Durban Drydock A

CLASS: Lesoto

GRAVITY: Complete

DOCKING: Yes

AMENITIES: Yes

CREW: 2,450

Durban Station is the headquarters of the Core and the main part of the Durban-Alabama Complex in orbit of Planet Rio. Outfitted with specially modified military-grade scanners and radars, Durban acts as high precision listening post and early detection system aimed at detecting alien activity in the surrounding space.

Whilst being a residential mega-complex, it also contains a multitude of different research laboratories - ranging from xeno-agricultural to weapon testing - ran by AP Manufacturing personnel. The vast majority of research conducted on Durban involves alien artifacts and technology and aims to secure the Core a technological advantage against their foes.

## News

"Those unfortunate events are indeed less than ideal, but they do not affect our supply lines nearly as much as one would make you think. The main concern, that is the Corsairs, is negligible. While formidable and savage, they are too preoccupied with the Outcast situation in Omicron Theta, allowing our heavily armed convoys to pass back into Sigmas without much difficulty. There is also a secondary source of supplies in the Zoners of Freeport 10, with whom we continue to have cordial relations with."
When questioned about the specifics regarding their operations on newly-conquered Planet Gammu, the spokesperson offered no comment. Following the press conference, the company stocks recovered 25%% from the sudden drop of 40% they suffered when the news of Jump Holes collapse spread, maintaining the heightened level caused by Planet Gammu acquisition.

Expecting heavy resistance from the planet's defenders, our forces were astonished to find the battleship Mars and its escort fleet emerging relatively unscathed. Commander Atlas Brown, somewhat perplexed by the situation, opted for a cautious approach, suspecting an ambush or trap, although these fears ultimately proved unfounded. The primary opposition came from the technocratic fighters and bombers dispatched by the fleeing Orion carrier. With Gammu under Core control, Commander Atlas Brown promptly fortified orbital positions, anticipating a Corsair counterattack. Meanwhile, ground forces secured vital planetary infrastructure, encountering formidable machine-based resistance in some areas.
Core High Command foresees complete occupation of Gammu's surface within a month, with the extraction of xenotech scheduled to commence in three months.

As Crete demanded the Zoners of Theta turn over any Hunters aboard their stations and surrender docking control, the Freeport 9 administrators were confident that some kind of compromise could be found. A delegation from Gran Canaria was requested to assist with negotiations, due to the close ties between Zoner and Corsair communities on the planet.
Tragically, the Corsairs interpreted this delay as refusal, and launched a surprise attack while the delegation was en-route. Many of Freeport 9's crew are now being held as hostages while the Corsairs pillage the station. An urgent conclave has been called on Gran Canaria to discuss the Zoner response, while militias on Pygar have taken up arms in case the violence spreads.

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.

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.

For decades the Zoners of Freeport 9 have kept themselves safe from Corsair reprisals by offering useful services, with their biodomes providing Crete with respite from the famines that once ravished it. Despite this, outrage has swept Omicron Gamma after a flight of Hunters killed Commander Juan Garcia, before retreating back to the No Fire Zones of Omicron Theta.
The Council of Elders have ordered the administrator of Freeport 9 to attend Planet Crete to hear their demands. Elder Garcia has vowed that the station's halls would "run red with blood" unless the Zoners turned over all BHG aboard the Freeport. The Zoners are yet to respond, likely trying to anticipate how the Corsairs will react.

The Corsairs see the Pygar colony as a direct competitor for the region's scarce resources, with Elder Garcia warning that there would be "dire consequences" should Freeport 9's biodomes reduce or divert their exports to Planet Crete. Whispers of alien ruins and Artifacts discovered below Pygar's surface may also antagonize the Corsairs, who rely on the Artifact trade as a source of wealth. The hardship of Pygar's extreme conditions and the uneasy relationship with the Corsairs has already led many colonists to consider a return to the now liberated Gran Canaria.

Facing a damaged battleship and the absence of planet Gammu under Core control, Commander Brown faced the challenging task of justifying his actions to the Core High Command. The precise details of the discussions that ensued remain concealed, but it is evident that the Core's determination to claim Gammu remains unwavering. As repairs inch along on the battleship Mars, an increasing number of Core warships are retreating to Nauru's moon to conduct training exercises in escort and support operations for their formidable flagship.
It is worth recalling that Commander Brown made headlines back in 829 AS when he lured Outcasts into Omicron Theta under the pretense of eliminating the Corsair battleship Fes, a move that many Core officers view as a betrayal of potential Outcast-Core relations.

## Rumors

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