: ARC, CIV, CGT, FRE, HBO, HEF, IND, ISP, JCN, MEK, MRC, PIR, PRV, TCA, TRN, KAS
Inactive: ANT, COD, BHD, DEN, DOM, GCE, HVE, IDC, IMP, RIP, RCF, SKW, TAG,

*** Submissions ***

By private message to The Editor or via Mica if you prefer to remain anonymous.
 
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*** Inter Galactic News ***

DNA and GTT clash over Aladdin system claim while Pirates look on.

The GTT have this week launched an attack on the DNA outpost in Aladdin, in what appears to be little more than a turkey shoot. Around 100,000 GTT Naplian Startroopers attacked the DNA position to remove the rival system claim. Reports indicate the DNA garrison were taken by surprise and lost control of the base in the first few hours of the fighting. The base has since been reflagged from [Free Naplian Capital] Peaceful Protest to [Loyal Naplian Capital] DNA claim Ended so it's fair to say there was a clear message being sent by the GTT. We have been waiting for the DNA leadership to comment but so far they have been unusually silent. No doubt when they have crawled out from under their desks they will have something to say on the matter.

While this attack was going on several pirate ships were also seen in Aladdin, according to the GTT in what may be true or may be a diversion, with reports of a pirate GP and scout being destroyed while a 150HH pirate warship slipped away and escaped from incoming anti-pirate patrols.

Secret meeting of the EEM

A recent communication intercepted by one of our top reporters today made us aware of a meeting of the EEM. This is underway in a top secret location called Black Pool, which sounds suspiciously like the lair of a pirate band. After pulling in many favours, we were able to identify some of the attending members. On the bases that they won't be named we were able to find out some slight information of the subjects to be discussed at the meeting and one thing is for certain, there could be huge impacts to the lives of everybody living in the galaxy. Details to follow. When the shadowy figures of the EEM come together with the top political players in a pirate base the possibilities are endless!


You are never more than 6 systems from a RAT ðŸ€

A new saying has arisen in the bars and spaceport of starbases throughout the many peripheries; you are never more than 6 systems from a RAT.

It is understood that this saying originated in Yank and spread by trade vessels to peripheries far and wide. Many starbases have heightened their security and added additional sensors and locks to various entry points including foul and grey water outfalls. Beer and drug stocks are undergoing increased proofing to avoid the critters gaining entry and consuming the stockpiles.

Will this present as a new plague of proportions never before seen or is this some simple urban myth being spread for the amusement of some mischievous entity? Who knows, but to be certain... check the shadows.

 
This year we will again be returning to the Briardene Hotel. They were welcoming, the bar didn't run out of beer pre-covid and there was room for quiet chats. Along with Wetherspoons there is the Victoria just down the road (Sam Smiths - last time beer was around 2 shillings per pint and a full round was less than £10).

Mostly drinking beer and talking toot though we have a good few things on the agenda.

Bookings are done directly with the hotel. Book by phone and say that you are with KJC Games

Briardene Hotel
Telephone: +44(0)1253 338300
All staff should be able to deal with the booking but if there are any problems ask for Tracy (manager) as she dealt with all our foibles in previous years.
 
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*** Inter Galactic News ***

Dog days are over

With the fall of the DEN and the implosion of their home territory as the AFT, DTR and GTT moved in, it was unlikely the Dewiek would rise again. The DWP gave the species a little hope with the Dewiek Pocket Periphery kept under lock and key. But news has reached us of the AFT's penetration of this private area of space that's been locked down. With a base and claim in one of the three visible systems it seems that the end of the Dewiek is near. A once noble and aggressive race, determined to make an impact on the galaxy is now little more than a species that lives under the command of others. A sad end to a once powerful species that used to control a significant part of known space.

Pirate activity continues

Yet more reports of pirate activity have been received, one from the WMB, losing a freighter in Solo and another from the FET who reported they had engaged and hit the attacking pirate ship with several weapons before it managed to make off with it's prize. Hopefully the pirate ship took significant damage and will now be out of action for some time. The Corewards periphery seems to have been plagued with pirates recently and many travellers would welcome a break from attacks.


