Golden Chrysanthemums

**ALLIES:**

Blood Dragons, Outcasts, Lane Hackers

**ENEMIES:**

Corsairs, Hogosha, Farmers Alliance, Bounty Hunters, Kusari Police, Kusari Naval Forces, Samura

The Golden Chrysanthemums are a terrorist organization seeking to the overthrow the Kusari government and institute a matriarchy. Short-term goals include helping the Outcasts and Blood Dragons to free Kusari from the Corsair influence.

## Rumors

* The Ohtori was escorting the Yukari Maru from Cali to Ainu when it was ambushed by a Naval Forces patrol crossing Kyushu. The cargo ship fled to safety while its escort turned to fight the attackers to the death. There are rumors that the Ohtori may be still intact somewhere in the Seiran Dust Cloud.

* We use the Kyushu Jump Hole to the northeast of this base to get into the system. These Outcasts are weird guys, but they sell us what we want. Cardamine is essential to the Golden Chrysanthemum way of life.

* The Cardamine we get from this base goes straight to Ainu. Sometimes we come here with H-Fuel from our base so that we can make a little money to buy extra Cardamine for personal use. We don't get bothered by anyone in this system. Even the Bounty Hunters leave us alone.

* I like working in Sector Three. You can really lavish in the Cardamine that's being pumped around through the ventilation systems. There are special masks, designed to filter out the Cardamine particles, for the odd visitor that's allowed to enter Sector Three. But, they're locked in a safe, only the priestesses know the passcode.

* Now that the Ryugu Comet is gone, the nearby mining operations have also come to an end until it passes through here again. For raiders like me that is a setback. Fortunately for me, Samura has uncovered a more lasting source of platinum elsewhere in the system, a legacy of the same comet of sorts. Sadly the location of this enterprise if far beyond the safety of the nebula, so more risk involved. So time to slap on some more armor, heavier guns, and start blasting those Samuroaches.

* You might have seen the large Akegata transports moored at the Shrine. They're transports we've intercepted and taken here for ourselves. Some get too damaged to be salvaged, but a lot of them are repurposed to serve as our Cardamine transports. The crew you say? Let's not go into too much detail, shall we?

* This is Kinkaku-ji, a sacred place dedicated to our goddess - Amaterasu - and the founder of our movement - Yuyu Matsuda. I have been a priestess on this station ever since it became operational. We have many visitors now, but few are allowed to enter its inner sanctum. When you do have permission to visit our shrine, make sure to listen to the instructions of the presiding priestesses.

* Those who enter the Shrine need to undergo purification rituals before they can approach the altar. These rituals find their origin in ancient Shinto and are designed to cleanse oneself of evil spirits and impurity. Every ritual has meaning, which might not be apparent to outsiders at a first glance. But those who walked the path may discover some traits and emotions, as the mirror of their bodies and minds appear below them.

* Kinkaku-ji is divided into four sectors. Currently we're in Sector One. The Shrine is located in Sector Two, but you need special permission to enter if you're not part of the Sisterhood. Sector Three is only accessible to the Sisterhood and their closest allies. Then it's Sector Four, but, yeah... you really don't want to be caught snooping around in Sector Four.

* It is truly an honor to be in the presence of the goddess. The ceremony hall is a place of peace and tranquility, where people are expected to keep their voice down when speaking. It is here that we keep a monumental statue of Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun. It is a place of ceremony and self reflection, where we keep our most treasured writings, and educate people in the ways of Matsuda.

* Women have been an isolated part of the community in Kusari for centuries. This is why the Golden Chrysanthemums seek to destroy the system which oppresses them. One day Kusari will have an Empress, who will end the tyranny of men. I just hope I will be around to witness it.

* Morioka has maintained little cultural value, but its economic role is very important to us. Our economy has become much more specialised in recent years and further development of such logistic centres will be needed in the future.

* The Golden Chrysanthemums have expanded greatly in recent years, extending our influence rapidly among the Kusari women. Our movement is now four times larger than that of Blood Dragons, although they are mainly fighters while our organisation has a very large amount of civilian supporters.

* Michiko Arai is crazy about the Blood Dragons, but we should be careful not to become too dependant on their aid. The Golden Chrysanthemums must grow strong so we no longer need them. After all, when the Kusari government falls, we will be facing the Blood Dragons. Both the Golden Chrysanthemums and the Blood Dragons want the same thing. To rule Kusari.

