Gibraltar Base

CLASS: Bollo

GRAVITY: Complete

DOCKING: Yes

AMENITIES: Yes

CREW: 210

The Cape Wrath asteroid was hollowed out in 811 AS, to help the Outcasts create a solid foothold in Bretonia. They wanted a base to launch attacks against the Gaians and the IMG, while being close to both the IMG base and busy trade routes for supplies. Gibraltar Base was constructed in the asteroid using materials and tools smuggled through the Tau-31 jump hole, although this became increasingly difficult after the rising tensions between Bretonia and Kusari forced their smuggling transports to divert ever further afield. Recently, Gallic raiders have begun using the jump hole as well, to attack the Bretonian bases in the system. This has put further pressure on Gibraltar Base, and caused an occasional shortage of Cardamine on the station. Nevertheless, the station is well defended and able to handle the occasional raiders.

## Bribes & Missions Offered

* Mollys
* Outcasts
* Zoners

## News

Fortunately for the Outcasts, the Dons had prepared for this eventuality from the rebellion's outset, and so, our distribution networks were immediately put into "maintenance mode", where maximum emphasis is placed on supplying existing customers, and the existing Cardamine stocks are distributed on a key-by-key basis in order to prevent the network's collapse.
Despite these measures, panic reigned, and demand for Cardamine skyrocketed, triggering armed conflicts between the various network participants and driving the prices to dizzying heights. Although Cardamine has now fallen from its record prices thanks to the lobbying of the Outcasts themselves, this price shock is sure to leave markets uncertain.
The Dons expect production to return to pre-rebellion levels over the next four years as they rebuild the rebel-destroyed on Malta.

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.

We of course speak of the Corsairs, who exploited our people's moment of tragedy to seize Freeport 9 as a forward base. The Corsair occupation of the Freeport represents an existential threat to the Maltese people, and their raids upon our very home cannot and will not be tolerated. The Battlecruiser Augusta has led a force into Omicron Theta with orders to destroy the station and its biodomes, disrupt the Corsairs, and annihilate the Artifact trade that funds them.
Already we have won a great victory by striking down the Battleship Fes, with the Battleship Delos surely soon to join it in the grave. The Dons have promised a handsome payment to the cartel of each pilot that kills a Corsair in Omicron Theta.

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.

Ibiza Station has been reinforced with additional guard squadrons and placed on high alert, in case this is the precursor to a larger Corsair fleet movement. Once the current disarray on Malta is resolved, the Cartels will turn their attention to matters of security, and the fleets will be free to strike terror into the hearts of our foes once more.
The Corsairs may feel they have won themselves a great prize in Omicron Theta, but the Freeport is no fortress and a biodome is a fragile thing. The Corsairs say they were forced to act to secure their territory. Soon enough they shall learn that men in glass houses should not cast stones.

Professor Nagel and her team are certain the Pulse originated from outside Sirius, but are otherwise no closer to identifying its source or mitigating a future Blackout event. "Following the Blackout, we began to see immediate signs of jump hole destabilization in multiple different regions, with many ultimately falling out of phase alignment altogether", she commented. The dramatic upending of Sirius' jump hole network has already prompted many groups to abandon stations and withdraw from systems that appear to risk being cut off.
While months-long trips between the stars are possible thanks to the Liberty Engine and many centuries of innovation, few ships are designed or provisioned to make such arduous journeys. Those who were displaced by Sirius' redrawn map hope that system connections will return, while adventurers and explorers rush to discover new routes.

While it remains unclear how the rebels learned of the orbital installation locations, it is possible that some of the more benevolent masters did not consider their slaves to be a serious security threat and allowed them access to portions of critical infrastructure. The Dons do not know how they will approach this pressing fact, but it is clear that the laxity of their brothers and sisters has allowed the rebellion to put up unexpectedly strong resistance.
Despite this, the slaves themselves seem to realize the futility of their struggle as Outcast forces in Omicron Alpha have managed to disable most of the IMG and CR ships that attempted to smuggle aid and reinforcements to the besieged rebels. As the Outcasts succeed in gaining tactical and strategic superiority and their forces regain lost territory, the end of this rebellion is only a matter of time, blood and sweat.
As a final act of revenge, the slaves aimed their weapons not only against the Outcasts themselves, but also against the reason they were brought here: Cardamine. As such, plantation fires stretch from horizon to horizon across the rural regions of planet Malta.

