Planet Cambridge

DIAMETER: 10,131 km.

MASS: 5.11 x 10e25 kg.

TERRAIN: Terrestrial

TEMPERATURE: -49°C to 73°C

ESCAPE VELOCITY: 10.21 km/sec

A serene, beautiful planet covered in lush, green plains and deep blue oceans, planet Cambridge is eminently suited to human colonisation. Settled 70 years after the New London planetfall, the planet has developed a significant agricultural industry. Heavy industries never developed since the planet lacks easily accessible mineral deposits, and were eventually prohibited to prevent pollution from damaging the planet's ecosystem, and the large farms that make up most of the settled surface. It is also home to the Cambridge Research Institute, a science academy that is devoted to pure scientific advancements. Many important scientific breakthroughs have occurred on Cambridge, including the Bretonian Super-Alloy manufacturing process. Cambridge is also the primary food producer for all of of Bretonia.

Cambridge has always attracted a large number of potential immigrants due to it's pleasant climate. Many are turned away due to the population and security restrictions on the planet itself, but the war with Gallia forced these restrictions to be eased, and a large influx of population has led to development on previously protected land, including polutting factories, much to the idignation of the Green Front.

Due to its prominence in Bretonia as both the primary food producer and as a bastion of scientific knowledge, it is perhaps inevitable that Cambridge harbours a large portion of the Green Front party members and offices, with a majority coming from the professors and students, as well as a number of vociferous researchers and local aristocracy. This has lead to many arguments between the various academic departments over the morality and viability of human terraforming, and its long term effects on the landscape of Sirius.

## Bribes & Missions Offered

* Border World Exports
* Gateway Shipping
* RGS Shipping
* Bounty Hunters Guild
* Cryer Pharmaceuticals
* Independent Miners Guild

## News

Jane Gilliam, whose commendation for repelling a Corsair raiding party as an Armed Forces Captain featured in a CNS article in 800, was not so convinced. "We all knew even back then that The Line wasn't fit for purpose. The Heilbronn disaster should have seen it scrapped, but the Regents on Cambridge didn't want New London looking too closely and pressured the Norfolk to lobby to keep it. If William was still with us, he'd say the same."
The exact catalyst for the extra attention from the edge world pirates is unclear, with various commentators speculating on increased resistance to their operations in Rheinland, Hessian efforts in the deep Omegas, or a shift in their internal politics. Regardless of their true motivations, Interspace Commerce has recognised the elevated peril and adjusted its premiums in response.

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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While Bretonia is indeed witnessing an extraordinarily high rate of economic growth in particular, it may be the case that the strain of this effort is becoming untenable, and potentially the rewards misplaced. Timothy Ball, of the independent think tank Economic Review Institute, believes this may indeed be the case. "Bretonia's economy is definitely on the rise. While still not at pre-war levels, and not expected to be for some years, the recovery we've witnessed so far has been uneven", he says. "The reconstruction of damaged and destroyed public infrastructure is underway, but seems to be lagging behind the rate of recovery being enjoyed by several major corporations. This can be explained by various factors for a time, but unless rectified, at some point this inequality could become a major point of domestic political contention."

Yesterday at 2200 hours SMT, nearby Sheffield Station and Kingston Border Station received automated distress signals from Liverpool, indicating an emergency aboard the station. Guild patrols redirected from Sheffield arrived on the scene within minutes, finding the border station destroyed. Search and rescue operations headed by Guild and BPA units commenced immediately and successfully salvaged several escape pods bearing several dozen survivors, who were immediately delivered to hospitals on New London.
BPA spokesperson Sandra Halling held a press conference earlier this morning. According to joint police and BIS investigations, Liverpool was destroyed by antimatter explosives planted aboard the station. Their detonation caused a catastrophic chain reaction, resulting in the station's own reactors melting down and exploding. Of the estimated one-hundred-twenty persons on board at the time of the attack, seventy-eight have been reported as dead or missing.
\So far, no party has taken credit for this heinous attack. However, Bretonian police surmises that it was likely perpetrated by either the criminals known as the Mollys or the infamous pirate organization, the Lane Hackers. The attack occurred following a significant redeployment of local Armed Forces units to the Cortez system for the purpose of joint operations with Libertonian security forces. This, says Halling, may have allowed terrorist sympathizers to exploit undermanned BPA patrols and smuggle illegal explosives through Manchester's ice fields, onto Liverpool Station.
While investigations continue, Bretonian Police Authority has reinforced patrols within Manchester and established traffic controls at Kingston Border Station and Birmingham Station. Traffic to and from Liberty has been advised to reroute through the Cortez system.

Linsey Dawn - a prominent investigative journalist - has reported a large degree of 'disinterest' over the situation on Sprague according to her sources within the government. Going as far to say that "All they do is make sure supplies are dropped planet side. What happens after, they have washed their hands of it!". Dawn also reported that conflict among the different camps is becoming more and more common. The militias that are charged with the maintaining order of their respective camps have been raiding others to steal supplies she has claimed.
Maggie Weber, a spokesperson for the Government has suggested that the Kingdom is going through a troubling time reeling from the devastation of the war with Gallia. Later offering a message of assurance that the Militia System on Sprague is temporary and the short-comings will eventually be addressed.
Bill Douglas, one of the Border World Export captains who frequently deliver goods to Sprague has come out in opposition to the claims levied by Linsey Dawn. Stating that "This is a load of bollocks. Every supply run I make I hand off my goods to the local constabulary on Sprague. We do not need one of these journalists trying to spread lies at a time like this!".