* Our Blood Dragon friends here are welcome, although they can occasionally be troublesome. A few of them tend to favour alcohol a bit too much and sometimes cause a commotion in the bar. Sometimes it can get out of hand and end up with people getting injured. Maybe if they took Cardamine there would be no need for all of this violence.

* The Golden Chrysanthemums have two main sources of income. The first one is piracy, of course. Goods stolen from Kusari transports serve us well. Some of them are distributed from Morioka base to satisfy our most basic needs and the rest are sold off at Morioka, making us a nice profit. The second source is the Cardamine trade. We buy our Cardamine from the Outcasts and sell it in Kusari. These two financial branches make for a solid platform on which we base our entire economy.

* The Golden Chrysanthemums allow me to stay on Morioka and I occasionally join them on raids. I even started to take cardamine to fit in better and to show my dedication to their cause. I know I am unable to become a full member of the Golden Chrysanthemums because I am a man, but that does not stop me from supporting them where I can. The Golden Chrysanthemums on the station do not mind my presence and some of them have become good friends of mine.

* One of our cardamine transports just arrived at Morioka. It is a dangerous journey to travel all the way to Malta, but it is most profitable to buy directly from the source. The Kusari State Police is attempting to discover our smuggling routes, but we are well aware of this and keep changing them. There are many ways to depart and enter Kusari, more ways than they are aware of.

* Mediating with the Junkers is much more difficult than one would expect it to be. The Junkers cannot really come to us, so we have to come to them. It takes a lot of time and effort to reach the Galileo system where such meetings are usually held. If it were not for the fact that they are also enemies of the Hogosha we would have nothing to gain out of this acquaintance. We hope that one day Junkers will be able to press the Hogosha hard enough to weaken them, but so far the influence they have in Kusari is virtually non-existent.

* My wife and two children were killed on Glasgow Outpost during a Kusari Navy foray into Leeds, when a stray firestalker missile slammed into the station. I swore revenge, but the Bretonian Armed Forces wouldn't take me, they have war rules and all of that and I didn't want them to be sued by the military court for whatever I'm going to do next. One of my friends got me in touch with the Golden Chrysanthemums, who eventually transported me out here on one of their undercover transports. I know they are comprised mostly of women, but this wouldn't be the first time a man has joined them.

* I am very respectful of the Blood Dragons. It was two weeks ago that I was ambushed in Shikoku by four Bounty Hunters when a Blood Dragon came to my aid. My ship was still capable of entering combat, but the Blood Dragon insisted on me staying out of range. He told me that he would destroy the four Bounty Hunters on his own, which he did! I've never seen anyone to fight like that before. I will never be able to express my gratitude.

* I often associate with the Junkers. They are enemies with the Hogosha, just as we are; therefore it makes them natural allies to us. The Junkers are little better than the Hogosha, though. Both they and the Hogosha profit from the corrupt local governments, taking a slice of the black market pie. If the Junkers were to replace the Hogosha, then nothing would really change. The only difference that I see between the two factions is the goods they deal in.

* Once you join the Golden Chrysanthemums, there is no turning back to your old life. The cardamine addiction ensures this. Each of us is fully dedicated to our cause. We will fight until we achieve victory or death. Sometimes this means the same thing, when we crash our ships into the flank of a Kusari naval cruiser.

* If you are interested in the history of Morioka base or even of our sisterhood, you would be better off asking Hisako Takahashi. She is one of our eldest Sisters and is over a hundred and seventy years old. She was here when this base was first built, and she will hopefully live to see the day when we have won our struggle and are dismantling it. You'll find her at Chanai Biodomes these days, though.

* Have you ever seen a Blood Dragon fight? There is true honour in their ways. Few pilots can match a Blood Dragon in combat. It's a mind blowing experience to see a warrior of such skill handle his weapon like a true master. The Blood Dragons do not use anything to enhance their combat abilities, they win by mere skill. I would have headed for Kyoto long ago if it was not for their old fashioned ways.

* Morioka is well hidden within the Keiun Cloud. The Kusari police don't dare to chase after us once we leave open space and enter the Keiun Cloud. There are not only Golden Chrysanthemums found in this nebula, but also Rogues and Lane Hackers who come to Morioka to trade with us. The occasional foolish police pilot who does give chase, rarely makes it out alive.

