Alcatraz Depot

CLASS: Leviathan

GRAVITY: Complete

DOCKING: Yes

AMENITIES: Yes

CREW: 620

Perhaps the most recognizable Rogue base of all (for scoundrels and rapscallions, anyway), Alcatraz has become a welcoming beacon and a safe haven for all the flotsam and jetsam Liberty has to offer. One of the few Liberty Rogue bases within Liberty proper (most criminals tend to live at the fringes of society in more than one sense), Alcatraz was originally constructed in 515 AS as a waystation and resting place for Californian pirates and drug runners headed into New York, as well as a remarkably secure place of refuge for those attempting to evade the long arm of the law. Housed within a hollowed-out ice asteroid deep in the notorious Californian Whitney field (the LPI harbours a whole range of superstitions about the cloud, since pirates that manage to enter even the outskirts of Whitney almost always manage to slip away), Alcatraz had always maintained a colorful assortment of patrons and population. The lively if somewhat chilly bar pours a mind-boggling assortment of Liberty's best drinks, and the local bartender is rumoured to be one of Sirius' most well-informed, and for the right price, he can put in a good word for even the most despised foe with Liberty's criminal triad.

Said triad is well-represented here, with Outcast Cardamine smugglers bringing in the orange drug, Lane Hackers bartering information for goods, and even the occasional Junker looking to pick up or drop off a load of cargo. The omnipresent Liberty Rogues that run the show here maintain a solid background core, keeping a watchful eye over proceedings and moving quickly to quell any potential fights before they start - unless it is them starting it.

Alcatraz might be best compared to an unlawful Freeport of sorts, since if you're not a Xeno, you're welcome here to drink, deal or simply kick back after a long, hard day of busting Universal Shipping open. Be warned though, the no-blaster rule is strictly enforced.

## Bribes & Missions Offered

* Outcasts

* Liberty Rogues

## News

Once they had captured the Outcast, the Rogues broadcast a message to their cartel, threatening to kill the hostage unless they were promised regular Cardamine shipments to keep turning a profit. The response was quick, and far more brutal than they could have anticipated. All six of the Rogues were found killed after several days of silence, with no Outcast hostage in sight. While it is unclear exactly what happened, the message was very clear to any who might tug at the Outcast leash; the reprisals would be unforgiving, and serve as a reminder that anyone can be replaced.
While many other Rogue groups have sought to distance themselves from the actions of the young and brash, grumbles of discontent have nonetheless been heard around our bars and bunks, and it is unclear if this is truly the last we will hear of conflict between us and the Outcasts.

The Outcasts and their most loyal agents stepped in almost immediately in anticipation of something like this happening, and set new rules for distribution according to set keys. A small group of Liberty Rogues defied them and followed their own rules of distribution, but they didn't fare too well - the Dons, despite the ongoing crisis in Malta, do not tolerate insubordination.
For this reason, several powerful Junkers and Rogues immediately decided to dilute Cardamine instead of redistributing ostentatiously against the wishes of the Outcasts at the expense of their clients, thereby raising their own shares. Fortunately for these savvy businessmen, word did not reach the Outcasts until some time later, and thanks to an improved network of cooperation, most of the organizers were able evade Malta's assassins.
However, all these measures had only limited effectiveness. Many end-clients and casual Cardamine users have been forced to seek medical attention due to their deteriorating health due to potentially fatal withdrawal symptoms. It is not known how many Cardamine users eventually died because of the shortage, but it appears to be in the order of single-digit percentages - much to the very verbal displeasure of the Outcasts themselves.

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.

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.

In the video, a number of restrained people that have been identified as former residents of Planet Vespucci, board a Dromedary-class vessel registered to a freelance trader Vincent Ruthen. They are under supervision from several LPI officers, who exchange words with the ship's crew. Private investigators have trailed the ship, determining that it did not land at its purported destination of Gas Miner Naha in the Sigma-13, instead electing to travel away from civilized space into the Edge Worlds. The people aboard it have effectively vanished from the colonies.
This is the latest case in a streak of such disappearances, with investigators estimating as high as ten percent of all inmates thought to be awaiting their trial in LPI internment camps have been covertly shipped off-world for unknown reasons. The fate of these people is yet unclear, but theories range from secret trials to unethical experiments aboard Atka. Outraged by what is apparently an LPI-sanctioned human trafficking operation, protesters flooded the streets and had to be dispersed by police riot control squads.
A Liberty Police official has denounced allegations of corruption, stating that "All interned personnel are secured and all prisoner transfers have been done within the framework of the legal code". He refused to comment on the evidence presented, dismissing it as "slanderous fabrication against the good, hard-working officers of Liberty law". Meanwhile, political opposition already promises increased oversight over the law enforcement corporation for the next election cycle.

