Luxury Liner Shetland

CLASS: Enterprise

AMENITIES: Full

PASSENGERS: 700

Owned and operated by Orbital Spa and Cruise Lines, the Shetland is a moveable feast for the rich and those who service them. The ship was damaged during the Gallic invasion of the Edinburgh system and was pushed into service as a floating hospital ship, servicing the Bretonian forces defending Newcastle for several years.

Following the conclusion of the Gallic War, Orbital Spa renovated the ship's interior in preparation for a new assignment. Aside from its gourmet restaurants and shopping arcades, a fleet of pleasure skiffs aboard the Shetland offer tours of the Poole system's vistas with a historic twist, revolving around the myth of the Sleeper Ship Bretonia's flyby of Broadstone and the discovery of New London.

## Bribes & Missions Offered

* Orbital Spa and Cruise
* Border World Exports
* Gateway Shipping
* Cryer Pharmaceuticals

* Bretonia Armed Forces
* Bretonia Police

## News

While this troubling trend is observed throughout the Sirius colonies, Liberty is bearing the brunt of the crisis among the four major Houses. Remarkably, even Rheinland, where historical data indicated low Cardamine consumption, has witnessed a notable rise in medical cases linked to the illicit narcotic. Experts postulate that the extensive black market responsible for Cardamine distribution might be facing a shortage, or worse, that Outcast factions deliberately curtail the supply to bolster demand. Regrettably, no law enforcement agency has been available for comment on these concerns.
The long-standing debate over Cardamine's controversial nature, juxtaposing its euphoric and purported medicinal qualities with the genetic alterations it inflicts upon long-term users, continues to echo. A key point of contention revolves around the plight of innocent consumers caught in this crisis. Yet, according to independent polls, a substantial majority of our viewers maintains that the substance must remain banned.
In response to this escalating crisis, Cryer Pharmaceuticals has announced a forthcoming press conference. During the event, the company intends to unveil plans for an expanded production of Stabiline, their touted "wonder drug". This announcement promises affordable access to Stabiline for all patients grappling with Cardamine withdrawal, sparking a remarkable 15%% surge in Cryer Pharmaceuticals' stock following the revelation.

Ageira disputed this finding in their own press release, calling EFL 'fantasists' and countering that their own scientists had narrowed the cause to a rare 'hypernova' stellar event that originated outside the Sirius sector. Both corporations claim that network-wide hardware safeguards have been implemented that would prevent a similar occurrence in the future. Independent researchers have sharply criticized the corporate announcements, accusing both of self-interested misdirection.
Professor Sophia Nagel from Heisenberg Research Station called EFL's accusation 'incoherent' and the hypernova explanation 'nonsense' that did not explain the characteristics of the 'Blackout Pulse'. Despite multiple different Pulse recordings being widely disseminated across the neural net, public efforts have so far failed to triangulate its source.

With the end of the war and Bretonia's withdrawal from Planet Gran Canaria, Poole's prominence waned. The cost of policing the system and maintaining infrastructure has significantly outweighed collected tax revenue in recent years, with Planetform's Terraforming Gas operations reporting disappointing year on year returns.DSE has already confirmed that it will begin deconstruction operations shortly, with the dismantling of the Cambridge jump gate expected to be completed by 833 AS.

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Planetform has confirmed its intention to withdraw prior to this point, while settling shareholder anxiety with the announcement of promising preliminary findings for a replacement site in Newcastle.

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## Rumors

* It's a major change for us, to switch from catering to the rich and famous to tending injured soldiers and war tourists. Still, we can be glad to be alive. The Gallic Navy would have finished us off if they had the chance.

* So far the number of wounded we're treating has been mild. I'm not sure why we're even here. Space combat doesn't usually create a whole lot of wounded. Just people who had a working escape pod - and casualties. That or they expect large ship crews to become injured - which means capital ships will be getting involved in the fighting ahead. I just hope it won't be in Newcastle.