* Have you seen what the Gauls did to Planet Leeds? It was one of the worst places to live in, but now it is a deadly wasteland, unable to support any life at all. I will never forgive Gallia for what they did and I won't hesitate to spill Gallic blood if the opportunity presents itself.

* Fuchu prison is located not far from here, another symbol of oppression by the corrupt government. A lot of the prisoners there are Blood Dragons and I shudder to think what might be going on in there. The Blood Dragons and the Golden Chrysanthemums have launched several attacks on that installation, but so far without much success.

* Morioka was built as a Golden Chrysanthemum outpost on the very edge of Kusari. Smugglers from Liberty make frequent stops here to buy our cardamine, while bringing weapons and other supplies with them to sell. Some of them think that because we are women, we can't drive a hard bargain. Clearly they never met a Chrysanthemum before.

* We have operated this base for our Sisterhood for nearly a hundred and sixty years and we are proud of it. No enemy has ever set foot onboard Morioka, except as a prisoner or a corpse, and the station has only ever been attacked once, in 782 AS None of the attacking Hogosha vessels ever survived to report of its location, so it has remained hidden to this day.

* I sometimes work at the bar here in Morioka on the condition that I do not drink alcohol myself. The Sisters hate drunk men bothering them, but I am not like those Rogues who occasionally show up here. I got in a fight with one of them when he bothered Michiko. That guy ended up in the airlock. I pride myself for introducing Bretonian tea to Morioka. I know this sounds cliche, but a Bretonian man can't survive in foreign space without his tea. It is like cardamine to Bretonians, I tell you. Just between us. Try to mix some cardamine in the tea, you wont be disappointed.

* We have strengthened a lot since the Chanai biodome project was completed, and also due to the Bretonian-Kusari war. The population has increased dramatically and our technology is catching up with the help of Blood Dragons. The Golden Chrysanthemums have climbed to a whole new different level. We're at the peak of our power right now, but even such advances are not enough to take on the Kusari Naval Forces in head on combat.

* Down here we run Cardamine and H-Fuel from our base in Hokkaido in exchange for many of our basic supplies. Leiden indirectly supplies the Blood Dragon base in Chugoku via Ainu. That's the real reason we have to make so many runs down to this alien place. They often protect us from hostile attacks, so it's worth it.

* The Jump Hole to Shikoku is very close, just to the north of this base. It is the first of three jumps to get to the dangerous but beautiful Hokkaido system.

* Roppongi is nice to visit. The foreigners are polite to us, much better than Kusari would ever be. They have lots of luxury boutiques for all those IC employees here, so we take advantage of the opportunity to shop in relative peace. I hate Ainu. If only I could live in New Tokyo again ...

* I think it's time for my afternoon Cardamine break. We sell our cargo here, since they won't let us land on Tokyo. All the hip Tokyo types come here to get their supply. That's how we recruit new girls to join the cause.

* This is our Kinkakuji, however humble it may seem to you. Here our new recruits must learn the teachings of Yuyu in the "Golden Chrysanthemum in Bloom," our source of inspiration. It says that Kusari will eventually be engulfed in revolution and united under the rule of a benevolent empress personally selected by the goddess Amaterasu to watch over her people.

* We must occasionally make the long journey to Leiden in the Independent Worlds to sell Cardamine and buy supplies from the smelly foreigners. The Lane Hackers are strange, but not so bad once you get to know them. The Rogues are disgusting pigs. They always harass us in the bar.

* The Dragons have been more abrasive as of late, issuing demand after demand, and trying their level best to impose their vision of Kusari on us. They are in no position to be acting with such authority, not when they still rely on us for supplies and safe harbor.

* The Dragons have been more abrasive as of late, issuing demand after demand, and trying their level best to impose their vision of Kusari on us. They are in no position to be acting with such authority, not when they still rely on us for supplies and safe harbor.

* The Naval Forces have been trying to aggressively expand Kusari's sphere of influence into the Taus. While there hasn't been any major push so far, they recently tried their hand in deploying an expeditionary force. Normally this would have been a matter the Outcasts handled themselves, but the recent conflict seems to have taken a toll on them. They called on us for aid in reopening Kyushu and relieving its otherwise ironclad blockade, this brought us into repeated skirmishes with the Naval Forces, which eventually escalated with the loss of the Matsuda. It's not a loss we can recover from, but with Kyushu's arteries once again open for smugglers, we've at least made something of this sacrifice.