For some time, it had been alleged that Insurgent and Xeno-backed cells had been stirring trouble on Erie, inciting violence in the population and seeking to turn the planet into a second Veracruz. Never, however, had such open acts of terror been visited upon the governing Libertonian forces.
The response was quick and decisive. In coordination with the LSF, Vice Admiral Hamish aboard the Battleship Alma lead a Liberty Navy task force directly into the system in Operation Pesticide, escorted primarily by Siege Cruisers, Gunboats and fightercraft, with many of the Navy's capital warships tied in the Vespucci campaign or ever watchful at Liberty's borders. They were met by Zoner Q-ships based from Bethlehem, with many coming from as far as Galileo or even the Sigmas, accompanied by a motley assortment of freelancers and other anarchist elements. Leading the Zoner line was a Aquilon-class carrier, the Pinnacle.
While the Pinnacle came under heavy bombardment from the Alma and her task force, supplies quickly gathered onto Zoner transports from Erie attempted to run the Navy blockade. While some transports were lost to Navy bombers, others yet escaped to parts as of yet unknown. This 'victory', however, came at a heavy price. The Pinnacle was lost with most of her hands still on board and the rest captured, while the Liberty Marines landed virtually unopposed, quickly securing population centers for both the safety of Libertonian assets and the civilians on Erie itself. The Alma is settled now into the low orbit of Erie, a constant reminder to those below that they are under the protection of the Liberty Navy. A comfort to some, a dire warning to many more.

## Rumors

* Our boys here in Alcatraz like to "tax" all the goods moving through the Trade Lanes between Bretonia and Liberty. Los Angeles is filled with those snobby successful types who buy loads of Luxury Goods from Manhattan. It ain't right that they get all the good things in life just 'cuz they were born with money, so we take some of it off their hands.

* You can reach Padua in Cortez by running to the Tahoe Ice Cloud on the western edge of the system, where the Jump Hole to Cortez is hidden. The Trade Lane to Magellan travels by the same field, so you might be able to hit a shipment or two on the way.

* We do quick hops across these systems. I'm on a convoy headed for Beaumont in the Texas Debris Fields. We started in Cortez yesterday at the Rogue base. Normally the Rogues do these runs, but they were losing too many shipments. Sometimes you just have to do it yourself.

* California is a good home to the Rogues. First off, there's ice asteroid fields all over the system, which makes for good cover when traveling through the system hauling illegal goodies. Our base is hidden in the same asteroid field that hides the Jump Hole to Texas, and from Texas you can jump into New York space, no problem.

* We ship Gold stolen by the Outcasts and Lane Hackers in the Barrier on to Buffalo. It eventually gets sold by the Junkers planetside -- a nice, clean operation.

* Rogues live life for the day, not for the future. We don't dwell on the past neither. If I got money in my pocket and some Cardamine stashed, then what do I gotta worry about tomorrow or yesterday for? Besides, I can't always remember what happened yesterday and I might be dead tomorrow.

* California is one of the richest systems in Sirius. On our way back home we'll hit shipments cruising through the Trade Lanes here; we have plenty of cover in the ice fields that populate the system. They cover us as we smuggle our way in and steal our way back out again. I love California.

* A few of our brethren are prisoners at Sugarland. The supply of Cardamine in the prison is adequate to keep them alive. Those that have been sent to Huntsville with the Xenos don't last long.

* Those annoying Xenos seem to think that they will be able to defeat the Junkers and force us to use them as our intermediaries. They are sorely mistaken in that assumption.

* I'm running a Cardamine load in from the Lane Hacker base in Magellan. Just taking a Cardamine break before I head on to Buffalo in the Badlands. It's a very long journey to Liberty from where I come from.

* The Outcasts know we need their Cardamine, and they look down on us for it. I can see it in their eyes, even if they don't say anything. I don't like them holding the Cardamine over us, but I need it.

* The Liberty battleship *Yukon* might scare a lot of thieves and petty criminals, but it doesn't bother the Outcasts. We can lose her patrols in the ice fields as we cross the system.

* There's been talk of a Liberty Rogue who is uniting all of us together. I dunno if it's true or not, but I've heard people say he's got over 100 kills and more and more Rogue pilots are joining under his command. If I get a chance I'll join with him. I think he's in New York.

* We supply Side Arms to the Rogue base out in the Barrier. The Outcasts also buy from us. Nothing cheaper than Detroit Side Arms.

* If you want to really make some money with us, come to Cali in Tau-23. Its exact location is up to you to discover.

* California is one of the richest systems in Sirius. On our way back home we'll hit shipments cruising through the Trade Lanes here; we have plenty of cover in the ice fields that populate the system. They cover us as we smuggle our way in and steal our way back out again. I love California.

* A few of our brethren are prisoners at Sugarland. The supply of Cardamine in the prison is adequate to keep them alive. Those that have been sent to Huntsville with the Xenos don't last long.

* I'm running a Cardamine load in from the Lane Hacker base in Magellan. Just taking a Cardamine break before I head on to Buffalo in the Badlands. It's a very long journey to Liberty from where I come from.

* Those annoying Xenos seem to think that they will be able to defeat the Junkers and force us to use them as our intermediaries. They are sorely mistaken in that assumption.

* The Liberty battleship *Yukon* might scare a lot of thieves and petty criminals, but it doesn't bother the Outcasts. We can lose her patrols in the ice fields as we cross the system.

* If you want to really make some money with us, come to Cali in Tau-23. Its exact location is up to you to discover.

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