MEK incursion into Corewards

The FET and GTT have mounted a joint venture into Nog-Kesri to tackle a MEK force. It isn't known where they have come from, with the only other MEK ships seen so far being located in the Orion Spur. The lack of a known link between where they have appeared in Corewards and the Orion Spur has caused some concern among planetary populations as who knows where they could turn up next! Fortunately the combined FET/GTT task force dealt the MEK a heavy blow and the threat has been eradicated. But we all know this is unlikely to be the last we hear of the MEK in Corwards and we would encourage ship captains to keep a keen eye on thier sensor screens when travelling near Nog-Kesri.

 
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*** Inter Galactic News ***

  • CIA freighter fights off overwhelming pirate forces

  • Fin Saine media broadcast, What is Hot in the galaxy?!?!

  • MEKlan forces attack in Corewards Arm


  •  
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    *** Inter Galactic News ***

    Aladdin faces ongoing DNA/GTT tension

    The tensions between the DNA and GTT in the Coptuv system recently spilled over into the DNA system of Aladdin. A significant party of GTT ground troops has reinforced one of their bases in the system and claimed it, forcing the system claim into turmoil as the DNA finds itself under threat of losing the system. With the DNA chairman asking for help, several affiliations have been seen sending ships to evacuate any in the local population that want to escape the GTT. But so far not a shot has been fired and despite the AFT, FEL and DTR assistance no reisistance to the claim jump has been encountered so far. It remains to be seen if the DNA and it's friends will scatter before this hostile take over or put in a last minute counter claim to thwart GTT intentions.

    Increasing pirate activity

    Recent reports indicate a new surge in pirate attacks with the AFT and GTT reporting ships lost. Knowing how some don't like to advertise losses we wouldn't be surprised if this is the tip of the iceberg. Reports passed to us show the ship PIR Scavenger running ID 43174 and another ship of the same name running ID 68668 have both been in action with successful boarding attempts. It's unknown whether these are seperate ships or the same ship reregistered, but our information suggests that it would be hard for these pirates to cover the space where these attacks happened with just one ship. One thing is for sure, be on your guard as open space is not as safe as it once was.


    GCE ships loitering in deep space

    After the fall of the GCE and a lot of their assets being shared or purchased it was thought that the affiliation was no more. Yet deep space scans indicate that there is still a significant number of GCE warships holding station in deep space between Coptuv and Yank on the transport route into the Corwards Arm. Nobody knows what these ships are up to and why they are still flagged GCE, but our best guess is that are captains either awaiting new orders or owners after the fall of the GCE command structure.


    *** Affiliations ***

    AFT Association of Free Traders (54) - Marion Tweedy
    BLG Bolg Organisation (22) - Akhenaten
    BHD Brotherhood (63) - de Molay
    CIA Combined Intelligence Agency (64) - Laton CIA
    DNA Displaced Natives Asylum (66) - DNA people
    DTR Detinus Republic (58) - Morley Decker
    DWK Dewiek Packs (19) - <Unknown>
    FCN Falconian Republic (70) – Graspien
    FEL Felini Tyranny (49) - Kr'Shan
    FLZ Flagritz Republic (47) - Kayxaer
    FET Frontier Exploration & Trade (56) - Cu Chulainn
    GTT Galactic Trade & Transport (52) - Xavier Fox
    HEX Hexamon (23) - Tranquility
    KRL Krell (30) - Namica
    KRT Krell of the Reverence Temple (37) - Cyn
    KST Kastor Kastorians (12) - Kastor
    MOH Mohache (73) – Listens
    NHS Noble Houses (41) – Roy Roberts
    NLF Naplian Liberation Front (38) - NLFHQ
    SMS Stellar Mining and Smelting (53) - MikhailM
    WMB Wimble Nations (25) - zz

    * Leader MAY be inactive, affiliation may be active
    ** Only known contact, please update us if this is incorrect.

    NPC / FoC: ARC, CIV, CGT, FRE, HBO, HEF, IND, ISP, JCN, MEK, MRC, PIR, PRV, TCA, TRN, KAS
    Inactive: ANT, COD, DEN, DOM, GCE, HVE, IDC, IMP, RIP, RCF, SKW, TAG,

    *** Submissions ***

    By private message to The Editor or via Mica if you prefer to remain anonymous.
     