* Once we are more established in Kusari, we will no longer need this hellish place. Samura puts much pressure on us. Only the assistance of the Blood Dragons has allowed us to survive at all out here.

* I graduated from New Tokyo University with a degree in Quantum Engineering. I found work at Samura pouring coffee for my male boss. When the Golden C. approached me at a Roppongi bar, I jumped at the chance to finally fight back for the women of Kusari.

* The only place we can land in Kusari space is Roppongi. The foreigners find us more amusing than threatening, and tolerate our presence there. So we buy Luxury Goods in the boutiques onboard, and sell our Cardamine to the highest bidders in the bars scattered around the station.

* The Ohtori was escorting the Yukari Maru from Cali to Ainu when it was ambushed by a Naval Forces patrol crossing Kyushu. The cargo ship fled to safety while its escort turned to fight the attackers to the death. There are rumors that the Ohtori may be still intact somewhere in the Seiran Dust Cloud.

* We are not numerous yet, but that will change as more of the oppressed women of Kusari tire of the old ways. As we speak, underground cells of the disaffected youth are being formed on all the home planets. We encourage them to visit foreign lands, try exotic foods, and experiment with many new ideas.

* We buy our Cardamine from the Outcasts on Cali in the Tau-23 system. They are disturbing people -- always wearing those masks, but we need the Cardamine. It defines our cause and serves as an important security mechanism. All recruits of Matsuda must become addicted to the drug before they are allowed to become full-fledged members. This makes it difficult for the Kusari security forces to penetrate our cell. And of course, they are not women...

* We support the Blood Dragons as well as we can. They need access to our base to rest and resupply after crossing the Gap, or after long Kyushu raids. We do not share the same beliefs, but they are not incompatible. We are all devoted to the overthrow of the Kusari government.

* The Shibuya Maru was making a Cardamine shipment across the southern end of the Shikoku system when it was intercepted by a Bounty Hunter named Jake Rush. He swears that he opened fire and badly wounded the ship. He searched the cloud for some time, but never found the Shibuya. The word around Deshima is that it never made it to the Galileo system. It's probably out there somewhere in the Keiun Cloud.

* If you're looking for a Cardamine expert, you came to the right place. I can surely give you a few tips on practical usage of the drug. There is no shame in admitting to being an addict. We are all addicts here. I was one of the top fighter aces in the Golden Chrysanthemums, but as we all know, luck only lasts so long. I know I helped out my sisters a lot when I was able to fly, but unfortunately my injuries forced me into retirement. I am just jealous about those who are still capable of fighting for our cause. I can't even pilot a transport now, which is why I now work as an engineer. Those who have pushed their fighter craft to the limit are the best qualified to work on them.

* Battleship Matsuda is stationed in Kyushu to support the cardamine shipments coming into Kusari from the Tau sector. The Chrysanthemums are the driving force behind drug proliferation in Kusari; we have an intimate relationship with the Outcasts that supply us with the substance, and Outcast fighters and freighters frequently dock here. We don't merely smuggle the drug, however; rather, it's a crucial component of many of our rituals. The sisterhood is grateful to the Hispanians for granting us clarity.

* The Hogosha and the Chrysanthemums cannot coexist, they represent everything we seek to escape, alter, and destroy. Soon, the corporate dogs shall be driven out of Okinawa, and the Chrysanthemums will fly unmolested by the conservative and discriminatory mores the archaic and outdated government attempts to perpetuate.

* The only place we can land in Kusari space is Roppongi. The foreigners find us more amusing than threatening, and tolerate our presence there. So we buy Luxury Goods in the boutiques onboard, and sell our Cardamine to the highest bidders in the bars scattered around the station.

* I have a doctorate in microbiology from the University of New Tokyo, and had hoped to be able to study and research the Alien Organisms of Kurile. I ended up fetching drinks for my male boss at Samura, so I became a Chrysanthemum. What choice did I have?

* Have you heard about the new additions to our weapons stockpile? Seems like that robot wasn't lying when he was bragging about 'outside suppliers'. Still, I can't stand talking to that tincan. All he talks about are his 'Cyborgs' and calling everyone 'Meat' and 'Squishy'. But, I have a new portable grenade launcher and EMP gun, so I guess he isn't all bad. He's still a prick though.

