07-24-2019, 04:44 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CURACAO, CORTEZ SYSTEM
Orbital Spa and Cruise has long been known for offering off-menu excursions to exotic locales in the Omicrons and beyond, but a recent day trip by one its captains has raised the eyebrows of even its most seasoned spacefarers.
Captain Jonathan Seabourne of the OSC Liner Breezewood returned to OSC's headquarter planet with a much smaller vessel than normal alongside 60 hand picked VIP and socialite passengers and 19 crew. Their previous port of call? The rumored Laptev system.
"We wanted to offer something new and exciting to our frequent flyers," said Seabourne alongside his shuttle from the trip, the Day Tripper. "Our upper circles have done all the trips we have to offer and have seen all the luxuries we pack into liners. So I got to thinking, what else can we offer them? What's something new we can give them to brag about at their parties back home?"
Following up on information and rumors garnered from several sources, Seabourne reached out to offer the exclusive tickets to be one of the first civilians to enter the system. "I had a list of 100 people and would take the first 40 who said yes," said the smiling captain. "I didn't need to call past the 40th person."
When asked why the exclusive list, Seabourne claimed that the system was only accessible by "unstable" jump holes. Jump holes are natural phenomena similar to constructed jump gates that allow for quick transit between star systems. However, without artificial phase aligners, natural jump holes arise and decay unpredictably. "The [jumpholes] simply weren't stable enough to allow a full liner to go through, and even if they were there was always the chance of being stranded on the other side. [Interspace Commerce] refused to insure anything bigger than a Dorado to attempt the journey."
The Dorado, OSC's preferred shuttlecraft, proved up to the task. Loaded with wine, vodka, luxury food, tea, and decorated with the finest holosculptures, the shuttle proved the perfect craft for navigating the unknown hazards of the system. "We jumped into an asteroid field. While the Breezewood's shield could have handled the impact, it was much more entertaining to zip between the rocks in a much more nimble bird!"
The Day Tripper's starlight lounge offered her passengers an unfetted view of the system. And what did these exclusive members get to see?
"The main attraction was planet Tiksi, a small gas giant that seemed to have been ripped apart by Taymyr, the other planet in the system," clarified Seabourne. "However, it was a unique opportunity to fly through the remains of the planet. The core of Tiksi was still there as a planetoid, but its gas was safely diffused across the system. We literally flew through its purple remains to stunning effect with no fear of gravity wells."
The system's star, a brown dwarf, also offered a spectacular chance for the ship to get close and see the undulating surface through its polarized glass. Enigmatically, the captain said there was also "someone else orbiting the star," but refused to share exactly what they found.
"I want to ensure my passengers have some stories to share. I won't spoil their fun."
Breezewood is under OSC's White Spa Lines division, a section less focused on profit generation and instead serving as a flagship for the rest of the company's services. When asked the total cost of the undertaking, a smiling Seabourne replied, "about 50 million out of pocket, but worth every credit."
At this time, OSC is not offering any regularly scheduled commercial services to the Laptev system.
CURACAO, CORTEZ SYSTEM
Orbital Spa and Cruise has long been known for offering off-menu excursions to exotic locales in the Omicrons and beyond, but a recent day trip by one its captains has raised the eyebrows of even its most seasoned spacefarers.
Captain Jonathan Seabourne of the OSC Liner Breezewood returned to OSC's headquarter planet with a much smaller vessel than normal alongside 60 hand picked VIP and socialite passengers and 19 crew. Their previous port of call? The rumored Laptev system.
"We wanted to offer something new and exciting to our frequent flyers," said Seabourne alongside his shuttle from the trip, the Day Tripper. "Our upper circles have done all the trips we have to offer and have seen all the luxuries we pack into liners. So I got to thinking, what else can we offer them? What's something new we can give them to brag about at their parties back home?"
Following up on information and rumors garnered from several sources, Seabourne reached out to offer the exclusive tickets to be one of the first civilians to enter the system. "I had a list of 100 people and would take the first 40 who said yes," said the smiling captain. "I didn't need to call past the 40th person."
When asked why the exclusive list, Seabourne claimed that the system was only accessible by "unstable" jump holes. Jump holes are natural phenomena similar to constructed jump gates that allow for quick transit between star systems. However, without artificial phase aligners, natural jump holes arise and decay unpredictably. "The [jumpholes] simply weren't stable enough to allow a full liner to go through, and even if they were there was always the chance of being stranded on the other side. [Interspace Commerce] refused to insure anything bigger than a Dorado to attempt the journey."
The Dorado, OSC's preferred shuttlecraft, proved up to the task. Loaded with wine, vodka, luxury food, tea, and decorated with the finest holosculptures, the shuttle proved the perfect craft for navigating the unknown hazards of the system. "We jumped into an asteroid field. While the Breezewood's shield could have handled the impact, it was much more entertaining to zip between the rocks in a much more nimble bird!"
The Day Tripper's starlight lounge offered her passengers an unfetted view of the system. And what did these exclusive members get to see?
"The main attraction was planet Tiksi, a small gas giant that seemed to have been ripped apart by Taymyr, the other planet in the system," clarified Seabourne. "However, it was a unique opportunity to fly through the remains of the planet. The core of Tiksi was still there as a planetoid, but its gas was safely diffused across the system. We literally flew through its purple remains to stunning effect with no fear of gravity wells."
The system's star, a brown dwarf, also offered a spectacular chance for the ship to get close and see the undulating surface through its polarized glass. Enigmatically, the captain said there was also "someone else orbiting the star," but refused to share exactly what they found.
"I want to ensure my passengers have some stories to share. I won't spoil their fun."
Breezewood is under OSC's White Spa Lines division, a section less focused on profit generation and instead serving as a flagship for the rest of the company's services. When asked the total cost of the undertaking, a smiling Seabourne replied, "about 50 million out of pocket, but worth every credit."
At this time, OSC is not offering any regularly scheduled commercial services to the Laptev system.