The slave rebellion itself began in the mines of the planet Albegna when the Benitez Cartel executed 200 slaves for sabotaging a mining facility. This cruelty resonated throughout the mining colony, even among the usually trouble-free slaves, and they quickly gained control of the mining facility, including Don Juan Benitez himself, who was to oversee the execution. When the Benitez Cartel learned that their Don had been executed by the slaves instead, they ordered the liquidation of the mining colony.
Although the Albegna mining colony revolt was resolved in less than two weeks, promises by other Dons of 'precautionary measures' across the board, which most slaves interpreted as more mass executions, sparked a widespread slave uprising across Malta. Although the slaves themselves would hardly have been able to resist the well-armed Outcasts, the rebels had the element of surprise in the form of caches of smuggled weapons and other military equipment.
As war rages on planet Malta between desperate slaves and their surprised masters, all Outcast forces from Sirius are recalled to planet Malta to quell the rebellion as quickly as possible. With the IMG and CR taking advantage of weakened Outcast influence in the Tau Region, the question arises as to whether this was all planned by their neighboring foes.

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."

Our smuggling routes have come under increased scrutiny from law enforcement throughout the Sirius Sector, causing an increase rate of failure for our smugglers. The independent smuggling contacts are also increasingly reluctant to continue their work as the risks begin to outweigh the rewards. That in turn, has a secondary effect of making people turn to the filthy Cryer for their Stabiline, a fake remedy for Cardamine withdrawal that we can only describe as snake oil, filling up pockets with false promises.
Dissenting voices painfully point out that this is the first time in a century where we have seen three consecutive quarters of falling profits, with several minor Cartels allegedly facing bankruptcy amid the disaster. The Dons have quickly silenced such assertions, reassuring the public that the Orange Dream will continue to grow.
To address the situation, the Dons demand ever-greater Cardamine yields, launching unprecedented expansion efforts. Steps will be taken to secure the product's shipping. In addition, they plan to import a large labor force from the colonies to bolster the Maltese plantations. This undertaking will require a coordinated effort from Maltese Navy captains, independent smugglers and subverted Sirian assets to acquire and ship slaves en masse to Malta.

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.

## Rumors

* It used to be quiet around here. This base isn't the biggest we have, and was only meant as a small supply station for ships moving between the Tau borderworlds and Bretonia, but now, it's practically on the Gallic frontline. Still, the ships that make it into this asteroid field are usually only strikecraft, which turns the odds against them in our favor.

* We used construction materials stolen from transports around Holman Outpost and Scarborough Shipyard to help build this base. It wasn't easy to keep the location hidden while it was being built, especially the Bounty Hunters got rather nosey in those times. Still, nothing like a good bit of Kraken diplomacy to negotiate their staying clear of this area. Now that the base is built, a lot less traffic comes this way, so it is easier to keep it hidden.

* The Mollys were brave for taking over Belfast like that. They earned a lot of respect from us for it. There is rumors of them attempting to make high-yield nuclear weapons down on Mull, but I doubt there's much truth in that. Why? Simple. Because Mull is still there.

* Those miners over at South Shields are targets of opportunity for us. They've made themselves a nuisance in the upper Taus so we make them hurt wherever they are. But attacking them isn't our priority here - Gibraltar has enough trouble ever since Gallic forces have begun using the Jump Hole to Tau-31 to launch their own raids into Bretonia.

* One of my friends, Carlos Ricardo, spent too long out on patrol and ran out of Cardamine for several hours. He's down in the medical bay recovering, so let his story be a lesson to you. If you're truly addicted to Cardamine, always make sure you have enough, because us Outcasts cannot survive very long without it. I heard some scientists say once that it mutates human DNA, so that we're not even truly human anymore, but that's allright. Humanity already abandoned the Outcasts.

* There seems to be some method to the madness here in Bretonia. I was wondering why Bretonia had two battleships stationed here. Now there are three, and one Molly-held BMM station. You do the math. 20 credits says there's going to be a lot of Mollys floating around Belfast before the year's over. Not our problem though, holding a base like that in the open against a house navy was foolish to begin with.

* We know of those alien ruins that Bretonia is working on in the northeast of the system. It's similar to some of the ruins we have come across in the Omicrons, but this one doesn't look to be populated by the Nomads. That's lucky for those Bretonians - they'd be no match for Nomad ships.

* The Armed Forces aren't too interested in putting the hurt on us. Sure, they've got a lot of firepower in this system, but those guns are aimed at Gallia, not us. Bretonia knows Gallia is attacking us as much as them, so I guess they hope our presence here will thin the Gallic ranks a bit.

* The Independent Miners Guild attempted to map out the Galloway Ice Cloud recently, but it ended in disaster for them, as usual. The fools only sent a wing of heavy fighters as an escort for the exploration vessel, and we destroyed them easily. We lost two men, but it's a small price to pay to keep the location of our base secret.

* Those Gaian terrorists get on our nerves. They apparently have a base in the Northumberland Ice cloud. We've been putting up with their pointless attacks for a while now, but if they continue we may have to go down there and teach them a lesson about meddling with the Outcasts.

* The Gaians have attacked us openly on several occasions. Those foolish Bretonians didn't know what they were getting into. 6 of them against 4 of us, but only for a minute. By the time we were done they had 2 ships left, scurrying home, on fire. We let them go as a warning to their ilk.

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