Sheffield Station

CLASS: Zeus

GRAVITY: Complete

DOCKING: Yes

AMENITIES: Yes

CREW: 1330

Sheffield Station houses many of the off-shift prison, manufacturing, and mining personnel who work in facilities scattered throughout the Manchester system. A large number of guilds and shipping companies have regional headquarters on Sheffield, including Bowex and Gateway Shipping. But the Bounty Hunters Guild more or less administrates the station, and its members keep the BPA Newgate prison filled to capacity.

## Bribes & Missions Offered

* Gateway Shipping
* Independent Miners Guild
* Border World Exports
* Universal Shipping
* Bounty Hunters Guild
* BMM
* Planetform, Inc.
* Deep Space Engineering
* Ageira Technologies

* Bounty Hunters Guild

## News

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.

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.

With the end of the war and Bretonia's withdrawal from Planet Gran Canaria, Poole's prominence waned. The cost of policing the system and maintaining infrastructure has significantly outweighed collected tax revenue in recent years, with Planetform's Terraforming Gas operations reporting disappointing year on year returns.DSE has already confirmed that it will begin deconstruction operations shortly, with the dismantling of the Cambridge jump gate expected to be completed by 833 AS.

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Planetform has confirmed its intention to withdraw prior to this point, while settling shareholder anxiety with the announcement of promising preliminary findings for a replacement site in Newcastle.

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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."

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.

Upon further investigation, the Navy has successfully identified the ordnance being transported as being sourced from Rheinland. Going as far as to state that they contained serial codes which correspond with weaponry used by Rheinland's own Military. Naturally given the circumstances around the discovery of these weapons and Liberty's history of hot and cold relations with the neighboring House, it is expected that this development will lead to further scrutiny when it comes to potentially suspicious activity.

## Rumors

* The legal team has been hard at work lately, probably means they managed to score some big-time contracts with Bretonia. While I'm glad work's opening up, part of me is still surprised this rainy moshpit can actually get worse.

* Bowex transports basic supplies from here to the other bases in this system. A lot of the Commodities that come through here are either on their way to Liberty or New London. For us it's good to sit on a major trade route. We get supplied well, and the criminals are drawn to these traders like flies to honey. All we got to do is clip a few wings.

* My father was a Bounty Hunter and so was his father before him. Dad started taking me hunting with him when I turned fourteen. I've been doing this ever since, and I've bagged over four hundred criminals in that time.

* Your past does not matter when you become a Bounty Hunter. Once you join the Guild, all is forgotten. For many it is the only chance they have to turn their lives around. I'm not saying life is all roses from that point on - far from it - but it's better than going back to the Newgate.

* This base's location between the two major ice fields in this system leaves us with plenty of options. All kinds of scumbag criminals come into this system. You name it, we got it: Mollys, Gaians, Outcasts, and even Lane Hackers. Most of the action takes place north of the Trade Lanes, except the occasional Molly raid on the Newgate.

* There are two Jump Holes in this system. The Hole to Leeds is in the Birmingham Ice Field; the Hole to Magellan is in the southern part of the Sheffield North Ice Field.

* There is a law in the Bounty Hunters Guild that must never be broken. The proper authorities can't ever be told the location of the Jump Holes. Any Bounty Hunter who breaks this rule is expelled from the Guild, and is usually the victim of an accident.

* Quite a few constables came by just now after their shift had ended, looks like things here are getting bad enough that people are considering drastic career shifts to stay in the black. I'm sure corporate is having a laugh, I pity the greenhorns though, they don't seem cut out for this sort of thing.

* Lane Hackers do a lot of raiding in this system. They know when the Gold shipments are going to come through, and yellow metal is one of their favorite finds.

* I usually don't bother with the prison convoys. The Police Authority usually escorts those themselves, so there's nothing in it for me. They'll claim any pirate kills as their own, which means I don't get paid. It's easier to nab a few Gaians near Birmingham, or a few Hackers coming from Magellan. If you bag both groups on the same trip, you get payment from both Liberty and Bretonia.

* The best way to catch a Molly is to use bait. If you can take out one of their engines, the other Mollys are going to stay behind and try to rescue the distressed pilot. That's when you find out if you are good enough to do this job.

* Outcasts come into this system via the Magellan Jump Hole, so if you are looking to bag an Outcast, then I suggest you look in the Sheffield North. Be careful - Outcasts are pretty touchy with a hold full of Cardamine and have no problem blowing a hole in your ship.

* Welcome to Sheffield. This base is a major distribution point in this part of Bretonian space. Aside from a small police outpost, this is the last stop before hitting the Independent Worlds if you head towards Liberty.

* Boron makes it to this base all the way from Pittsburg. If you feel like you haven't had enough adventure, you can always continue your journey to Scarborough or Southampton. They'll purchase the Boron there for use in shipbuilding.

* Pharmaceuticals are in demand at this facility, both for local use by injured Bounty Hunters, and for transfer to Newgate. You can pick those up from Cambridge.

* Gaians are a bunch of pansy rich kids who had no problems in their lives, so they decided to create one. Terraforming isn't anything terrible or unethical. As a matter of fact, it will eventually save Bretonia. I take pleasure in wasting or busting those filthy snobs.

* We maintain a presence here at this base because a lot of shippers, though they often rely on Bounty Hunters, still want to see the legitimate authorities. We run patrols from this area into the North and South Sheffield.

* I don't like being here at this base. I would prefer to be stationed at a police base where there are more of my kind. Several of the Bounty Hunters I have encountered here were criminals that I put away at one time or another. I doubt any of them have really changed their ways. Only their targets.

* I fly a patrol from this base all the way to the New London Jump Gate and back again. Last week I came up against a few Mollys on their way from Birmingham. One of the Mollys escaped, one died, and the third is on a convoy to Newgate.

* A lot of the Cardamine that flows into Liberty comes through this system. Have you ever tangled with an Outcast? I and two other police interceptors engaged four of them a few days ago. It was a mistake to go against them with fewer numbers. The other two interceptors got cooked.

* I ship Food and Consumer Goods to this base from Kensington. It's a living, and you only have to jump from one system away. Mollys can be quite a problem on occasion, so be careful if you try it. But it is a hell of a lot safer than crossing the Independent Worlds.

* Hauling Pharmaceuticals to Sheffield might be the easiest run that Gateway does. Sure, the pay isn't great, but I don't care as long as I have a better chance of making it home.

* Universal Shipping hauls Light Arms to this base from Detroit. A portion of our shipment is sold here, and then we continue to New London to sell the rest. You could always do the same, if you are a competent pilot, but be aware that every criminal from here to New York will be gunning for you. Xenos especially love those Light Arms.

* Two of my escorts bought the farm back in Magellan, and so did one of my gunners. Too bad, we had made it all the way from Newark with a full load of H-Fuel without incident until then. Luckily, our transports made it safely to Freeport 4, where we patched outselves up and waited for replacement escorts to be sent.

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