* The Shetland was heavily damaged when Gallia attacked her. Attacking a civilian liner... There is no excuse for that! After the crew and passengers were rescued in Dublin, the ship was ferried to Southampton for repairs. It is fully spaceworthy again, but will require a much more extensive overhaul before it's suitable for luxuary cruises. There's no room in Southampton for that right now.

* Official word is, the Shetland is taking care of forces wounded in the fighting with Gallia. While we do that, we also still receive guests from all over Bretonia who want to see the damage the Gallic forces left on us. But I think the company is trying to capitalize on the skill of our captain, and turn the Shetland in some kind of war hero attraction. "Shetlands Survival", I suppose there's worse ways to serve Bretonia. It's a major morale boost for the soldiers and people, one they desperately needed after Leeds was lost.

* We receive many shipments of medication from Cryer. The Gaians have been attacking some of them. Makes me wonder if those ecoterrorists have become Gallic lapdogs now. Wouldn't surprise me.

* I was with the Shetland when it was forced to flee Edinborough. Me and twelve other fighters had to face off against seven Gallic squadrons. I was one of three ships that managed to survive. I don't know what became of the others, my own wing kept close to the Shetland as it withdrew into deep space. Eventually, we were forced to dock on her and became passengers ourselves.

* The Armed Forces use the Shetland as a hospital ship now, since Newcastle has no habitable planets where a surface hospital can be set up. None of the stations in the system can handle that task as well as a Liner can - a hospital requires extensive life support systems able to handle the needs of a lot of people.

* Bowex handles most of the cargo runs to this ship. Shipments of Pharmaceuticals and Food from Cambridge, and occasionally a ferry flight to New London with tourists who've had their fill, or lads recovered enough to be transported. The passenger flights are usually done with a heavy military escort - the Mollys would love nothing more than to blow up a ship full of Armed Forces pilots who aren't in their own fighters. Savages, the lot of them.

* So tours of the most pristine planet become tours of duty on this ship. An interesting turn of events, but a good reflection on the state of Bretonia as a whole.

* Bretonia gave up Edinborough without much of a fight. I can't say I blame the Armed Forces, because I think there's a purpose for the Gallic presence there. The only true asset there was Gaia, but those Green Party eggheads prevent people from settling that planet in earnest. I think most of Bretonia is hoping Gallia will break ground on that world, so that if and when the system is retaken, the planet is no longer pristine. Not even the Greens will be able to speak out against Bretonia taking over Gallic holdings on that world.

* I used to be posted in Aberdeen, before Gallia laid waste to it. That wasn't a huge loss - police outposts are just that, small, largely automated outposts, which are cheap to maintain but don't tend to last long against a fullblown naval assault. At the time Gallia attacked it and cut off the Edinborough gate, I was on the Shetland - I couldn't do a thing to help my fellow officers.

* Back on the Shetland... Not exactly as I remember it. I'm only a liason here, to help run the medicinal logistics for what is now officially a hospital ship. I remember there used to be a huge buffet the promenade deck. Now it's a surgical bay. I'll leave the meat jokes up to the soldiers.

* I'm not sure what to expect in the near future. Orbital won't like having this ship on the frontline a second time, but the Armed Forces may force their hand. They found the ship adrift, so technically, they could claim it as salvage. I doubt they will though, Bretonia doesn't need soured relations with Liberty right now.

* Gateway delivers several basic commodities to this ship and other bases in the region. Water and Oxygen come in from the South Shields refinery, since we can't use anything from Carlisle for some reason. Biohazard, the grapevine says. Food has to be shipped in from Cambridge for the same reason.

* Gateway hasn't gotten any serious contracts with the military. That is fine with me, I didn't sign up for combat duty, I'm a merchant. Hauling soldiers and weapons around just paints a big bullseye on your hull. Every Gallic, Outcast, Corsair and Molly raider will be on your tail.

*NOTE: Page generated on the 28/10/2023 at 17:59:45 UTC*