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You better watch out. You better not cry. |
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You better watch out. You better not cry.
The howling had stopped some time ago though Fellise still held her breath anxiously. Then the door opened and Dakran stepped through surrounded by scattering of blown snowflakes. He placed his rifle into the rack next to the door, looked over at his wife and smiled. ‘Go on back to the kids. I don’t think we are going to have any more issues with vorse tonight. I’ll fix us a drink.’
As she entered the bedroom she found all three children in the one bed with the blanket pulled up to their chins. Little Enna’s toy blaster was poking over the top at the ready.
‘Shush,’ she cooed at them, ‘nothing to be afraid of, just a few vorse trying to get over the fence. Your father scared them away.’
‘What’s a vorse?’ asked Enna, always the bravest and most curious of the sibling despite being both the youngest and small for his age.
‘Well, they look a bit like reindeer and are just as bad tempered, howling all the time. Santa could probably use one of them pulling his sleigh.’
‘Santa? Reindeer?’ they all chorused.
‘It’s a story from when I was a girl. My mother told us tales from her childhood and about what it was like back on Earth, that’s the place we all came from.’
‘But I thought we came from Capella,’ said Jacey.
‘I mean everyone a long time ago, your great grandparents, yes and mine,’ she added, stalling the next obvious question. ‘Anyway, do you want to hear about Santa and the reindeer or are you going to keep talking?’ The vorse forgotten, they now clambered forwards on the bed. ‘It all started a very long time ago when people burnt trees for heat and used animals instead of shuttles and if they wanted to tell someone about something, they even had to go and see them and of course pretty much everybody was very poor. But there was one man, something like a viceroy who was not only very rich like all viceroys but also very generous.’
‘So, this isn’t a true story?’ Souki was only twelve years old but already cynical. Then again, she was born on Stork while the family were waiting for seemingly years, stuck in a starport three-by-three poly-prefab for passage to one of the verdant frontier worlds.
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‘It’s a nice story, Souki, so please. Anyway, this generous viceroy seeing that there were many people with not enough things to burn and not enough food to eat, went about over the cold winter giving them things that they needed. He also gave little toys to the children. Everyone then looked forward to winter because even though it was cold, they knew that Santa Viceroy would turn up and hand them presents.
‘But then one really cold and dark winter the weather was so bad that his normal sleigh, that’s like a sledge the size of a cart, pulled by small furry creatures could not get through the snow. As he knew the people depended on his gifts he went out into the wild and harnessed big monsters, standing taller than your daddy and with huge twisting horns.’ She made a ferocious face and used her hands as horns and leaned over the children till they giggled. ‘He wrestled the reindeer to ground and tied them to his cart. These wild beasts were then able to pull him through the horrible storm and reach the people. But when they saw the monsters charging down their streets they were scared and bolted their doors and turned out their lights and refused to come out. Santa couldn’t deliver the presents.’
‘So what did Santa do?’ asked Jacey, looking very concerned.
‘Well, guess what, he climbed from the back of the sledge onto the roofs of the houses and he got in through their chimneys and left the gifts where they would find them when they came out of hiding.’
‘But that doesn’t even make sense.’ Souki scrunched her face up.
‘Well, it was a long time ago and people did odd things back then, but the point is, Santa delivered all to goodies to all the parents and all the children all got their toys. And every year after that Santa would use reindeer to pull his cart and people would pretend to hide while Santa delivered all the gifts and so the tradition of giving gifts at the coldest and darkest part of the winter was created. Isn’t that a beautiful story?’
At least two of the children agreed.
It was three days later when Enna went missing along with his toy blaster and his electric truck. They found his tracks in the snow a few hundred metres along the road, though how he had got through the gate could not be explained. Jacey said that they had been playing Santa and by the time she had come back with some toys to pretend pull the truck she could not find him so had gone to watch cartoons.
Dakran contacted the neighbours a few kilometres along the valley and soon there were four crawlers and a flyer combing the area. His truck was soon found turned over at the bottom of a bank a short distance from the river. By this point Fellise was stifling tears and Souki was shouting hysterically about stupid stories.
Ionic radiation made the sensors almost useless while thick vegetation cover of the slopes hampered visuals. By nightfall they were tense and weary but beyond a lot of vorse hoof prints, they found nothing.
A service was held a few days later. Souki moved out and now lived with a neighbour. Felisse spent the nights crying and Dakran spent from sun up to after dark out in the fields, throwing himself into physical labour. Life ticked on.
Cutbacks meant that the garrison was closed. The system defaulted to darkspace and talk amongst many of the farmers turned to abandoning their steads and buying passage back to Stork or possibly even Capella, though attracting the attention of a reputable megacorp to do the transporting was proving to be difficult.
It was the darkest winter night when the pirates struck. They arrived along with the storm and had already turned over the steads further down the valley. It was Souki that got the word out. Seemed one of the pirates wanted a bit of private time with her and underestimated the capability of a frontier girl that spent more than few years hanging round with ground-pounder brats.
