Planet Holstein

DIAMETER: 14,320 km.

MASS: 6.00 x 10e24 kg.

TERRAIN: Terrestrial

TEMPERATURE: -26°C to 20°C

ESCAPE VELOCITY: 12.11 km/sec

Initially charted in the original exploration of the Frankfurt system in 82 AS, the planet Holstein was ignored for centuries by the government as its primary concern was the industrial development of Rheinland. Eventually, with the help of prominent politicians on New Berlin, Kruger Minerals succeeded in obtaining the financial loans from Interspace Commerce in order to terraform Holstein, which started in 519 AS

With the outbreak of the Eighty Years war between Rheinland and the GMG in 589 AS, the terraforming operations were abandoned as GMG raids made supplying Holstein difficult. The Frankfurt system became a staging point for military supplies moving to the frontlines in Sigma 13 for many years, with little corporate activity, until the war came to an abrupt end in 668 AS

After the war, Kruger suffered a stock crash and was forced to make considerable reparations to the Gas Miners Guild, and its operations in Frankfurt never really recovered. Kruger shifted the focus of it's operations to Dresden and Omega-7, focusing on the extraction of raw minerals. Republican Shipping seized upon the opportunity to acquire the Mainz Storage Facility in orbit of Stulingen, a moon of Holstein.

Kruger Minerals offered to transfer ownership of the planet Holstein to Daumann in exchange for the gas mining operations on Heidelberg not long after the Nomad war. Daumann agreed, realising the stalled terraforming process would be easy to restart. Daumann had secretly been prospecting the planet, and found that its oceans are rich in mineral salts, a bounty Kruger had missed.

Terraforming continues on Holstein, with the average temperature slowly rising, which makes conditions on the planet more pleasant by each year. The process is expected to take another two decades to finish. Nevertheless, Daumann has already started to develop several industries on the planet, most of which revolve around the harvesting and processing of the mineral salts into agricultural fertilizers, and the production of Industrial Materials for both Rheinland and export to other houses. Aside from these industries, the rising temperature has also drawn a few enterpreneuring farmers from Stuttgart, who are gambling the improving climate will steadily improve their crop yields.

## Bribes & Missions Offered

* Daumann Heavy Construction
* RGS Shipping
* Samura Industries

## News

While the battlegroup successfully managed to destroy both Leipzig Station, as well as Bundschuh controlled Bautzen Station, the assault ended in a catastrophic loss of the Battleship Strausberg, having been ambushed by a heavy Hessian battlegroup. While the Strausberg itself managed to successfully withdraw from the battle, its engines failed halfway towards the New Berlin Jump Gate, and the order was made to scuttle the ship to avoid it falling into the Hessian hands.
As a result, massive riots are taking place all around Rheinland, demanding Kaiser's resignation from his position due to his reckless actions making Rheinland even less safe than it already is. We have reached out to the Kaiser Cabinet, but were refused any comments at the time of publication.

Shortly afterward, a bill mandating a 5%% increase in military spending was passed, along with some minor policies aimed at increased security in the core systems. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.

"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.

The announcement was made during a surprise press conference held at the Core Branch Office on Planet Holstein in Frankfurt. Apparently, over the past 4 years, Core's flagship: Battleship Mars has been preparing this operation, eventually springing into action shortly after Omicron Theta has reportedly become a battleground between The Corsairs and The Outcasts.
"We expect many great technologies to be made possible with our findings on Gammu, but I can't provide any specifics at the time.", said Core Public Relation Spokesperson Kenneth Raeman. "We also expect interference from the Corsair Empire, although they currently seem too occupied elsewhere to pay us much attention. Of course, fortifying our position in the system is very much a priority for when that state of things eventually changes. In the meantime, our ground based teams are hard at work excavating the secrets of their former inhabitants while our laboratories on Nauru are studying the first objects brought from the planet."
As a result of these news, Core stocks have seen a record one-day gain of 75%%.

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.

