Planet Gammu

DIAMETER: 9,472 km.

MASS: 5.10 x 10e24 kg.

TERRAIN: Arctic

TEMPERATURE: -110°C to -12°C

ESCAPE VELOCITY: 9.9 km/sec

Planet Gammu is a highly inhospitable ice world that is ruthlessly battered by the radioactive solar winds of Kappa's dangerously active star - slowly but inevitably scything its thin atmosphere away into the void. First discovered by the Corsairs back in 496 AS, Gammu went almost entirely ignored for another 300 years, as it was initially regarded as little more than a barren rock. Corsair explorers saw little profit and even less feasibility in attempting to drag the planet's mineral wealth out of the local gravity well, when the abundant resources of Crete were considerably more accessible.

As different actors began expanding into the region, interest in the planet and its resources was renewed. Detailed scans of the planet's topography revealed curiously artificial looking formations buried beneath the planet's thick permafrost. A joint Order/Zoner expedition was hastily organised as speculative dating figures placed the structures in a similar age band as those Daam-K'vosh ruins scattered across planets elsewhere in Sirius. Eager to be the first to secure a potential cache of alien relics, the expedition made planetfall at the first opportunity, proceeding at an almost reckless pace. While the specifics of what transpired on and under the planet's surface are largely unknown, the results are evident. Having inadvertently awakened a defence system from deep within the planet's bowels, the expedition discovered, to their dismay and despair, that multiple local networks had been reactivated which interfaced with their vessels, grounding them. With their communications blocked and technology subverted, the expedition found itself stranded and shortly perished to the man, either from privation or exposure. Furthermore, it is unclear whether their loss of life was a result of the mercurial systems acting intentionally, or with oblivious negligence.

What was to follow was a flurry of activity from the automated mechanisms, as the human vessels were disassembled and analysed. These unanticipated foreign contaminates led to a monumental change, as integration of the complex human technologies by the relic machines granted them the ability to once again travel to space. Combined with the accidental renewal of consciousness, various personalities and behavioral paradigms emerged from the AI of Gammu. Drones were spotted gingerly investigating the surrounding system in the following months; they were evidently a synergy of human design and something else entirely. It has been this adaptability, innovation, and willingness to incorporate new and efficient iterations from external sources that has so far frustrated attempts to reverse engineer their technology. Each dive into the inner workings of the few researched AI components, initially found that it followed a human-like logic, however all attempts to go beyond a surface level analysis hit an impenetrable wall of systems only conceivable to an immortal machine with unfathomable amounts of processing power. This issue has only been compounded by the AI's absolute refusal to allow human researchers to return below surface, to investigate the millennia old subterranean structures from which they emerged. Already, this enigmatic stance has led to conflict and tension, often due to their closest neighbours' all too human fears, suspicions, and miscommunications. The intense, hostile political environment of the region has warranted even greater caution from the resident artificial intelligences as well.

After the loss of their expedition, the Order were quick to brand the new species a hostile alien race and abhorrent to their human-centric ideology. Agents of the Core have also sought to victimise the machine civilization, desiring the secrets of their technology and planet for their own purposes and profit. Another occasional source of friction comes from the Corsairs at Ciutadella, who have historically gone to extreme lengths to protect the sanctity of their borders. Oddly enough, the Drones of Gammu themselves have been quite apathetic to these threats and provocations, suggesting that the development of human settlements in their immediate vicinity is of no particular concern to them. As the motivation of these artificial beings remains shrouded in mystery, so does their origin - rumored to be anything from a forgotten Western Alliance research project, to a creation by the Daam K'Vosh.

In 832 AS, Core that was interested in acquiring the planet's secrets ever since its inception, took advantage of the overcommitment to other theaters of conflict by the Corsairs, and launched an attack on the planet, mercilessly crushing any resistance by the machines. Battleship Mars that was used to accomplish this task is currently overseeing the planetside harvesting operations, and all spoils are immediately sent to Nauru laboratories for analysis

Although the presence of a Mars battleship in Omicron Kappa alerted the Technocrats aboard the Orion in 829 AS, their suspicions were not confirmed. After several fierce skirmishes with the Corsairs and with more to come, the battleship retreated to Omicron Delta and remained absent from the system for two long years.

The increasing assertiveness of the Corsairs in Omegas and Omicron Theta, along with the capture of Freeport 9, forced the defenders of Gamma to refocus their attention on Omicron Gamma and Primus Outpost. Just as the conflict between the Corsairs and Outcasts reached its highest intensity, the battleship Mars unexpectedly returned to Omicron Kappa in 832 AS. Reinforced by additional Core units, it hastily set out to conquer the planet Gamma. The Gammu AI, calculating its options, dispatched some of its capable drones along with the Carrier Orion while retaining enough defenders to ensure sufficient time for preparation and execution of the evacuation.

Once the defenders had served their purpose, the seizure of the planet Gammu by Core forces was swift and ruthless. Despite the intensity of this brief operation, Core forces suffered only moderate losses, less than initially anticipated, and many started to believe that the planet Gammu was nothing more than a calculated loss for the AI. The Core wasted no time in capitalizing on their new gains, initiating the process of looting the technology and knowledge stored on the planet and transporting it to Nauru for further research and analysis.

## 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

* Something tells me we haven't seen the last of those toasters. They didn't even put up much of a fight when we rolled in and seized their assets. The ones we didn't catch fled to Delta or hid underground. We haven't gotten too far in when it comes to those caves though. What do robots need hallways and rooms for anyway?

* Some of our supplies we buy off Zoners. They have an easier time traversing back to Delta and Freeport 11's biodomes. Obviously they know it and charge us extra, but with the treasure trove we're sitting on, we can afford it.

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