Flares were fired and a militia was formed and took up positions where the valley narrowed between the river and a cliff. The pirates however had dealt with colonists before and were confident to the point of being cocky. They split from the path, seeking to get to the high ground and pick off the defenders.
That was when the vorse hit them. The huge elk analogues appeared from the lower tree line and stampeded along the narrow gap, leaping surefooted across the rocks despite the storm and the darkness. Horns swept out, disemboweling pirates while those fleeing were either trampled into the snow or hoisted over the edges of cliffs to descend into the dark churning rapids of the river below. Of the few pirates that survived the vorse onslaught none made it back to their ship; shot down by the militia.
As the militia disbanded and swapped stories of the event some cautiously suggested that somebody was riding one of the vorse.
‘Dressed in red clothing,’ suggested one, while another corrected him.
‘I reckon it was more likely uncured hide. Gotta be someone gone native.’
‘Anyway, he was laughing, “Ho, Ho, Hoâ€, all the way down the hill and across the river,’ added another.
‘Nah, probably just a groaning pirate caught up in the antlers of one of them vicious animals. I reckon the flares must have spooked them.’ The rest nodded agreement though unconvincingly.
Many hours later upon returning to the homes they had fled, they found small bundles of berries left by their doors, each neatly wrapped in scented leaves. To this nobody had any explanation.
Though she never saw Enna again, Felisse stopped crying. On the coldest, stormy nights she would listen for the howls of the vorse and on the next day look for small bundles of berries. Occasionally she would swear she heard laughter along with the howls. Now she tells the story of the night Santa came to town to her new born baby.
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PayPal.Me/creditKJCaccount Don't forget to include your account number in the message. |
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
Falconians and Felini step up pressure on the AFT.
FCN positions have been seen striking at the AFT in Halo, backed by the FEL who have been observed helping the Falconians. Our reporters have managed to find out that this is the result of long standng issues between the AFT and FCN regarding property ownership. The FCN has been bringing forces into Halo to strike at the AFT, with many of us at the SSS expecting the conflict to end quickly. However, despite the FCN's backing, the AFT has proven itself to be resourceful and challenging opponent. Strikes by the AFT have destroyed and boarded multiple FCN ships in the Halo periphery proving that the AFT is not going to be backing down easily.
GTT claim Solo
Following unheaval in the Empire the NHS collapsed, leaving Solo once again free to become a flashpoint. The GTT moved swiftly to claim the system, promising to bring peace to a system that not only claims to be the centre of the galaxy, but also the centre of political pressure and conflict. Despite initial reservations from many affiliations the privatised Empire security company shipped in a million troops to quell any discontent. At the point of writing this report all the affiliations in the system have backed the GTT's claim with the exception of the DTR, who are continuing to show the Empire that they don't like the expansionist humans reaching out to take such an important central system with key transport links.
IND warships spotted in Yank and Halo
With small time operators that want to stay out of the way of the bigger affiliations, IND flagged positions are rarely seen other than the occasional outpost or freighter. Recently a squad of IND flagged Broadsword warships was seen moving between Yank and the Halo periphery. Nobody seems to know what this fleet of warships is doing or what these ships have been built for, but maybe we are about to see the birth of a new conflict or affiliation.
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*** Inter Galactic News ***
Empire pushes out Free Traders
With ongoing claims of AFT activities moving from it's traditional neutral trade welcome everywhere to more nefarious deeds, the Empire in general and the GTT in particular has taken action to send the AFT a message that their new actions won't be tolerated. Over a couple of weeks the AFT saw all it's registered fixed assets seized within GTT systems. So far there has been no attempt to extend actions and hunt down AFT ships or other positions in any systems outside the Empire, so we are assuming the GTT considers it's actions sufficient to send the once peaceful traders a message. We believe the FEL have also joined in due to exasperation with AFT actions. We contacted the GTT for a comment to be told that the actions had been profitable, the kind of remark you should probably expect from a mega-corp.
Solo becomes pirate hotspot
Our reporters have received numerous messages regarding pirates lately, especially in the Solo system. Since the NHS took the system over from the DTR pirate attacks seem to have escalated. Over the last two months we have been made aware of over a dozen ships being lost to pirates with no doubt more falling victim to the vicious pirates as owners do not want to admit they have taken losses. The DTR have offered to assist the NHS with policing the system, but so far the NHS has not asked for assistance. Large fleets of FET warships have been seem patrolling the system and CIA warships have also been seen accompanying freighters, but so far we have not received any reports that the pirates have lost ships in retaliation. Although the CIA have damaged two vessels enough for them to require serious repairs.
Zaxividani Naru's peacful Deweik
Imagine our surprise when our office learned of the new group of Deweik lead by Zaxividani Naru. What makes this group noteworthy is it's peaceful intentions. For many years the canine based species has been well known for it's love of drinking, fighting and finding itself at odds with the Empire, leading to some massive battles. Even recent history has mention of fleets with over 700 capital ships fighting for the DEN keeping the Empire honest and even pushing them back. So to find that a Deweik group has joined with the Mohache, probably the most peace loving beings in the peripheries, came as quite a shock. We at the SSS wish them well in their future among the stars.
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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.
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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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