The incident came as a shock to the public and the law enforcement alike, as pirate activity was believed to have completely died out in the desolate Munich system. The frequency of strikes, from both Corsairs and domestic pirates, have steadily declined ever since the antimatter storm first ravaged the system. While the chaotic evacuation efforts from Nuremberg had initially caused a spike, as the system's population decayed to just skeleton crews and Junker scavengers, the criminal element became nearly absent. Some theorize that the Corsairs were there for the Bessemer specifically, intending for one last taunt at Rheinland's people. Thankfully, the Dohna and her crew were there to thwart their efforts.
The ATS Bessemer was dispatched into the Munich system in order to deploy a network of specially reinforced satellites, meant to monitor the advent of the antimatter storm's core. According to the University of Berlin, the core will wash over Munich around the end of this month, stripping away planetary atmospheres and most likely collapsing all remaining jumphole anomalies. The probes deployed by the Bessemer will provide the scientific community with first-hand data of the storm and its effects, transmitting it back to Berlin through a central relay nested within the safety of Raubling's hulk.
With the task complete, the Bessemer was meant to be the final ship to make the jump from Munich, with the Jump Gate being shut down later the same day. However, due to the damage sustained in the attack, the RPU Dohna did the honours instead, covering the Bessemer's departure to ensure its safe return.

Despite the success of the Military, it seems the Hessians flagship; Battleship Kassel, has managed to escape virtually unscathed. Rumors on Heisenberg Research Station speak of Hessian prisoners taken by Corsairs and Unioners alike. It's no secret there is a lot of bad blood between these groups and the Hessians and this reporter shudders to think of what fate awaits those poor deluded criminals.

In an immediate show of change, the Federal and Imperial fleets have completely withdrawn from what used to be the battle lines separating the two Rheinland fractions - many have returned to stand-down docks for maintenance and repairs, and off-duty military and civilian personnel have already begun to travel back to their homes.
While details of how the reunification will proceed, or whether it will be successful are yet to be seen, but the Holstein Accords has brought the Rheinland Civil War effectively to a close.

The Siege of Saarbrucken is currently underway and it has been reported that the Red Hessians have begun evacuating from the area. It is speculated however that the Red Hessians intend to make the Rheinland military suffer for every meter they take.
The Rheinland Military has offered a reward for any Red Hessians that are caught fleeing from the siege. The military has also advised caution as they have reported several other pirate groups in the area, with some claiming these groups are striking out at the Hessians. This reporter cannot help but think this situation goes to show, that there is no honour among thieves.

## Rumors

* I guess Daumann came back to this system because Kruger was here. After the Richtofen went up everybody left -- that was it, the war was over. After a while Kruger came back, and that means Daumann had to follow suit, didn't they?

* One day the Rheinland Navy will be as powerful as it once was. Our day of reckoning is only separated from us by an expanse of time. Every day that passes, the expanse gets shorter. Rheinland will rise from the ashes like a phoenix from the flames. Then the GMG will pay -- and so will Kusari and the rest of Sirius.

* I mine Boron here because every other Rheinland system I go to makes me sick. I hate seeing rich Rheinlanders, or anybody who actually gives a damn about this House. Just leave me be to mine my Boron. You can try and fix whatever you want, but don't bother me about it.

* The GMG who come into this system are scoundrels. If they wanted Frankfurt, they could have taken it. If they come here now with their guns armed, then they are just looking to fight for no reason.

* This installation gets all her basics from the Mainz within this system. No sense leaving this hole if we don't have to, is there? The same ships pick up our Boron and take it back to the Mainz. She is this system's supply depot.

* Long ago Frankfurt was the jewel of the empire. Everyone had their eye on this system -- we were going to lead the way to a glorious Rheinland future from this place. Now look around you. This is what arrogance and avarice will bring. Look, I say, at this empty place of broken promises.

* The Bundschuh built a base here because they knew that the government was too poor to put enough police here to stop them. No one cares what happens in Frankfurt. Republican is the only one that does decent business here and that's the reason you'll see Unioners.

* Life must go on, even after defeat. No one really cared about the GMG once the rebellion started. It could have been quite horrible but the life's blood of Rheinland -- her companies -- were not dissolved. It would have been chaos if that had happened. Who knows who would be running things now.

* The Oder Shipyard uses our Boron to build ships. I don't know what ships they might be building there, I haven't seen anything worth a mention. All our finest ships were destroyed in "the Eighty."

* The only thing we need shipped here from outside of this system is Mining Machinery. That gets shipped in on transports from the Ring in New Berlin. They pick up the Boron we mine here and take it back.

*NOTE: Page generated on the 28/10/2023 at 17:59:46 UTC*