## Rumors

* The patrol to the Norfolk isn't too bad. You've got the Cambridge Line between you and the bad guys in the clouds, and the military not far away. You've just got to keep an eye out. The Line itself can be a hazard if an IFF detector fails.

* The Grasmere Cloud patrol is a volunteer-only assignment - mostly young hotheads out to prove themselves. They've got plenty to do with all the Corsairs in there. There are heavy casualties on that one, sometimes 20% a week. The folly of youth... Still, those that survive usually learn a trick or two. And to never volunteer for high-risk duty again for that matter.

* Cambridge's big imports are Basic Alloys, Fertilizers, Light Arms, H-Fuel, Optical Chips and Optronics. The goods come from a variety of sources, all across Sirius. Ever since the outbreak of the war, Cambridge has become a much more somber place. Luxury Goods used to be massive import here, but the entire market has dried up now.

* Synth Foods hasn't arrived in Bretonia yet because nobody wants what happened to Rheinland. Consequently, the Cambridge growers are trying to be more efficient and lobbying London to insure that the Liberty megacorporations don't get a foothold here. Personally, I hope the day will never come. The Gaians would have a right fit if Synth started to tinker with the climate on Cambridge.

* Cambridge is a very nice posting for one of us police types. It's not industrialized and all like Leeds and London. It does have those Cambridge University snobs, though. They help support the Green Front, which is the "official" arm of the Gaians. They provide financial support and sustain the media war with Planetform and BMM back in London. We keep an eye on them, but they know better than to directly involve themselves with ecoterrorism.

* The prison convoy bound for Manchester got attacked yesterday. Corsairs came out of nowhere and ambushed them along the Lane to the New London Gate. They figure they were hidden among the asteroids in that huge field north of Planet Cambridge. It's a common tactic for those savages.

* A lot has changed on Cambridge since the outbreak of wars in the Taus. We used to produce the bulk of Bretonian Consumer Goods here, but most of the factories have now been shifted to New London to provide employment for the Refugees in the camps there. On the plus side, funding has been boosted for 'practical' farming.

* Now that Nottingham is being colonized in earnest, the Police Authority has had to assign folk to that system. It's been a right nightmare so far. Corsairs, Hessians... Even those Daumann rascals try to start trouble from time to time. And the Armed Forces aren't a lot of help, they have their hands full up north. Still, we make the best of a bad situation, that civilian militia initiative they're running is having some effect.

* Bowex brings in a lot of Cambridge's vital imports from various locations. Industrial Materials are distributed from Lancaster, Basic Alloys are shipped from Planet New London, Optical Chips come from Los Angeles, and Polymers make the short trip from the Omega-3 system, where we get them directly from BMM at Douglas Station. I suppose we could get Optronics directly from Honshu now, but I wouldn't fancy my chances against the GRN in the Taus. Good money there, if you're brave enough.

* My convoy is holding here overnight to pick up Luxury Food. We're headed out in the morning for the Hawaii in Sigma-19, so I better have a drink tonight, since it could be my last. Corsairs and Outcasts are drawn to the Sigmas like flies - it's a real trial by fire getting through.

* We use Cambridge as a convenient supply source for the Cambridge Research Station, which is high in orbit above this planet. The Cambridge Deans are more than happy to pressure for favourable supply contracts for us, due to their universities' investments in the Institute. Hydrocarbons and Polymers are shipped from Omega-3, but Food, Water and Oxygen are brought up from the planet here.

* Cryer uses Cambridge as our trans-shipment point for Pharmaceuticals produced on the station. In addition to our research activities, we supply all of Bretonia's needs, and have several export contracts. The conflict in northern Bretonia is creating a high demand for various Pharmaceuticals at the front line bases.

* I'm on the Kensington circuit. We usually import H-Fuel or Gold. On the outbound trip it could be Luxury Food or Pharmaceuticals. We don't make a lot of profit, but it's a fairly safe trip, since you don't need to cross a Borderworld to get where you need to be.

* We run the supplies to the IMG's Cardiff Station across the system. From there we pick up Beryllium for shipment to Liberty or Rheinland. This is one of our core contracts with the IMG that helps keep us competitive against our rivals.

* The highest value cargoes shipped between Rheinland and Bretonia are Diamonds, Super Alloy and Gold. Corsairs and Red Hessians plague us the entire way. House space isn't so bad, but for the leg through the Omegas, you'd better hire security. Lots of it.

* This is Republican's main terminating point in Bretonia. We deliver Engine Components and High-Temperature Alloys from Berlin and Dresden. The rise of the Corsairs in Bretonia has persuaded us to let the locals handle the cargo for the last leg to New London and Newcastle. We get enough of those Hispanic pirates in the Omegas.

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