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    *** Inter Galactic News ***

    Tension in the Corewards Arm

    With the DNA obtaining several ex-GCE bases in the Coreward Arm it has found itself in the middle of an asset grab of serious proportions and aggression. Our reporters witnessed several GTT troop carriers heading for the Corewards system as the DNA published information suggesting they were accidental owners of the system and that the assets were to be moved on. As the GTT ships started to arrive the bases were quickly passed to the CIA, thus thwarting the GTT intentions as they were hardly likely to start dropping troops on their allies bases. This shrew move by the DNA seems to have calmed matters in the Coreward arm temporarily, although the shift in relations between the GTT and DNA has taken a negative turn. When asked what their next move might be the GTT refused to comment.

    GCE collapse

    The GCE are no more, save for some scattered light freighters. The affiliation which enjoyed a sharp rise and profiltable relations with many has ceased trading. Rumors point to the GTT buying up GCE assets before stripping the rival corporation of anything of value. Although our reporters at the SSS have been quick to point out that any GCE assets not in GTT systems have been taken over by both the DNA and FET. So it seems many different affiliations were able to profit from this development including a new group called the HSH who appear to have taken over the GCE war fleet. No doubt many in the peripheries will be watching with interest where these ships are used, who the HSH are and how they were able to get thier hands on so many warships so quickly.


    Secudus trials

    In the Cluster Secudus has continued his trials, claiming to root out terrorists working against the Empire. With tends of thousands of beings being sent to the camps or worse. There is no sign of these actions stopping as the NHS clamp down on the locals and bring them under the harsh control of the Empire.


    *** Affiliations ***

    AFT Association of Free Traders (54) - Marion Tweedy
    BLG Bolg Organisation (22) - Akhenaten
    BHD Brotherhood (63) - de Molay
    CIA Combined Intelligence Agency (64) - Laton CIA
    DNA Displaced Natives Asylum (66) - DNA people
    DTR Detinus Republic (58) - Morley Decker
    DWK Dewiek Packs (19) - <Unknown>
    FCN Falconian Republic (70) – <Unknown>
    FEL Felini Tyranny (49) - Juris
    FLZ Flagritz Republic (47) - Kayxaer
    FET Frontier Exploration & Trade (56) - Cu Chulainn
    GTT Galactic Trade & Transport (52) - Xavier Fox
    HEX Hexamon (23) - Tranquility
    KRL Krell (30) - Namica
    KRT Krell of the Reverence Temple (37) - Cyn
    KST Kastor Kastorians (12) - Kastor
    MOH Mohache (73) – Listens
    NHS Noble Houses (41) – Roy Roberts
    NLF Naplian Liberation Front (38) - NLFHQ
    SMS Stellar Mining and Smelting (53) - MikhailM
    WMB Wimble Nations (25) - zz

    * Leader MAY be inactive, affiliation may be active
    ** Only known contact, please update us if this is incorrect.

    NPC / FoC: ARC, CIV, CGT, FRE, HBO, HEF, IND, ISP, JCN, MEK, MRC, PIR, PRV, TCA, TRN, KAS
    Inactive: ANT, COD, DEN, DOM, GCE, HVE, IDC, IMP, RIP, RCF, SKW, TAG,

    *** Submissions ***

    By private message to The Editor or via Mica if you prefer to remain anonymous.
     

    Free Ship when you sign-up
    Complete missions for in game rewards
    Control everything, up to an entire empire
    Dedicated human moderators
    Player and Moderator driven plotlines
    Discover new worlds to explore, exploit & colonise
    Over 20 years of content development
    Persistent Browser-Based Game (PBBG)

    I’ve played on and off for approximately 10 years, over a 20 year spell. After some interesting debate on the in-game forum, I did wonder what, exactly, has kept drawing me back to the game, when for so many others I’ve generally lost interest after a few months.

    Ultimately, I think it is a combination of automation (that allows the game to handle thousands of positions to interact on a daily basis) coupled with Special Actions (that allow the story arc to develop in a way that could not be catered for by a set of predefined list of available orders).
    -Zigic