* I've been on scanner duty for the last fourteen hours and just signed off, but I'm back on duty again in seven hours because my replacement is sick. Apparently she hasn't been taking her daily Cardamine supplements and is going through severe withdrawal symptoms, so she's down in medical. Please leave me be, I want to have a drink in peace before I try to grab what little sleep I can.

* I miss my boyfriend. He's a Blood Dragon technician stationed at Sendai. We first met when this battleship was stationed outside the research facility being repaired and we've been seeing each other since. I sometimes think he will ask me to marry him, but many of my friends in the Sisterhood think that marriage is a foolish male notion. I do love him though, and I wish we weren't forced into this lifestyle because of our foolish government's conservative views.

* Many of us secretly admire the Blood Dragons. Their grace of flight is wondrous, and they're Kusari's most rigorously-trained pilots. The sisterhood frequently flies alongside our cousins from Chugoku, and we do our best to glean flying knowledge from them. Though many Dragons are male, they are not the swine we've come to expect, rather, they are cultured and well-bred to a fault.

* The floors of this ship have been awash with blood in the past. During the Nomad War of 800 AS, this vessel was commanded by Nomad-tainted soldiers who were tasked with guarding the late Governor Tekagi's Tohoku fortress. After Tekagi's base fell to the Blood Dragons, the Matsuda, called the Himeji then, attempted to escape to Okinawa, where she was intercepted and boarded by Chrysanthemum forces. This battleship has been one of our primary assets ever since.

* A sister perished in the Hasuda field several days ago while engaging Hogosha pilots. Her transmissions were intercepted too late, and patrols in the region could not rescue her. The Hogosha vermin were chased off before they could desecrate our lost sister's Eagle; it remained intact, as it fell to weapons fire rather than mines or missiles, and may yet drift in the asteroid cloud.

* Our glorious leader, the immortal Yuyu Matsuda, lent her name to this battleship. We consider our base here sacred ground, and will defend it against any intrusion, especially against the vile Hogosha and the chauvinist, unenlightened corporate lapdogs that they serve.

* We are indebted to the Blood Dragons for providing their technical expertise as we reconstructed the Matsuda, she was damaged by the explosion of her fellow battleship Sennan, during the battle against Governor Tekagi's fortress in Tohoku. True, we stole all the materials we required ourselves, mainly from Samura transports, but we were taught how to efficiently repair it by the technicians of Sendai.

* It is well-known that there were once Order here at Sendai; Order scientists were crucial to the efforts of the Blood Dragons in not only monitoring the actions of the late Governor Tekagi, but also in unravelling the gruesome secret behind his vile actions. No Order researchers remain aboard Sendai these days, however, and they won't be returning, they've allied themselves with our foes, the Corsairs, in the Edge Worlds.

* Bounty Hunters - the scourge of Sirius has begun to encroach upon Kusari. It sickens me to think of how these lice-ridden dogs penetrate all that was once tranquil and peaceful - even now, they taint Okinawa, and are so audacious as to be sighted here in Kofu from time to time.

* I was naive and foolish when I first joined the Golden Chrysanthemums movement. It happened on Roppongi station and I remember it up to this day. My mind wanted a change and my heart craved for a cause worth fighting and dying for. They told me that the change I wanted was already there and all I had to do was be brave enough to seize my opportunity. I follow this principle up to this very day.

* Once Samura has been dealt with and its oppressive regime destroyed, Interspace Commerce will be able to profit within Kusari without the endless bureaucratic red tape designed to make it unprofitable for foreigners to operate within our House. They are hoping for better marketing conditions under a new government. Of course our cause is much nobler than that, but to uphold this effort we also had to come up with some way to support this venture, much like Interspace did. And so, Just like Roppongi station, this base also has a small Cardamine smuggling market running on board.

* You know, it hasn't always been like this. The struggle for power, I mean. Nowadays most Kusari are competing with other Kusari, even killing each other when it comes to that. Regardless of the cause, it can put you in doubt of your own actions sometimes. And to think that you're also helping this deadly mechanism to spin... It's just terrible. It is almost as bad as the war against Bretonia, which is about living space, of course. It is always about living space.

*NOTE: Page generated on the 28/10/2023 at 17:59:47 UTC*